Belly Fat: A Sign of Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes

Belly fat, lady pooch, muffin top—or whatever you want to call your little friend hanging over your waistband—is one of the things you probably hate about your body.  And, you’re not alone.  Men and women consistently rate their stomach/gut/belly as the most hated part of their bodies. 

Some of us wrestle the belly fat into girdles, body shapers, and Spanx® to smooth things out enough to not look too lumpy.  And, there are others who just let it all hang out as they embrace their inner goddess.  But, whether it’s a little or a lot, let’s get real and talk about the health issues related to belly fat.

Body Fat is Lethal

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 32% of Americans are overweight and 40% are obese.  Furthermore, women are more likely to be obese than men.  And, that’s not all.  Black women have the highest rate of obesity for all races and gender. 

So, why is this a big deal?  Well, overweight and obesity increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.  And, when you gain weight, you also put on belly fat.  Let me repeat that: “When you gain weight, you also put on belly fat.”

Too much belly fat is lethal, deadly, and life sucking.  Why?  Well, belly fat affects your body at the cellular level and shifts it out of balance.  Then, your body becomes unstable and unhealthy, which eventually makes you fatter. 

Research also show that belly fat increases risk of premature death—regardless of overall weight.  And, keep reading because you don’t want to miss this fact.  Even if your weight is “normal” or “healthy” according to body mass index (BMI), a large waistline increases your risk of dying of heart disease! 

Types of Body Fat

Belly fat is much more than the thing that hangs over your jeans.  Belly fat includes subcutaneous fat as well as visceral fat.  And, you guessed it.  Both types of fat are hard to lose.  OK, stay with me here as I explain this a little more. 

Subcutaneous fat is that extra padding of fat that is just below the skin.  This type of fat is easy to see on your thighs, arms, and belly.  It jiggles when you move, and it is what causes the lumps and bumps that show through your yoga pants, hang over your jeans, and wave when you move your arm. We all have some subcutaneous fat.  However, diet, exercise, and genetics affect the amount of subcutaneous fat we have and will develop.  

While subcutaneous fat is a cosmetic concern, the real health issue lies with visceral fat.  Visceral fat lies deep inside your abdomen and surrounds your internal organs.  And, that is what makes it lethal.  In fact, it is visceral fat that increases your risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.

Insulin and Blood Sugar

Insulin is the main hormone that contributes to belly fat.  But, let’s back up here for a little bit for a mini biology lesson.  Your body’s cells need energy (food) for all of their functions—exercising, breathing, pumping blood, thinking, etc.  And, in order to feed your cells, your body makes glucose (sugar) from the food you eat.  Glucose then feeds all the cells in your body, including your brain.  

After you eat a meal, your glucose, or sugar, level rises in the blood.  Then, this signals the beta cells in your pancreas to release insulin in the blood.    As a result, insulin lowers blood glucose to keep it in the normal range. And, this happens every time you eat.

However, over time, a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates (i.e. most processed foods made with flour), too much belly fat, overweight and obesity, inadequate exercise, and even inadequate sleep decrease your body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes

Now, this is where things begin to get worse.  Insulin resistance and prediabetes occur when your body no longer uses insulin well.  And, this is when your body runs into trouble.  Initially, your body fights back by producing more insulin.  But, there’s a catch.  Over time, the beta cells in the pancreas get worn out from working so hard to produce insulin.  This produces a vicious cycle that leads to insulin resistance.

These high levels of insulin also tell your body to gain weight around the belly.  Eventually, this changes the shape of your body over time.  Insulin also causes oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, which lead to more health problems.  After, years of silently being insulin resistant, your blood sugar begins to get high and stay high. And this leads to prediabetes.

Now, you don’t want to miss this part.  You could have insulin resistance and prediabetes and not know it.  Yes.  Insulin resistance and prediabetes usually have no symptoms.  And, if left unchecked, you may develop type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Insulin resistance and prediabetes usually have no symptoms. 

So, insulin resistance leads to large amounts of belly fat.  It also causes tiredness, mood swings,  sugar cravings, and blood sugar swings (hypoglycemia).  And, all of these things make it hard to lose weight.

Measure Your Waist

A large waistline is the most obvious sign that you have too much belly fat and are probably are insulin resistance.  So, let’s get to the moment of truth.

Go and get a tape measure.  I am still here.  Look, I am not even going to ask you to get naked and look at yourself in the mirror.  That was covered in another blog post.

A waist measurement of  35 inches or more for women and 40 or more for men indicate too much belly fat, obesity, and possible insulin resistance.  For those of Asian, Chinese or Japanese descent, the indicator is a waist measurement of  31.5 inches or more for women and 35.5 inches for men.

Make Small, Steady Changes

So, what’s the solution to losing belly fat? Are there special foods, exercises, pills, or creams?  Nope. 

You see, the solutions are simple to say but harder to do.  But, you are a warrior woman, a badass, and you can do this.  So, follow these tips to lose stubborn belly fat, normalize insulin levels, and help another sister on her journey to health and wellness.

• Control your sweet tooth and stop eating so much refined sugars
• Stop drinking sodas, including diet soda
• Eat real food (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.)
• Reduce intake of processed and refined foods
• Eat enough high-quality protein
• Cut back on foods made with flour
• Add healthy fats to your diet (avocado, olive oil, etc.)
• Get enough vitamin D
• Take Omega-3 supplements
• Manage your stress
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day
• Lift weights two or three times a week
• Reduce alcohol intake

Now, It’s Your Turn

Well, I hope you feel more educated about belly fat and how to make small changes to bring it under control.  And, I think you will also enjoy the blog post on ways to control stress eating, how to listen to your naked body, and how to control sugar intake.   

1. Measure your waist and write it down.  If it is 35 inches or higher, then you have too much belly fat.
2. Which strategies for managing belly fat are hardest for you to do?  Which ones are easiest to do?
3. Plan to reduce your insulin level and belly fat today.
4. Please share this article with a female friend or relative.

Well, we look forward to hearing about your experience in the comment section of this blog.  And, you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Group.

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Keep It Tight Sisters.

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