N GYMS, PLAYING FIELDS, BEACHES, AND
bedrooms across the country, our
bodies are constantly being measured.
And in dressing room mirrors
and on bathroom scales, we’re
constantly measuring ourselves. But let’s set aside those
vanity measurements and concentrate on measuring
ourselves by a different set of criteria—the number of
fat cells we’re carrying.
The average American has about 30 billion fat cells;
each of them is filled with greasy substances called lipids.
When you pump doughnuts, corn chips, and fried Snickers
3
bars into your system, those fat cells can expand—up to 1,000
times their original size. But a fat cell can get only so big; once it
reaches its physical limit, it starts to behave like a long-running
sitcom. It creates spin-offs, leaving you with two or more fat cells
for the price of one. Only problem: Fat cells have a no-return
policy. Once you have a fat cell, you’re stuck with it. So as you
grow fatter and double the number of fat cells in your body, you
also double the difficulty you’ll have losing the lipids inside them.
Many of us tend to store fat in our bellies, and that’s where
the health dangers of excess weight begin. Abdominal fat doesn’t
just sit there and do nothing; it’s active. It functions like a separate
organ, releasing substances that can be harmful to your
body. For instance, it releases free fatty acids that impair your
ability to break down the hormone insulin (too much insulin in
your system can lead to diabetes). Fat also secretes substances
that increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as
the stress hormone cortisol (high levels of cortisol are also associated
with diabetes and obesity as well as with high blood pressure).
Abdominal fat bears the blame for many health problems
because it resides within striking distance of your heart, liver,
and other organs—pressing on them, feeding them poisons, and
messing with their daily function.
Now take the person with a six-pack. He’s the icon of strength
and good health. He’s lean; he’s strong; he looks good in clothes;
he looks good without clothes. Defined abs, in many ways, have
defined fitness. But they define something else: They’re the hallmark
of a person who’s in control of his body and, as such, in control
of his health.
While some people may think that working toward abs of
armor is shallower than a kiddy pool, there’s nothing wrong with
striving for a six-pack. Of course, defined abs make you look
good—and make others feel good about the way you look, too.
4 T H E A B S D I E T
(Take heed, men: In one survey, 32 percent of women said that abs
are the muscles most likely to make them melt; the next closest
was biceps at 17 percent.) And for good reason: When you have
abs, you’re telling the world that you’re a disciplined, motivated,
confident, and healthy person—and hence a desirable partner.
And sometimes a little vanity can be good for your health: In a recent
Canadian study of more than 8,000 people, researchers found
that over 13 years, those with the weakest abdominal muscles had
a death rate more than twice as high of those with the strongest
midsections. Such research upholds the notion that strong abs do
more than turn heads at the beach. In fact, your abdominal muscles
control more of your body than you may even realize—and
have just as much substance as show. In short, here are my top
six reasons why striving for a six-pack is going to make your life
better.
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