Thursday, June 2, 2011

Why do guys get Spare Tires & Women get Thunder-Thighs?

Why do guys get Spare Tires & Women get Thunder-Thighs?
As most women know, it is more difficult to shed fat from the pelvis, buttocks and thighs than it is to trim down other areas of the body. During lactation, however, sex-specific fat cells are not so stubborn. They increase their fat-releasing activity and decrease their storage capacity, while at the same time fat storage increases in the mammary adipose tissue. This suggests that there is a physiological advantage to sex-specific fat. The fat stored around the pelvis, buttocks and thighs of women appears to act as reserve storage for the energy demands of lactation. This would seem to be particularly true for habitually undernourished females.
But this advantage brings one annoying disadvantage that many women experience: the orange-peel-look on the hips, thighs and buttocks called cellulite. Cellulite appears as body fat is gained and more of it is packed into existing cells. (Remember, new cells are not normally formed after adolescence.) These packed cells then swell and, when large enough, become visible through the skin. Adding insult to injury, as the skin gets thinner and less flexible with age, the puffed-up fat cells become even more visible. (Unfortunately, no cream, massage, vibrating machine, injection, pill, whirlpool bath, rubber pants or other gimmick will get rid of cellulite. The only help is general weight loss, with a sensible diet and regular exercise, which can reduce the effect.)
Men tend to store excess fat in the visceral, or abdominal, region. This deposit has no apparent physiological advantage. On the contrary, it is downright dangerous. A large potbelly, where waist girth begins to exceed hip girth, is strongly associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, diabetes, elevated triglycerides, hypertension, cancer and general overall mortality.
One of the main reasons that men gain weight around their middle as they age is that their metabolic rate slows down and they burn fewer calories. Even though they may be eating the same amount, they are apt to gain weight and often it is in their stomach. Beer and alcohol contribute to visceral fat that collects around the middle, and even fit and slim men can wake up one day looking down on a beer belly. Eating large meals late at night keeps the stomach muscles relaxed and stretched during sleep. Over time this can lead to a potbelly. Lordosis in men occurs when the spine bends inward and pushes the stomach out.

No comments:

Post a Comment