From belly fat to six-pack

Degrading the belly fat, building the six-pack

23/05/2012

Which man does not want him, a muscular belly with six-pack. Expert Thomas Haab reports that the body fat percentage must drop below twelve percent in order to break down the muscle-concealing subcutaneous fat layer and bring the six-pack to light.

Six-pack requires body fat to drop below twelve percent
The abdominal muscles are covered by a subcutaneous fat layer. To be able to decorate yourself with a six-pack, so it means slimming and training. Thomas Haab from the German University for Prevention and Health Management in Saarbrücken told the news agency „dpa“, that the abdominal muscles do not appear until the body fat percentage has fallen below twelve to ten percent and thus the subcutaneous fat layer is broken down. This can be achieved with intensive strength training and a corresponding diet.

When eating, care should be taken to use less energy than is consumed. Carbohydrates such as pasta, bread and rice should be fed only in the morning and just before training. In the evening they should be renounced. To counteract a loss of muscle, which is triggered by the increased breakdown of protein by lower energy intake, the protein content can be increased, for example in the form of fish, legumes and dairy products, explains Haab.

At the same time, however, the fat intake should not be reduced too much, as this reduces the testosterone level and causes increased muscle breakdown. Suitable sources of monounsaturated fatty acids include nuts, rapeseed and olive oils. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are included, for example, in fish oils and alpha-linolenic acid.

The type of fitness training for the six-pack should be based on the previous training experience. So squats are something for advanced, while leg presses are also suitable for beginners.

Belly fat carries health risks
In the reduction of the abdominal fat are often beauty aspects in the foreground, although at the same time reduced health risks. South Korean researchers led by Dae Hyun Yoon of the Department of Psychiatry at the Seoul National University Hospital's Healthcare System Gangnam Center recently reported in the Oxford University journal „Age and Aging“, that a high proportion of abdominal fat (visceral fat) is associated with cognitive performance in old age: the greater the size of the abdomen, the lower the mental capacity of people between 60 and 70 years. For older people over 70 years of age, however, this effect has been relativised again, according to the researchers.

Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm reported a link between brain disease and increased body weight. At the beginning of January, Antonio Convit from Nathan Kline of the Institute for Psychiatry Research in New York wrote in the journal „Brain“, In overweight individuals, a significant reduction in certain reward and appetite centers in the cerebrum as well as considerable structural damage to the brain were observed. The study results indicate that the already known pro-inflammatory effect of obesity in the nervous system can shrink entire brain areas. The Swedish study showed similar results. The researchers emphasized the importance of a healthy diet for the health of old age. (Ag)

Also read about belly fat:
Study: Bone atrophy due to abdominal fat?

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