Chic & Health

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Today, a lot of significance is given to how much a person weighs. We go on a diet to improve our appearance according to what people think we should look like. Improved health and energy are other reasons we want to lose weight.

Should your heart be a point of concern, you should watch your weight. However, weight is not always about pounds. The proportion of your hips to waist is more important than what you weigh.

The American Heart Association warns us that a man with a larger than 40 inch waistline and women with a waist line larger than 35 inches are taking their chances on developing heart disease. If your waist to hip ratio is high, you’re at greater risk for heart disease than an overweight person with smaller proportions.

Visceral fat, a specific type of fat that is stored in your body, is what causes the higher likelihood of developing heart problems. This fat is located below your muscle and collects around your internal organs. Visceral fat is more stressful to your heart than any other accumulation of fat.

Some of the problems it causes are high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, and hypertension. When you combine these problems, the probability of heart problems increases.

The good news is that even if you only lose a small amount of weight around your waist, you may have huge decreases in your risk of heart disease. And one of the best ways to target the midsection is through practicing exercises like yoga.

You don’t have to spend hours and hours at the gym every day, either. It’s possible to improve your health and achieve the results you want in just 20-40 minutes of exercise each day.

You can also handle your weight problem by changing your diet to include lots of fruits, vegetables, lean meat and whole grains. Eliminate food products that contain high levels of fats, particularly saturated or trans, as well as sugar.

Improving your diet will not only help to trim your waistline, but it will also help to lower your cholesterol, blood glucose, and even your blood pressure. All that adds up to heart health.

Losing the extra weight you are carrying around your middle can help you to fit into that new outfit, but more importantly it helps you to stay healthy and have a long life.