Are you an apple or a pear? It's all about the waist! How to spot if YOUR tummy is too big - and what to do about it

Via - Dailymail

Jumping on and off the scales may give you an idea of how weight loss attempts are going.

But it certainly doesn't give you the full picture and doesn't always reflect whether you are a healthy weight.

The amount of fat we carry around our waist is a really important indicator of our health – more so, perhaps, than our weight. 

Even if we are a reasonable weight, a bit of middle age spread or an impressive beer belly can be a warning sign that we are at risk of diabetes, heart disease and more. 
Having a bountiful backside with a classic 'pear' shape is better for many aspects of your health than being more of an 'apple'!

The best way to tell is to compare your waist measurement and compare it to your hip measurement.
To do this, wrap a measuring tape around your middle, halfway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hip bone. Take down that number. 
Then measure the widest part of your hips, incorporating your backside.
If your waist-hip ratio is one or more as a man (0.85 or more as a woman), beware: you may be at risk.

Inulin seems to help glucose control – one of the earliest indicators of metabolic syndrome. It also boosts healthy gut bacteria and may help weight loss in some studies. 
But don't go rushing off to buy supplements – there is no good evidence that it is a magic pill for weight loss and it can have side effects, including making irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) worse in some people. 
Instead, a diet low in processed sugary foods and high in veg and whole grains is a sure-fire way to help your health.

Get moving
Exercise has also been shown to help. 
Even if we don't lose weight we may reduce the fat in and around our internal organs. 
Some studies suggest that short bursts of high intensity (HIIT) exercise help more than standard exercise but the jury's still out on that one.

Stress less
But try not to get too stressed about it all – as stress and the hormones it releases may contribute too! 
Instead, focus on keeping mind as well as body in tip-top condition if you want to lose that belly fat. 
Then, the only thing you will have to worry about as your waistline shrinks is your trousers falling down!