If you’ve ever had the opportunity to visit the Body Worlds exhibit, the picture that I placed above will bring back memories. If you haven’t been to this exhibit, you MUST go when it comes to a city near you.
This side by side photo is a comparison of a 120 lb. woman vs. a 250 lb. woman. The images are astonishing.
What I want you to do is take a close look at the differences in the images. Look at the areas of red muscle. You can also see the heart in the chest cavity. But, what I want you to pay particular attention to is the yellowish-white areas because that is fat.
Many people understand that fact that as someone gains weight, they build up some fat on their thighs, gain some love handles or get a little more cushion on their rear end. But, what many don’t realize, is the fat buildup that occurs on the inside.
Compare the abdominal areas of the two images. The 120 lb. woman has little to no fat deposits in the abdominal area (the white structure is the liver). However, the 250 lb. woman has a tremondous amount of fat located throughout her abdominal cavity.
So, what does this mean? For starters, this fat creates increased health risks due to fat around the intestines, liver, pancreas and stomach. These organs cannot possibly function correctly with this fat buildup in and around them. Since these organs are vital to keeping you healthy, this woman has an increased chance of cariovascular disease, cancer or diabetes.
Abdominal fat is a risk factor in and of itself. When weight gain occurs, it occurs in more places than your thighs. It causes internal fat buildup creating the potential for significant health risks.
The good news: when you are able to safely lose weight, the body typically begins by the removal of abdominal fat. This weight loss contributes to significant lowering of health risks.
These pictures ARE worth a thousand words.
SQ