Introduction
Visceral fat is a type of fat that accumulates around the organs in the abdominal cavity. It is often referred to as “belly fat” and is linked to a number of health risks, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are the best ways to reduce visceral fat, but it can be difficult to know if your visceral fat is too high. In this article, we will discuss the #1 sign that your visceral fat is “way too high” and provide tips on how to reduce it.
The #1 Sign Your Visceral Fat is “Way Too High” — Eat This Not That
Visceral fat is the type of fat that accumulates around your organs and is linked to a number of health risks. It’s important to keep your visceral fat levels in check, but how can you tell if your levels are too high? Here are the top signs that your visceral fat is “way too high” and what you can do to reduce it.
Sign #1: You Have a Large Waist Circumference
One of the most telling signs of high visceral fat is a large waist circumference. Men with a waist circumference of 40 inches or more and women with a waist circumference of 35 inches or more are considered to have too much visceral fat. If your waist circumference is larger than these numbers, it’s time to take action.
Sign #2: You Have High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is another sign that your visceral fat levels are too high. Visceral fat is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, so if your blood pressure is higher than normal, it’s a good indication that you need to reduce your visceral fat levels.
Sign #3: You Have High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is another sign that your visceral fat levels are too high. Visceral fat is linked to an increased risk of high cholesterol, so if your cholesterol levels are higher than normal, it’s a good indication that you need to reduce your visceral fat levels.
What You Can Do to Reduce Visceral Fat
The good news is that there are a number of things you can do to reduce your visceral fat levels. Here are some tips:
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet that is low in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates.
- Exercise regularly, aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce stress levels.
- Get enough sleep.
By following these tips, you can reduce your visceral fat levels and improve your overall health.
Visceral fat—or belly fat—is fat stored deep in the abdomen, surrounding vital organs like the liver, intestines, and stomach. Unlike subcutaneous fat which is easy to see and touch, visceral fat is hidden, making it far more difficult to see just how bad the situation might be—which is dangerous considering abdominal fat is linked to serious health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. If you’re worried about belly fat, here are five clear signs your visceral fat might be getting way too high. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Losing weight is one of the most effective ways of targeting dangerous belly fat. “Weight loss alone can effectively reduce visceral fat,” says Dr. Butsch. “By losing 10% of your body weight, you may lose up to 30% of your body fat.”
“Losing weight overall will help shrink your waistline; more importantly, it will help reduce the dangerous layer of visceral fat, a type of fat within the abdominal cavity that you can’t see but that heightens health risks,” says Kerry Stewart, Ed.D. , director of Clinical and Research Physiology at Johns Hopkins.
Smoking is terrible for your health at the best of times (seriously, it has zero redeeming qualities), but it also encourages fat to develop in the abdomen. “It is unfortunately not an uncommon practice for people (especially women) to use smoking as a method of weight control,” says Dr. Sue Pedersen, MD, FRCPC, Specialist in Endocrinology & Metabolism. “However, what most of these people probably do not know is that smoking actually increases the risk of abdominal obesity (which is the metabolically bad fat) and diabetes. There are a number of undesirable hormonal effects of nicotine as well. Tobacco influences fat distribution through hormones like cortisol that increase abdominal fat deposition. In women, nicotine has an anti-estrogen effect which also favors abdominal fat collection.”
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Visceral fat is strongly linked to a terrible diet—so if you exist on over-processed junk food and sugary beverages, you’re practically inviting abdominal fat to camp out in your belly. “Eat a well-balanced diet,” says Trinh Le, MPH, RD. “Eat a diet high in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean protein with calories set for gradual weight loss (e.g. about 1-2 pounds per week). Cut way back on added sugars and alcohol since these nutrients will more likely end up as visceral fat.”
“The findings that the Mediterranean diet preferentially reduces the more dangerous visceral fat may explain why it is the only diet that has been convincingly found to prevent cardiovascular events,” says Dr. Pederson. “These results also show us that it’s not about numbers on the scale, as this does not reflect the important changes going on with fat deposit patterns inside.”
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There are multiple studies showing the connection between a sedentary lifestyle and visceral fat—exercise is crucial not just for your health in general, but for blasting that pesky belly fat.
“Keep moving. Exercise can help reduce your waist circumference,” advises Harvard Health. “Even if you don’t lose weight, you lose visceral belly fat and gain muscle mass. Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days, such as brisk walking or bicycling at a casual pace. Also create opportunities to add motion to routine tasks. For example, park farther from your destination and walk the rest of the way, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and stand while you talk on the phone. Studies have shown that you can help trim visceral fat or prevent its growth with both aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) and strength training (exercising with weights). Spot exercises, such as sit-ups, can tighten abdominal muscles but won’t get at visceral fat. Exercise can also help keep fat from coming back.”
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If you have abdominal fat that’s causing your stomach to be hard and extended, it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. “A person with a very firm beer belly is at even higher risk for health problems,” says Daniel Allan, MD. “That is because it is typically caused by a high accumulation of internal organ (or visceral) fat. This is the fat that is located in the organs themselves and between the organs inside your abdomen. It is packed in tightly and, as it builds up, it will push the abdominal wall outward, exaggerating the appearance of the beer belly. The abdominal wall itself is made of muscle and tough fibrous tissues and is very firm; thus the belly will feel hard.”