For Women, a Little Belly Fat Is a Good Thing

For those women who have been lusting after flatter and flatter tummies

A Healthy woman doesn’t need to be ultra thin…

for all their lives, it’s time for you to relax and love your healthy, strong body that you have. It turns out, having ultra-flat, washboard abs may look great in your bikini, but they actually may not be the healthiest thing for your body. That little pooch below your belly button is completely natural—and good.

Let’s take a look at some numbers. The essential body fat content for women is between 10 and 12 percent. That’s the bare minimum we need to make life possible. Compare that to men’s 2-4 percent and you’ll start to realize how important body fat is for women. When our fat levels dip down closer to 13 percent, as they might if you’re pushing for those really flat abs, serious issues in hormonal balance can arise. Why? Believe it or not, that little fat on your stomach actually supports your healthy estrogen production.

Just as women with lots of excess fat usually have high estrogen levels, those of you with low body fat percentages are more at risk for low estrogen levels. That’s because body fat actually stores and releases small amounts of estrogen in your body.

Estrogen, if you hadn’t guessed, is a pretty important hormone. On top of dictating your menstrual cycles, estrogen is responsible for keeping your cholesterol levels balanced, healthy breast development & maintenance, your mood regulation, bone health, skin health and so much more. As women, when our estrogen levels go out of whack, a lot of things can fall out of place.

In general, your having too little body fat as a woman can lead to your

Strive for Health, not Skinny

increased bone fragility, decreased immune function and absolute chaos within your reproductive system. Rather than allowing yourself to thrive and be healthy, too little fat causes your body to go into survival mode. If you’re not a professional athlete or a bodybuilder with a strong support system to make sure you stay healthy, gunning for a rippling six-pack might not be in your body’s best interests.

If you’ve struggled with a little extra fat on your lower stomach, it’s time for you to accept and love it instead of trying to squish it into oblivion. It means you’re healthy. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go eat a family-size bag of Cheetos. Too much fat, as we all know, isn’t so healthy either. Just practice balance and moderation, and don’t try to force your body into being something it’s not.

Stop listening to marketing and social media feeds that are telling you

social media & ads aren’t always right. They’re usually selling something…

how you should look as a flatter tummy may not be the best thing for you after all—and it definitely won’t fix all your problems or make you happier. We women need to begin to learn to love and accept the bodies that we have, starting with that little stubborn love pudge below the belly button.

I found this to be interesting information as I’ve been thin most of my life & I was diagnosed with osteoporosis when I was in my 50’s. Now I wonder if there is a connection with being thin? Who knows, &, at this point in my life, there isn’t much I can do about it. In most aspects, I like being thin, so I guess that’s “life.”

Have a great day!

Enhance Your Life with Mother Nature! Great for Mind, Body & Spirit!