The Deadly Duo

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I write this newsletter to help busy 50+ men lose weight, get fit, and stay fit for life!

The Deadly Duo

I love a good spy thriller. 

My favorite part is when the good guy is stalked by a silent assassin who sneaks up on him with deadly intentions. Then, at the last moment, the good guy averts sure death by dodging the assassin’s bullet and escapes to fight another day!

It‘s exciting to watch on TV, but it’s definitely not something you want to encounter in real life. 

But for many 50+ men, this silent assassin scenario is more real than you think. That’s because heart disease is the #1 killer of men in America. Heart disease is a Silent Assassin!

And this assassin has an accomplice - excess belly fat!

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than one-half of American men have abdominal obesity (also called visceral fat or excess belly fat). Excess belly fat is a major cause of heart disease and cardiac-related deaths. 

Excess belly fat is more than just a cosmetic issue. This fat is biologically active and produces harmful substances:

• It secretes inflammatory molecules called cytokines, which can trigger low-level inflammation - a risk factor for heart disease.

• It produces a precursor to angiotensin, a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to rise.

Unfortunately, there’s even more bad news about excess belly fat. It is also associated with increased risks of:

• Dementia: People in their 40s with high levels of abdominal fat were nearly three times more likely to develop dementia later in life.

• Colorectal cancer: Those with the most visceral fat have three times the risk of developing precancerous colon polyps.

• Diabetes: Visceral fat is a strong predictor for the development of diabetes

• All-Cause Mortality: overall risks of death rise in association with waist circumference.

Measuring Excess Belly Fat

The most common way to measure belly fat is the waist-to-hip ratio (also called WHR).

WHR is the simple ratio of waist circumference divided by hip circumference. WHR is the most accurate measure and is the approach most noted in the research literature.

Calculating WHR is simple, as shown below:

Waist-to-Hip Ratio = Waist size (inches) / Hip size (inches)

For example, if your waist size is 40 inches and your hip size is 39 inches, your WHR is calculated as follows:

WHR = waist size (40-inches) / hip size (39-inches)

WHR = 1.03

The following WHR ranges have been set to determine belly fat health risks:

 Low Risk: 0.95 or lower

Moderate Risk: 0.96 - 1.0

High Risk: 1.0 or higher

(Note: these are men’s WHR ranges only.)

So, using the example noted above, the 1.03 WHR is considered a High health risk. 

Unfortunately, this also carries a higher risk of All-Cause Mortality (ACM), meaning dying for any reason.

As you can see from the example above, WHR is easy to check at home. All you need is a measuring tape and some simple math. You can also use an online WHR calculator. 

Because of the health risks posed by excess belly fat, I suggest that every 50+ Guy check their own belly fat situation using WHR to see where they stand. Then, if you find that your WHR is in the Moderate-to-High range, take action to address the problem. 

Reducing Excess Belly Fat

To reduce your excess belly fat, I recommend the following three-step plan to achieve the results you need:

Step 1: Take action!

Decide to do something about this. While excess belly fat probably isn’t going to cause you to die in the next month or year, it is certainly going to rob you of precious years of your future. Remember that health is your first wealth. So, decide to take action, then do it!

Step 2: Begin to Eat Smarter!

The battle to lose weight and belly fat is won in the kitchen, not the gym! It's all about the food choices we make daily.

Most Over-50 Guys are consumers of the Standard American Diet, which I call the SAD. It’s SAD because it’s filled with hidden sugars and unhealthy fats. After years of research, we now know that eating the Standard American Diet leads to Standard American Diseases as we discussed above.

Eating smarter is a simple step-by-step process to eliminate the harmful foods from your daily meal choices and replace them with healthy, nutrient-dense whole-food alternatives. 

This is not about dieting or deprivation! It’s about choosing healthier options.

You can start by eliminating foods that contain any of these six less-healthy ingredients from your daily nutrition routine:

• Sugar

• White Flour

• White Rice

• White Potatoes

• Corn

• High Fructose Corn Syrup

Don’t worry about cutting calories at this point. Just replace these six harmful items with healthier choices like meats (lean beef, poultry, fish) green veggies, and whole grains. I’ve written extensively about eating smarter; you can read more here.

Step 3: Start Moving!

Once you’ve begun to bring your daily nutrition under control, it's time to start a program of moderate exercise. Research has shown that one of the best forms of exercise for fat burning is brisk walking. Walking at a pace that brings your heart rate to 60-70% of your maximum rate is considered your body’s maximum fat-burning zone. It’s a more effective way to burn fat than jogging or lifting weights. It’s also an easy way to get started with exercises if you haven’t been actively exercising in the past. Learn more about the power of walking for fat loss here.

Bonus Step: 6 Smart Moves eBook

Build a healthy and sustainable lifestyle using my ThriveLife framework. You’ll learn how to lose weight, get fit, and stay fit without relying on crazy diets or grueling workouts. It’s a great solution for busy 50+ guys who don’t want to spend hours in the gym. Get your free copy today. 

If you follow these simple suggestions, you’ll keep the deadly duo of heart disease and excess belly fat from sneaking up on you!

Thanks for stopping by.

Smarter, not harder.

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#3 - When you’re ready to join a community of other busy 50+ Guys building their ThriveLives together, check out my new ThriveLife Transformation course. The ThriveLife Transformation guides you through a 30-day transformation process that includes online video training and daily support and assistance through our online community. Join alone or bring your friends. To learn more about the ThriveLife Transformation, click the button below.

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