What is Visceral Fat & How to Get Rid of It
Maintaining a trim midsection does more than make you look great, it can significantly improve your overall health and longevity. Larger waistlines are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. Additionally, losing weight, especially belly fat, improves blood vessel function and enhances sleep quality.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore effective strategies to lose belly fat and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
Understanding Body Fat
When it comes to body fat, its location matters significantly. While all excess fat is harmful to your health, the fat deep within the abdomen—known as visceral fat poses a far greater risk than the fat you can pinch with your fingers. Understanding the different types of body fat, their locations, and their impacts on health is crucial for everyone.
Types of Body Fat
Body fat can be categorized into two main types:
- Subcutaneous Fat: This type account for about 90% of the fat in most people and lies just beneath the skin. If you poke your belly and it feels soft, that’s subcutaneous fat.
- Visceral Fat: This makes up the remaining 10% and is located beneath the firm abdominal wall, surrounding organs like the liver and intestines. It is also stored in the omentum, a tissue flap under the belly muscles that covers the intestines. As the omentum fills with fat, it becomes thicker and harder.
Why Visceral Fat is More Dangerous
Though visceral fat constitutes a smaller proportion of total body fat, it plays a significant role in various health issues. Visceral fat cells are biologically active and act as endocrine organs, secreting hormones and molecules that affect other tissues. This is a crucial development recognized since the mid-1990s.
The Biological Activity of Fat Cells
Fat cells, especially visceral fat cells, release proteins called cytokines, which can trigger low-level inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease and other chronic conditions. Additionally, visceral fat produces a precursor to angiotensin, a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to rise.
Measuring Visceral Fat
To monitor visceral fat, a tape measure is a practical home tool. Measure your waistline at the level of your navel, ensuring that the tape is level with the top of the right hip bone. For women, a waist circumference of 35 inches or larger is generally considered a sign of excess visceral fat, although this can vary based on overall body size.
The Risks of Visceral Fat
Excess belly fat, particularly visceral fat, poses significant health risks and can increase the risk of various diseases, including:
- Cardiovascular Disease: Studies have shown that a larger waist circumference is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Women with the biggest waists or the largest waist-to-hip ratios had more than double the risk of developing heart disease.
- Dementia: High levels of abdominal fat in early 40s are linked to nearly triple the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, by mid-70s to early 80s.
- Asthma: Women with a waist circumference of more than 35 inches are 37% more likely to develop asthma than those with smaller waists, regardless of overall weight.
- Breast Cancer: Premenopausal women with abdominal obesity are at greater risk for breast cancer. This risk is also present in postmenopausal women, though it is less significant when BMI is considered.
- Colorectal Cancer: Individuals with the most visceral fat have three times the risk of developing colorectal adenomas (precancerous polyps) compared to those with the least visceral fat.
How to Loose Visceral Fat?
Curb Carbs Instead of Fats
When it comes to losing belly fat, a low-carbohydrate diet can be more effective than a low-fat diet. Research from Johns Hopkins found that participants on a low-carb diet lost an average of 10 pounds more than those on a low-fat diet over six months. Additionally, the low-carb diet produced higher quality weight loss by preserving more lean muscle mass while reducing fat.
Actionable Tip: Focus on reducing your intake of refined carbs and sugars. Replace them with high-fiber or high-protein foods like vegetables, beans, and lean meats.
Choose a Healthy Eating Plan
To sustain weight loss, choose a healthy eating plan that you can maintain long-term. A low-carb approach doesn’t require calorie counting and involves making better food choices. This includes avoiding high-carb, sugary foods and opting for nutrient-dense alternatives.
Actionable Tip: Develop a balanced eating plan that includes a variety of whole foods. Aim to fill your plate with vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Exercise Regularly
Physical activity is crucial for burning abdominal fat. Exercise reduces insulin levels and prompts the liver to use up fatty acids, particularly those from visceral fat deposits. Regular physical activity also improves body composition by increasing muscle mass and reducing fat.
Actionable Tip: Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week. Incorporate activities you enjoy, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
Lift Weights
Incorporating strength training into your exercise routine helps build lean muscle mass. More muscle mass means a higher metabolic rate, which helps you burn more calories throughout the day.
Actionable Tip: Include strength training exercises at least twice a week. Focus on major muscle groups with exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.
Understand Food Labels
Understanding food labels can help you make healthier choices. Some products may appear healthy but contain hidden sugars, fats, or calories. Compare brands and opt for options with lower amounts of added sugars and unhealthy fats.
Actionable Tip: Check labels for ingredients and nutritional information. Be wary of terms like “low-fat” that may mask high sugar content.
Move Away from Processed Foods
Processed foods often contain trans fats, added sugars, and excessive sodium—all of which can hinder weight loss efforts. These ingredients can increase inflammation and promote fat storage, particularly around the belly.
Actionable Tip: Minimize your intake of processed foods. Prepare meals from whole, unprocessed ingredients whenever possible.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking increases the likelihood of storing fat in the abdomen rather than on the hips and thighs. This is because smoking affects how your body distributes fat, promoting the accumulation of visceral fat.
Actionable Tip: Seek help to quit smoking. Resources like counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, and support groups can increase your chances of quitting successfully.
Get Adequate Sleep
Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy weight. Adults under 40 who sleep five hours or less per night tend to accumulate more visceral fat. Conversely, young adults who sleep more than eight hours also tend to add visceral fat. Finding the right balance is key.
Actionable Tip: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Establish a regular sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, and ensure your sleep environment is conducive to rest.
Forget Quick Fixes
Cosmetic procedures like liposuction do not remove visceral fat. Sustainable lifestyle changes are necessary for reducing this harmful fat. Focus on long-term habits rather than short-term fixes.
Actionable Tip: Set realistic goals for weight loss and health improvement. Track your progress and celebrate small victories along the way. Remember, consistency is more important than perfection.
Focus on How Your Clothes Fit
As you lose fat and gain muscle, the number on the scale may not change significantly. Instead, focus on how your clothes fit. A shrinking waistline is a better indicator of progress than weight alone.
Actionable Tip: Measure your waist circumference regularly. Women should aim for a waistline of less than 35 inches, and men should aim for less than 40 inches to reduce health risks.
Socialize with Health-Focused Friends
Your social environment plays a significant role in your health habits. Spending time with friends and family who prioritize healthy eating and regular exercise can positively influence your lifestyle choices.
Actionable Tip: Join a fitness group or encourage your friends and family to engage in healthy activities together. Support each other in making nutritious food choices and staying active.
Conclusion
Understanding the dangers of visceral fat and taking steps to reduce it can significantly improve your overall health and reduce the risk of various chronic conditions. Losing visceral fat requires a holistic approach that combines a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and supportive social networks. By incorporating these strategies into your daily routine, you can reduce visceral fat, improve your health, and enhance your quality of life.
