You Can Reduce Harmful Belly Fat

What is Belly Fat and Why Is It Harmful?

Visceral fat is fat in your abdominal cavity that wraps around your vital organs. It produces inflammatory substances and hormones which increase your risk of disease. Having too much visceral or belly fat is very harmful to your health. Excess belly fat has been linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, stroke and diabetes. Older adults and people who are inactive are most likely to have this condition.

The good news is that there is a lot you can do to reduce harmful belly fat. Doing so will improve your health, wellness and probably also your longevity.

Signs of Excess Belly Fat

The best way to know if you have too much belly fat is an imaging study. Here is a helpful tip. If you are scheduled for a CT Scan or MRI, request that your level of visceral fat also be checked.

Having a big stomach and waist is a sign of excess visceral fat. But did you know you can have a flat belly and still have too much belly fat?

Markers of excess belly fat:

If your waist is larger than half of your height.

If your waist circumference is 35-40 inches or more for men,

or 30-35 inches or more for women.

Top 12 Ways to Reduce Harmful Belly Fat

EXERCISE Working out reduces inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity. Doing more aerobic exercise is an excellent way to reduce harmful belly fat. Cardio has been shown to reduce visceral fat even without any changes in diet. Moderate and high intensity aerobic exercise is your best tool. Start with a brisk walk and work up to a run. Shoot to do at least 30 minutes of moderate or high intensity aerobics most days.

Strength training, especially your larger muscle groups, is also extremely beneficial. Think deadlifts and squats.

A NUTRITIOUS LOW-CARB DIET Low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat diets at reducing harmful belly fat. Participants in a study on a low-carb diet lost more visceral fat than those on a low-fat diet, even while eating 300 more calories a day!

EAT MORE SOLUBLE FIBER Fiber-rich foods such as sweet potatoes, flaxseeds, grains and legumes reduce your appetite and help reduce belly fat. Soluble fiber is the part of foods you can’t digest. It makes you feel full longer and absorb less calories from food. It also helps to control glucose. Eat fruits, vegetables, seeds and tree nuts. Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries are fiber- and antioxidant-rich options that help fight inflammation.

CONSUME MORE PROTEIN Protein is a great weight and fat loss tool. It makes you feel full and boosts your metabolism. Try to include protein in every meal. Eggs, fish, meat and legumes are all great choices.

AVOID TRANS FAT Processed baked goods, fried foods, full-fat dairy, fatty meats and potato chips are examples of what you want to avoid. Stay away from “high fructose corn syrup” and “partially hydrogenated oils” when reading food labels. Better yet eat unpackaged whole foods.

GET QUALITY SLEEP Sleep is vital to our energy, immunity, mood and brain function. Focus on getting seven to eight hours of good sleep every night. Lack of sleep often leads to more hunger and excess visceral fat.

MANAGE STRESS Anxiety produces the stress hormone, cortisol which increases belly fat. Stress can also cause overeating. Exercise, meditation and bonding with people and animals all reduce stress.

AVOID ADDED SUGAR The World Health Organization recommends limiting sugar consumption to 10% or less of our daily calories. Most processed foods and beverages contain sugar so be sure to read labels. Eat whole foods instead. Fresh fruit, veggies, fish and meat are all better choices.

LIMIT ALCOHOL Excess alcohol is very harmful for both men and women and increases visceral fat. Even moderate alcohol intake in women is linked to having more harmful belly fat.

INCLUDE PROBIOTICS The live bacteria in foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir are good for gut health. They can help to reduce the absorption of fat and keep you feeling full..

CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D These nutrients are associated with lower harmful belly fat. Spinach, yogurt and collard greens are nutritious powerhouses.

TRY INTERMITTENT FASTING Alternating periods of eating and fasting can reduce belly fat.

The Takeaway

Excess belly fat leads to chronic disease. You can determine if you are at risk by measuring your waist periodically.

There are many things you can do to reduce your stores of visceral fat. Combining exercise with a nutritious low-carb diet is your best option. You can also limit sugar, trans fats and alcohol, while increasing protein, fiber and probiotics. Cycling periods of eating and fasting is another method for reducing harmful belly fat. Reducing visceral fat requires effort but your health and wellness are totally worth it!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Healthline.com; healthdirect.gov.au; webmd.com; scitechdaily.com