Introduction
If you’re looking to reduce your abdominal fat, you may want to take a closer look at your daily habits. According to physicians, there are certain habits that can secretly increase your abdominal fat, and it’s important to be aware of them in order to make the necessary changes. Fortunately, there are also some simple dietary changes you can make to help reduce your abdominal fat. Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones can make a big difference. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the habits that can secretly increase your abdominal fat, as well as some of the foods you should eat and avoid in order to reduce your abdominal fat.
Habits Secretly Increasing Your Abdominal Fat, Say Physicians — Eat This Not That
If you’re trying to lose abdominal fat, you may be unknowingly sabotaging your efforts with certain habits. According to physicians, there are certain behaviors that can lead to an increase in abdominal fat, even if you’re eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
1. Eating Too Much Sugar
Sugar is a major culprit when it comes to abdominal fat. Eating too much sugar can lead to an increase in visceral fat, which is the type of fat that accumulates around your organs. To reduce your sugar intake, avoid processed foods and sugary drinks, and opt for natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup instead.
2. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more of the hormone cortisol, which can lead to an increase in abdominal fat. Aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
3. Eating Too Much Processed Food
Processed foods are often high in calories and low in nutrients, which can lead to weight gain. Eating too much processed food can also increase your risk of developing insulin resistance, which can lead to an increase in abdominal fat. To reduce your intake of processed foods, opt for fresh, whole foods instead.
4. Not Drinking Enough Water
Staying hydrated is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. When you don’t drink enough water, your body can’t properly metabolize fat, which can lead to an increase in abdominal fat. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water each day.
5. Not Exercising Regularly
Exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. When you don’t exercise regularly, your body can’t burn fat efficiently, which can lead to an increase in abdominal fat. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.
Conclusion
If you’re trying to reduce your abdominal fat, it’s important to be aware of the habits that can lead to an increase in abdominal fat. Eating too much sugar, not getting enough sleep, eating too much processed food, not drinking enough water, and not exercising regularly can all contribute to an increase in abdominal fat. To reduce your abdominal fat, focus on eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and exercising regularly.
All fat is not created equal—and abdominal fat is the most dangerous. Also known as visceral fat, this particular fat is stored deep under the muscle in your abdomen, surrounding vital organs such as the liver and intestines. Unlike subcutaneous fat (for example, the fat in your thighs), abdominal fat is hidden—it’s possible to be slender and still have dangerous belly fat. “Although obesity rates in the United States have stabilized somewhat in recent years after decades of increase, belly fat is becoming more common among U.S. adults,” says James de Lemos, M.D. “Two people who weigh the same could have dramatically different risks of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes, depending on where fat is deposited in their bodies.” Here are five habits secretly increasing your visceral fat. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Not getting enough sleep does more than make you grouchy the next day—it also encourages fat to build up around the organs in your abdomen. One study showed a clear link between getting less than five hours of sleep a night and increased belly fat. “We put a lot of stock in diet,” says Kristen G. Hairston, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism. “But this study brings up some interesting questions about the way we live. We may need to start looking at other behaviors — besides daily food choices — that could be contributing to the obesity epidemic in younger age groups.”
Stress is strongly linked to abdominal fat—even in otherwise slender people, research shows. “Everyone is exposed to stress, but some people may secrete more cortisol than others, and may secrete cortisol each time they face the same stressor,” says Elissa S. Epel, Ph.D. “We predicted that reacting to the same stressors consistently by secreting cortisol would be related to greater visceral fat.”
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Constant snacking, especially with high-fat and high-sugar foods, is linked to an increase in belly fat. “American children consume up to 27% of calories from high-fat and high-sugar snacks,” says Dr. Mireille Serlie with the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam. “Our study examines if high meal frequency, with snacking, compared to large meal consumption contributes to increased intrahepatic and abdominal fat… Our study provides the first evidence that eating more often, rather than consuming large meals, contributes to fatty liver independent of body weight gain. These findings suggest that by cutting down on snacking and encouraging three balanced meals each day over the long term may reduce the prevalence of NAFLD [non-alcoholic fatty liver disease].”
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Drinking too much alcohol is linked to an increase in visceral fat, both in terms of calories and of fat-burning. “Too many of any kind of calories, whether they’re from alcohol or sugary foods or just from eating too much food, can increase belly fat,” says Daniel Allan, MD. “Since an average beer can be more than 150 calories, it doesn’t take long for the calories (and the belly) to build. Beer can also interfere with fat burn, because your liver will preferentially burn alcohol instead of fat when it is consumed.”
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If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight can make an impact on your visceral fat. “There is no magic formula. You must lose weight,” says Dr. Allan. “It takes consistent attention to a balanced diet and appropriate portions, combined with regular physical activity. Drinking less or lower-calorie beer is a place to start for beer drinkers. Doing crunches, sit-ups or planks will not speed the process beyond just burning calories associated with that activity. Weight loss via physical activity for losing belly fat is most effective by combining both strength and cardio fitness programs. The good news is that when the weight does start to come off, you will likely notice it disappear in the midsection first, because visceral fat can be broken down quicker than other types of body fat.”