Obesity: Why Are Men Getting Pregnant? offers help for all those men who are plagued by their expanding bellies. (Of course, the information applies to women as well.)
Dr. Schauss explains why a man gets a potbelly (it’s not just that he’s eating too much), and what can be done to eliminate it. He describes how the body processes food and how this can deposit fat directly into one’s midsection. Metabolism, fat cells, the way the body reacts to stress, sleep deprivation, the tendency toward insulin resistance, age, gender, and genetics—all are factors that make us prone to obesity and potbellies.
The potbelly does not just make it difficult to put on socks and strap on a belt, the doctor points out. It is a serious health hazard. It is associated with significantly higher risks for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, various types of cancer, and other dangerous conditions. There are specific things we can do that trim the belly and help us achieve long-lasting health and wellness—and there are things we may be thinking about doing that are not effective and can even be harmful.
First, of course, there is the diet. Dr. Schauss reviews and evaluates today’s most popular diets. He discuses whether some foods increase or decrease fat deposits, he explains the important role of food that supplies energy to our cells, and he recommends dietary changes that work with our biochemistry to help us lose weight.
What about surgery? Dr. Schauss discusses the pros and cons of both gastric by-pass surgery and liposuction. He looks at dietary supplements that are touted as preventing obesity or helping with weight loss, pointing out how they work, their effectiveness (or lack thereof), their side effects, and whether they increase energy and/or reduce depression, anxiety, or stress. He covers supplements that help with depression—common for those with potbellies, and he reviews dozens of other supplemental ingredients that are in the news but are too new to have much research behind the claims they make.
Exercise enhances weight loss, helps alleviate stress, and improves health, and there are certain exercises that are particularly helpful when it comes to reducing a potbelly. Dr. Schauss presents these, providing recommendations on intensity, frequency, and duration of the exercise routines. For men who despair that they look pregnant—and for women who are horrified by the thickness of their midsections—this book clarifies what works and what doesn’t, while emphasizing the danger of complacency. Quick tips on how to start losing that potbelly help readers jump-start their health program.
