Intra-Abdominal Fat,,,great read

[IBBAdmin]

Intra-abdominal fat is a dangerous type of hidden fat that wraps itself around internal organs. It increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Even people who are thin may be carrying around intra-abdominal fat. After menopause, women are at particular risk for developing intra-abdominal fat.

In general, a man with a waist size greater than 40-inches, or a woman with a waist more than 35-inches, is at risk for having a large amount of intra-abdominal fat. Short of getting a CT scan or a MRI, it is hard to know for sure. If the waist of your pants is getting tighter over time, and you are unable to pinch more fat, it probably reflects increasing intra-abdominal fat.

In a recent study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, 172 people who exercised moderately for a year lost up to 16 percent of their intra-abdominal fat. One group performed 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on a treadmill or stationery bicycle three days a week, plus at home exercises, mostly brisk walking, two days a week. A weekly one-hour stretching class was the other group's main form of exercise. Naturally, the group that worked out five days a week lost more fat overall.

Small but steady fat losses should be your game plan for losing as well as preventing intra-abdominal fat. Just commit yourself to doing a moderate activity (one that you enjoy!) on a regular basis. Swimming, for example, is a great cardiovascular exercise that also happens to be a great fat-burner. It is easy on the joints and unlikely to leave you with sore muscles or injuries.

[Laurie]

It is a good read. The MRI scan of the two females shows this clearly in the obese one.

MMmmm.....so after three years lifting, dropped 80lbs. I am postmenopausal, can still pinch fat and my waist size is 36. Dont have high blood pressure, no diabetes and my heart is good and strong.

I guess there is hope for me in not having too much of this intra abdominal fat.

Question about men, though. Some are predisposed to having a "basketball" belly" and heard that this is one indication of likely having more intra abdominal fat deposits than others. Is this true?

[Charleh]

Thats from drinking too much beer

[Laurie]

If only.

But my husband does not drink and always had this type of "gut". He is also type 2 diabetic and controls it with diet. His father had the same "beer" belly all his life. He used to drink but stopped cold turkey 18 years before he died at age 86.

I noticed my son is developing a "gut" like his father's of late. He does not drink and works as a ranger at a local county park. So he keeps pretty active.

[IBBAdmin]

bump

[Jacquelineh123]

I am 5'4. I weight 105 pounds. My body fat % is 21. I have a BMI of 18.5. My waist is 27 inches, I know I need to reduce my body fat%, however I'm not really in a position to lose more weight. Why is my waist size so big? I've been working out for 9 months and have a very clean diet. With time will my waist get smaller as my body fat % is reduced?[/QUOTE]

[LunaLifts]

I am 5'4. I weight 105 pounds. My body fat % is 21. I have a BMI of 18.5. My waist is 27 inches, I know I need to reduce my body fat%, however I'm not really in a position to lose more weight. Why is my waist size so big? I've been working out for 9 months and have a very clean diet. With time will my waist get smaller as my body fat % is reduced?

Please check the thread dates before posting. This thread is a decade old.

To answer your concerns though.
27" isn't big.
Your weight is low for your height, if you're not where you want to be, it's because you lack muscle. Start a slow bulk, and build muscle for awhile (women gain ~5lb a month, it's going to take time) on an established lifting program. See the sticky for beginners at the top of this forum for nutrition details, and recommended routines.

Looking at your pictures you're very small, you may have some body image issues you need to address as well.