Introduction
Visceral fat is a type of fat that accumulates around the organs in the abdominal cavity and is linked to a number of health risks. It is important to reduce visceral fat to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are two of the best ways to reduce visceral fat. In this article, we will discuss five of the best ways to reduce visceral fat, including eating the right foods and avoiding unhealthy foods. We will also discuss the importance of physical activity and other lifestyle changes that can help reduce visceral fat. By following these tips, you can reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases and improve your overall health.
5 Best Ways to Reduce Visceral Fat
Visceral fat, also known as belly fat, is a type of fat that accumulates around the organs in the abdominal cavity. It is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, there are several lifestyle changes you can make to reduce visceral fat and improve your overall health.
1. Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to reduce visceral fat. Focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats. Eating a balanced diet will help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
2. Exercise Regularly
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing visceral fat. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, jogging, or cycling, five days a week. You can also incorporate strength training into your routine to help build muscle and burn more calories.
3. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is important for reducing visceral fat. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Poor sleep can lead to an increase in cortisol, a stress hormone that can cause weight gain, especially around the midsection.
4. Reduce Stress
Stress can lead to an increase in cortisol, which can cause weight gain. To reduce stress, try activities such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing. You can also try to limit your exposure to stressful situations and take time for yourself to relax.
5. Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol can lead to an increase in visceral fat. If you do choose to drink, limit your intake to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Avoid sugary mixed drinks and opt for a glass of wine or a light beer instead.
Back in the day, a certain cereal commercial encouraged viewers to change their habits if they could “pinch an inch” of fat at their waistline. Today, we know that kind of fat (known as subcutaneous fat) has the potential to be unsightly, but it’s the fat you can’t see (or pinch) that’s downright dangerous. That’s belly fat, technically known as visceral fat, which lies deep within the abdomen, near vital organs like the liver, stomach, intestines, and pancreas, and it releases inflammatory substances that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Here are five science-backed ways to slash visceral fat. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You May Have Already Had COVID.
The easiest way to reduce visceral fat is to lose weight. “Weight loss alone can effectively reduce visceral fat,” says W. Scott Butsch, MD, an obesity medicine specialist with the Cleveland Clinic. “By losing 10% of your body weight, you may lose up to 30% of your body fat.”
A diet high in added sugar and simple carbohydrates (which break down quickly into sugar) is a shortcut to belly fat. Cutting those junky carbs can help you lose it.
“Fructose, or sugar, causes fat cells to mature faster, specifically in the visceral fat,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “A diet filled with fructose-containing sodas or drinks not only increases your calorie intake, but it impacts how the belly fat develops.”
So ditch the sugar-sweetened drinks, fast food, processed foods and refined grains. Choose more fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, fiber, nuts and whole grains.
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Following a healthy diet is important, but dieting alone won’t reduce belly fat.
“Exercise seems to work off belly fat in particular because it reduces circulating levels of insulin—which would otherwise signal the body to hang on to fat—and causes the liver to use up fatty acids, especially those nearby visceral fat deposits,” says Kerry Stewart, Ed.D., director of clinical and research physiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Experts say moderate physical activity combined with strength training seems to work best for burning belly fat, and it’s better to exercise longer than to work out harder.
The American Cancer Society and American Heart Association say you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (like brisk walking, dancing or gardening) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (like running, cycling or swimming) every week. Remember, that’s for starters—to lose weight, more activity is better.
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Half the battle of the bulge is won or lost when you’re asleep. Researchers at Wake Forest University found that dieters who slept five hours or less every night put on 2 1/2 times more belly fat than people who got adequate sleep, meaning seven to nine hours a night.
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Unfortunately, “stress belly” is a real thing. Excessive stress causes the body to produce more cortisol, a.k.a. “the stress hormone,” to help it cope with the strain. One of the things cortisol tells the body to do? Hold on to fat around the abdomen in case of emergency. This can cause a bulging midsection even in otherwise thin people. To fight stress belly, go to the source—reduce stress with exercise, relaxation techniques and mindfulness, and talk to your doctor if you need help. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.