Introduction
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, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to lose visceral fat, and many people struggle to do so. In this article, a specialist weighs in on why it can be so hard to lose visceral fat and offers tips on how to do it.
Why Can’t You Lose Your Visceral Fat? A Specialist Weighs In
Visceral fat, also known as belly fat, is the fat that accumulates around your organs and is linked to a number of health risks. It’s also notoriously difficult to lose, and many people struggle to get rid of it. So why is it so hard to lose visceral fat? We asked a specialist to weigh in.
What Is Visceral Fat?
Visceral fat is a type of fat that accumulates around your organs, such as your liver, pancreas, and intestines. It’s different from subcutaneous fat, which is the fat that accumulates just under your skin. Visceral fat is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat because it can lead to a number of health risks, such as heart disease, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer.
Why Is It So Hard to Lose Visceral Fat?
According to Dr. David Greuner, a board-certified surgeon and co-founder of NYC Surgical Associates, there are a few reasons why visceral fat is so hard to lose. First, it’s more metabolically active than subcutaneous fat, meaning it’s more difficult for your body to break down. Second, it’s more difficult to target with exercise. While you can target subcutaneous fat with specific exercises, it’s much harder to target visceral fat.
Finally, visceral fat is often linked to lifestyle factors, such as poor diet and lack of exercise. If you’re not eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, it can be difficult to lose visceral fat.
How Can You Lose Visceral Fat?
The good news is that it is possible to lose visceral fat. Dr. Greuner recommends a combination of diet and exercise to target visceral fat. Eating a healthy, balanced diet that is low in sugar and processed foods can help reduce visceral fat. Additionally, regular exercise, such as cardio and strength training, can help you burn fat and build muscle, which can help reduce visceral fat.
It’s also important to get enough sleep and reduce stress, as both can have a negative impact on your health and make it harder to lose visceral fat. Finally, if you’re still struggling to lose visceral fat, talk to your doctor about other options, such as medications or supplements.
Having six pack abs is a goal many people aim for, but oftentime stubborn belly fats can be a challenge to get rid of, especially as we get older. No matter what we do, at times it seems like abdominal fat won’t go away and chances are it’s visceral fat that’s the problem. But not to worry—there is hope. Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with Dr. Terry Simpson who explained why visceral fat is hard to lose and what we can do about it. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
According to Andie Hecker, celebrity trainer and founder of The A List by Andie Hecker, “Visceral fat is a type of body fat that’s stored deep within the abdominals, contrary to subcutaneous fat, which sits under the skin. Visceral fat makes up approximately 10% of your body fat stores. The best way to tap into body fat stores is through aerobic workouts, be it HIIT training, or longer duration lower impact cardio, such as walking, swimming & elliptical training.”
Dr. Terry Simpson MD FACS, a weight loss surgery and certified culinary medicine specialist with St. Johns Camarillo and St John’s Dignity Health explains, “Have you ever noticed that people, as they age, put more weight around their middle than when they are younger? This “belly fat” is called visceral fat and it is different from subcutaneous fat. If you have belly fat, tighten your abdominal muscles — the fat under your skin and before the muscle is subcutaneous fat, the fat below your hard muscle is belly fat.
These fat tissues are not the same and as we age, we tend to deposit more fat into the belly or visceral fat. This fat is also associated with diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and even an increased risk of cancer.
We used to think that all fat is the same, and that all we had to do was to eat less and move more and the fat would disappear, but that isn’t working. The two fats are different and it is in those differences that we find why it is hard to lose weight.”
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Dr. Simpson says, “Belly fat (visceral fat) has more insulin receptors on the fat cell than subcutaneous fat. This means that belly fat is more prone to levels of insulin. Insulin is called the ‘storage’ hormone, because it allows blood sugar to get into cells, but it also turns off the burning of fat. So if you eat something, be it fat or sugar or even alcohol or protein, your insulin goes up. Which fat turns off first — the belly fat. As you go on diets, you lose weight. The first weight you tend to lose is subcutaneous fat — which is why you notice weight loss in the face first (it is subcutaneous). Belly fat is hard to lose because of its insulin receptors. This is also why diabetics have a harder time losing belly fat.”
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“As you age your body hormones change — be it women in peri-menopause or menopause and men as their testosterone levels go down — you tend to accumulate your fat in your belly,” Dr. Simpson explains. “We cannot reverse this with hormone replacement — no matter how many people want to sell you hormones, they don’t change what kind of fat you accumulate.”
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How many times have you been really disciplined and lost weight, but then gained it back? That makes a big difference, Dr. Simpson says.
“When you fall off a diet, the weight you lost in the subcutaneous fat tends to return to the visceral fat, or belly fat — making it harder to lose weight as time goes on. This is why we see people move from being pear shaped to apple shaped.
But belly fat can be lost! The best diet to lose belly fats are those diets that are highest in fiber (diets rich in vegetables, whole fruits, legumes, and whole (not refined grains). This is why the Mediterranean and DASH diet are the most recommended diets by doctors and registered dietitians.”
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One of the best ways to lose that belly fat is to workout hard. Dr. Simpson says, “Cardiovascular exercises tend to target belly fat because that fat is resistant from the insulin and those exercises tend to reduce insulin levels: running, intense yoga, swimming.”
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“The most important is to change habits and eat a diet rich in fiber, adopting a Mediterranean lifestyle and avoiding the high fat/ high added sugar junk foods,” Dr. Simpson states. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.