The most noticeable part of a fat person is quite often the stomach but its disadvantage is much more than cosmetic. And apart from being concerned about the loss of aesthetics, it is also reasonable to get concerned of a fat midsection
A fat abdomen not only results to larger pant sizes, it is also a serious health issue. It points to your state of degenerating health. Accumulation of body fat mainly around your midsection (commonly referred to as apple shaped, as opposed to pear shaped that has fat around hips, buttocks and thighs) is more dangerous than any other fat distribution. It is associated with increased risk of heart disease, Type II diabetes and other diseases that often accompany obesity.
However the notion that you can lose fat specifically from the stomach area only is unfounded. Spot weight reduction is really a myth. You just cannot loss weight from one specific area of the body. A good example of how one loses body fat is given by the fat-loss expert and body builders, Tom Venuto.
He explains losing fat is like empting a swimming pool. The last part of the pool to get covered by water when filling it up will be the first part of the pool to show up when emptying it. On the contrary the first part of the pool, the deep end, which fills up first, will be the last place to empty.
Another example would be the loading of a truck container with sacks of potatoes. The first sacks to go into the container will be at the furthest end. The last sacks would be closest to the door. On unloading the first sacks to be loaded will be the first to be unloaded while the first to be loaded will be the last to be unloaded.
Similarly in losing weight the last place you deposited fat will be the first place you lose in. And the first place you deposited fat will be the last place to lose it.
Unfortunately, for most of us, the first place we deposit fat is in the abdominal area. This is particularly so for men. Women tend to have first deposits in thighs and hip area also. This distribution of body fat then translates to mean that abdominal fat is usually the last body fat to be lost.
Though this is roughly the way the body distributes fat, obviously it is not as simple. Your body does not store fat at the abdomen and say, Ahha! That's full, lets' start depositing in the under arms. But on the other hand, it doesn't necessarily distribute body fat equally around the body. Depending on your genetics the body will deposit fat in different parts and at different rates. Often some part will have more deposits than others. However you will rarely see a fat person who does not have a large abdomen.
To see your abdominal muscles you will need to cut down on your total body fat. More crunches will just not do it. Yes the crunches do develop the muscles, unfortunately they will still be under two inches of sub-cuteneous fat. And most likely a one pack was not exactly your idea of attractive.
Every year more than 70 million people resolve to lose weight by going on a diet, which feeds the big, fat $58 billion diet and weight-loss industry. After all the money is wasted, the cold, harsh reality is that fewer than 5 percent of dieters will realize long-term results. The other 95 percent will regain all the weight they lost, and then some. How can an industry survive with such a low success rate? How can it be legal to market and sell something that has a proven track record for failure? Now consumers have a brand new diet deception being marketed to them backed with over $150 million in marketing to spin the weight-loss lie.
Buyers searching for the right solution to their struggles with weight loss now have access to the new FDA-approved over-the-counter weight-loss drug Orlistat, also known as Alli. Lest you think this is a brand new drug that will deliver the much sought after solution to the obesity epidemic, think again. This is not a new drug. Orlistat is simply a lower-dose version of the prescription weight-loss drug Xenical, which has had zero impact on moving the fat meter in our society. Making Orlistat available to consumers over-the-counter only means that tens of millions of people will now have false hopes of sustained weight-loss while being exposed to toxic, synthetic chemical compounds.
Prior to the Orlistat approval, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) was reeling from the negative reports that their blockbuster diabetes drug Avandia (rosliglitazone) was linked to death from heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. Enter the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to the rescue with the much needed approval of Orlistat that will surely pick up the slack from the Avandia fallout. But at what cost?
In just one year between 1996 and 1997, over 18 million people learned the hard way that weight-loss cannot be safely achieved with a pill when it was revealed that the weight-loss drug Fen Phen caused heart valve problems and led to many deaths. The approval of Orlistat is yet another example of how the FDA and Big Pharma fuel the quick-fix, pill-popping mentality of consumers who hope to loose weight without making the necessary lifestyle changes to produce lasting results.
Not convinced? Orlistat is marketed under the name Alli, supported by the Web site MyAlli.com. GSK entices visitors to join the MyAlli community with language that confirms the simple fact that weight-loss cannot be achieved with Orlistat alone. The company stresses the importance of a good balanced diet and regular exercise, which is the same disclaimer you will find on any weight-loss product that advertises unrealistic results.
The best Alli can muster is to offer users to lose 15 pounds versus 10 pounds that one might loose with diet and exercise alone—with a few problems and side affects. The drug is designed to block the absorption of 25 percent of the fat in the food you eat by preventing the enzymes in the intestines from digesting food properly. This also interferes with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and beta carotene. Users are told to take a multivitamin daily to make up for the lost nutrients. Other disturbing side effects indicated by the manufacturer include digestive and elimination issues including gas with oily spotting, loose stools, stools that may be hard to control and abdominal pain.
Even though this should be enough to prevent people from using the drug, there are many more reasons. Any weight-loss that you might experience by risking your health with this drug is not sustained over time. The information presented on MyAlli Web site states that most weight-loss occurs in the first six months of use followed by a decrease in the amount of weight loss. Additionally, no longitudinal studies have been done on the drug to determine its long-term effectiveness on weight loss or implications for other health risks or mortality.
If that isn't enough to deter you, the greatest alarm about Orlistat is its carcinogenic potential. There are two known toxins, including the list of inactive ingredients--FD&C blue and the solvent Sodium Laruel Sulfate (SLS). FD&C blue is a coal tar dye. It is a possible endocrine disruptor and contains heavy metals. The greatest risk of Orlistat is that studies of the prescription version Xenical revealed that it clearly causes pre-cancerous lesions of the colon (aberrant crypt foci or ACF). On April 10, 2006 Public Citizen (the public advocacy organization that helped inform the public about the risks of Vioxx and Ephedra) petitioned the FDA, urging them to remove Xenical from the market. The FDA kept Xenical available and on the market, despite the known hazards. The same with the over-the-counter version of Orlistat, aka Alli. It is shocking that despite the clinical evidence of the carcinogenic properties of the drug that the FDA has not taken a stand to protect consumers. Buyer beware.
Between the lack of evidence for the benefits of taking Orlistat, coupled with the documented risks associated with the drug, people looking for the solution to weight-loss should avoid this product at all cost. GlaxoSmithKline will need every penny of their $150 million marketing budget to spin this big, fat lie. But the one thing that marketing can't spin is your common sense.
Both Mark Kimathi & Craig Pepin Donat are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Mark Kimathi has sinced written about articles on various topics from Soccer, Lose Weight and Site promotion. ? Mark Kimathi writes about weight loss on topics like such as. Mark Kimathi's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.
Craig Pepin Donat has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Craig Pepin-Donat has dedicated his life to helping people through health and fitness education and now brings that knowledge and expertise to you in his ground breaking book, The Big Fat Health and Fitness Lie. He founded. Craig Pepin Donat's top article . to your Favourites.