Belly Fat

The “Dad Bod”, which is politically correct for, fat ass. Seriously, we all have a few extra pounds on our belly and we have glamorized it, by calling it a beer belly, spare tire, or a dad bod, they are all the same thing. For men, fat usually accumulates in our belly area and on our backside (ass). And it is easy to put that weight on, and very difficult to take it off. Over the years I have collected a few (a few being around 50 pounds) around the waist and I have tried everything to lose the weight. I found that for me, it was the caffeinated sodas that were helping to contribute to the weight gain (along with several other things). When I cut the sodas out, I would lose 10 pounds and then stop.

It wasn’t until recently when I got sicker from my autoimmune disorders that I started to lose weight. In November 2021, I got tired of the pain in my torso and chest and I went to the ER as the “doc in a box” was thinking it was my gallbladder (which is a very logical diagnosis, with the limited diagnostic tools he had). The pain was really getting to me that day and the ER said that my gallbladder is fine. I had a gastro appointment in a few days, and the test that they ran, they said, everything is working as it should. I had a Rheumatologist appointment in a few weeks and she diagnosed me as having Costochondritis. One of the medications that I’m on alone with the weeks of pain before I was diagnosed, helped me lose weight. I lost 40 pounds in 2022 and I’m still losing. But this post isn’t about me, it is about you.

According to the Mayo Clinic, belly fat is a more dangerous fat. It isn’t just fat under the skin, it is also fat deeper inside that surrounds our internal organs. Regardless of your overall weight, having a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
• Colorectal cancer
• Sleep apnea
• Premature death from any cause
• High blood pressure

(Source)
As it surrounds your organs, it can also cause problems with them. Diseases like Fatty Liver are also more prevalent in men with too much body fat. Sadly, unless you are having medical issues like I am, the only way to lose belly fat is through diet and exercise, and l let me tell you, the weight doesn’t come off easily or quickly. If you drink a ton of soda or beer, cut back and that will help a little.