I can’t help but notice that our men appear pregnant. I sometimes find myself estimating their trimester (i.e., first trimester, or, oh gosh – third trimester and ready to burst!).
What happened to our men?
How come it’s okay for them to look like they’ve swallowed a bowling ball or a Thanksgiving Day turkey?
It seems that men are held to a different set of rules than us women. They can sport their excessive guts without shame, while women torment over how to best camouflage theirs. And yet, for most women after giving childbirth, we can’t help the stretched and weakened abdominal muscles that we are left with.
For some of you lucky men, who have the gift of good genetics, you will store your excess fat more evenly. But for those who are not gifted by genetics, please take heed. There are major health risks associated with men who have excessive abdominal fat (or a beer belly). You are putting yourself at greater risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and various intestinal illnesses.
You may have breathing problems, especially at night. And you may be dealing with some level of back or neck pain. All of this is because your enlarged gut is working with the natural pull of gravity to throw your spine out of alignment. After feeling this tug by way of a tired and unhappy back, you make your postural adjustment by pulling your shoulders back. But what you really did will misalign your hips and neck which will ultimately lead to weakened and shortened muscles. And if that weren’t enough, think about the pressure you are putting on your internal organs. Not only are they working under pressure (literally), they too are saturated with fat and cannot do their job efficiently. I won’t even discuss the fact that you aren’t able to see your most private parts without the assistance of a mirror.
We have become a lazy society that really doesn’t care about health if it means we have to work out or eat less (at least not until we are diagnosed with an illness or disease).
I know it’s hard to commit to better health because it means giving up some of the foods we love, and quite frankly, are addicted to. But when the love of unhealthy foods puts your body under attack, it’s time to reassess your love for yourself.
Think about, disease doesn’t happen overnight; it’s the result of years of unhealthy eating and lack of fitness. So take a hard look in the mirror, is the person looking back at you the best representation of you?