It just amazes me that society has promoted the waif thin figures of 0-2 size models as being healthy and normal. Besides the designers and Hollywood, who finds that attractive?  And when you read about what the models and entertainers must do to remain slim enough to stay competitive, I wouldn’t tout that as healthy living, either. Unfortunately, through the fashion, media, and entertainment industry, society has promoted an entire generation of kids to feel unattractive if they’re average, and many have turned to eating disorders as a solution. Others who are overweight struggle to find acceptance, which cycles into unhealthy eating habits because of emotional eating and yo-yo dieting.

I say kudos to those models and entertainers that have stepped out of that mold and become comfortable in their own skin.

Finally, magazines like Glamour are stepping up to the plate and giving us “average” women something to relate to. So big was the response to a feature of full figured, size 12 model, Lizzi Miller, that they are devoting another fall issue to Plus-size fashion. It seems America, and maybe the world, is ready for the curves to make a comeback.

So, what does that mean for those of us trying to lose weight? Well, contrary to those who believe it encourages obesity, I think it gives most women a realistic and healthy image to shoot for. It supports finding an ideal size for your body type and lifestyle…something you can live with and maintain over the long term. And it means that women can be beautiful at any size. Self-esteem, after all, is part of the success in reaching your ideal size and becoming fit and fabulous for life.

I’ve been as big as a size 18 (just a couple years ago) and as small as a size 8 (in my twenties) in my life. Right now, I’m a 14 and working my way down to a comfortable and toned sized 12.  As a baby boomer woman, my goal isn’t just to look good, but to be as healthy and fit as possible as I age, and encourage other women of all ages to live their best life.

Do you celebrate “normal” sized women gracing the pages of fashion magazines? Do you think it encourages being overweight? Do you even think size 12 should be labeled as a “Plus” size? I’d love to know what you think, so feel free to comment either way.

All fat is not alike. Whatever calories don’t get burned for energy accumulate in one of two places — long-term storage deposits beneath the skin (subcutaneous fat) or short-term bins deep in the abdomen (visceral fat). Visceral fat is what we call omental fat — or fat in your omentum, a piece of webbing that hangs off your stomach just beneath your abdominal muscles, sort of like a mesh apron. It can infiltrate the liver and streak through your muscles, including your heart.

The fat down deep is the most dangerous. The soft, surface fat that shows in ripples and cellulite on your thighs, buttocks, and hips (the pear shape) may make you look bad in your swimsuit or shorts, but is a lot less dangerous. However, if you carry most of your weight in your abdomen (apple shape) you’re likely headed for trouble. That’s because much of the fat around the belly is the deep fat that produces extra hormones and proteins, which can trigger major health issues down the road. Among them: unhealthy LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels; high blood sugar and blood pressure; insulin resistance; and widespread inflammation. All are precursors to many diseases — including dementia, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

So, are you are an apple or pear? If it isn’t obvious through the appearance of a “beer belly”, then measure around your waist and the largest part of your hips and divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. If it is.8 or beyond you are an apple shape. In addition, even though you may not be overweight, if you’re a woman, your waist should be no more than 32.5 inches and if you’re a man, no more than 35 inches. Anything higher than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men may mean you’re storing visceral fat and the health dangers increase considerably.

Do you want to stop accumulating that “bad” fat? Crash dieting won’t do it! In fact yo-yo dieting actually causes your body to store more of it over time. What you eat, however, does make a difference as does stress. Simply taking a 30 minute walk a day will prevent future accumulation of visceral fat.

But what if you want to lose it?

In a study by Duke University Medical Center researchers, it was found that people who were physically inactive had significant increases in visceral fat, while those who exercised frequently had significant decreases in visceral fat, over an eight-month period. The study found:

• Those who did not exercise had an 8.6 percent increase in visceral fat.
• Those who exercised the most (17 miles of jogging/brisk walking per week) had an 8.1 percent decrease in visceral fat.
• Those who exercised a low amount (11 miles of jogging/brisk walking each week) did not significantly increase or decrease visceral fat.

1. Get physical! Add 15 minutes extra to your walking schedule, wear light weights, pump up the speed, and/or jog for a minute of every 5 minutes of walking to increase the fat burn. Add some resistant weight training to the mix if you want to lose fat and restore and preserve lean muscle. Cross training with 20-30 minutes of intense exercise for 6 days weekly is optimal for fat burn, but if you’re just starting out, make sure you don’t over do it. Dancing, hiking, and sports activites are also a great way to burn fat while having fun.
2. Eat to Flush Fat: Be sensible and begin an eating plan that you can live with long term. Fad dieting, crash dieting, and eliminating complete food groups, is neither healthy nor sustainable. Follow the 16 Keys to Fat Loss by applying a few keys a week over a period of time and you’ll see good results in 90 days.
3. Eliminate Stress: Find ways to relax daily, restore your body and mind through 7-8 hours or restful sleep a night, and de-clutter your life by removing the things that create extra stress and chaos in your environment. Stress, through the release of cortisol, is a big contributor of visceral fat around the middle.

So, apple types, whether overweight or slimmer, visceral fat is something you want to stop and take action to eliminate.  Big butts can be grateful, for now, but stay tuned for ways you can get rid of those ripples and cellulite, because fat is never attractive or healthy no matter where it’s stored on your body.