In 2015, I had 60 days to fit into the above dress, so I created an exercise and nutrition programme that helped me to shrink my waist whilst building lower body muscle. My husband mentioned that my shape had changed and I realised that I had gone from "Apple" to "Hourglass". We've all been created differently and beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, but there are clear health benefits to having less fat around our abdomen areas.
People with Apple body shapes are more likely to have a dangerous fat known as 'visceral' fat. This fat can be harmful because it's located next to vital organs and it can prevent them from functioning properly. Studies have shown that people with excess stomach fat are more likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and a variety of other health conditions. My father had abdominal obesity which caused the above mentioned health issues. Sadly he died of a heart attack in July 2017.
As we age we lose muscle mass which slows down our metabolism causing us to store more body fat. Building muscle speeds up our metabolism which helps us to burn more calories at rest. Transforming our figure isn't just about aesthetics, studies have shown that resistance training can help to boost our mood and promote good brain health. I qualified as an Advanced Sports and Exercise Nutritional Advisor in February 2021, and I'm currently offering personalised e-consultations to people who are interested in building muscle and losing abdominal fat. Please email info@aspirehigh.org for pricing and further information.