5 Best Ways to Reduce Visceral Fat

Back in the day, a certain cereal commercial encouraged viewers to change their habits if they could "pinch an inch" of fat at their waistline. Today, we know that kind of fat (known as subcutaneous fat) has the potential to be unsightly, but it's the fat you can't see (or pinch) that's downright dangerous. That's belly fat, technically known as visceral fat, which lies deep within the abdomen, near vital organs like the liver, stomach, intestines, and pancreas, and it releases inflammatory substances that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Here are five science-backed ways to slash visceral fat. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You May Have Already Had COVID.

Weight Loss

woman weighing herself overweight on scale

The easiest way to reduce visceral fat is to lose weight. "Weight loss alone can effectively reduce visceral fat," says W. Scott Butsch, MD, an obesity medicine specialist with the Cleveland Clinic. "By losing 10% of your body weight, you may lose up to 30% of your body fat."

Eat a Healthy Diet

healthy vegetable plant based bowl tomatoes carrots avocado brown rice cucumbers leafy greens

A diet high in added sugar and simple carbohydrates (which break down quickly into sugar) is a shortcut to belly fat. Cutting those junky carbs can help you lose it.

"Fructose, or sugar, causes fat cells to mature faster, specifically in the visceral fat," says the Cleveland Clinic. "A diet filled with fructose-containing sodas or drinks not only increases your calorie intake, but it impacts how the belly fat develops."

So ditch the sugar-sweetened drinks, fast food, processed foods and refined grains. Choose more fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, fiber, nuts and whole grains.

Exercise

Senior woman and young woman walking outdoors by sea pier

Following a healthy diet is important, but dieting alone won't reduce belly fat.

"Exercise seems to work off belly fat in particular because it reduces circulating levels of insulin—which would otherwise signal the body to hang on to fat—and causes the liver to use up fatty acids, especially those nearby visceral fat deposits," says Kerry Stewart, Ed.D., director of clinical and research physiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Experts say moderate physical activity combined with strength training seems to work best for burning belly fat, and it's better to exercise longer than to work out harder.

The American Cancer Society and American Heart Association say you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (like brisk walking, dancing or gardening) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (like running, cycling or swimming) every week. Remember, that's for starters—to lose weight, more activity is better.

Get Quality Sleep

sleep

Half the battle of the bulge is won or lost when you're asleep. Researchers at Wake Forest University found that dieters who slept five hours or less every night put on 2 1/2 times more belly fat than people who got adequate sleep, meaning seven to nine hours a night.

Reduce Stress

Relaxed happy young man resting having nap on comfortable couch breathing fresh air

Unfortunately, "stress belly" is a real thing. Excessive stress causes the body to produce more cortisol, a.k.a. "the stress hormone," to help it cope with the strain. One of the things cortisol tells the body to do? Hold on to fat around the abdomen in case of emergency. This can cause a bulging midsection even in otherwise thin people. To fight stress belly, go to the source—reduce stress with exercise, relaxation techniques and mindfulness, and talk to your doctor if you need help. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don't miss these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.

The post 5 Best Ways to Reduce Visceral Fat appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Eat This Not That

These 5 Grocery Items Are Cheaper Than Ever Right Now

The grocery industry has been facing major disruptions. The combined effects of the pandemic, climate change, and economic uncertainty over the past couple of years have culminated in a series of supply chain breakdowns. For the consumer, this means supply shortages , shipping delays , and temporary store closures are becoming more commonplace – and all of the added production cost to suppliers is driving up food prices . The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index report for January 2022 was released on Feb. 9, and it tells the story of cost trends for every spending category over the past year. Now the numbers are in, and since January 2021, "food at home" spending has increased 7.4%. Consumers should use this number as a benchmark, Phil Lempert, the consumer behavior analyst and founder behind Supermarket Guru , told Eat This, Not That! "Anything that's substantially less [than the 7.4% increase] is a deal," said Lempert. "When you

When Should I Take Creatine?

Creatine is probably the most well-researched supplement on the market today. Numerous studies have found positive adaptations in strength, power and muscle mass thanks to creatine supplementation—especially when it's combined with resistance training. Although the benefits of creatine are well-known to lifters, the best time to take it isn't common knowledge. Which leads us to some important questions: Does an optimal time for consuming creatine exist? If it does, should you take it before or after your workout? According to a new study published in the Journal of Exercise and Nutrition, the timing of creatine ingestion does indeed play a role in getting bigger and stronger. Creatine supplementation before resistance training increases muscular strength and lean muscle mass. Interestingly, taking creatine immediately after lifting weights results in greater muscle growth than taking it immediately before. However, in terms of strength gains, no difference betw

Reentry Anxiety Is Real - Why You May Experience It as Stay-at-Home Measures Ease

When the coronavirus stay-at-home orders began in March, most people's lives changed in immeasurable ways. At the time, we were bombarded with (admittedly, very helpful) advice on how to cope with anxiety , should we experience it during this time of social distancing and sheltering in place. But with restrictions slowly starting to ease in many parts of the world, there are many people who have seen an increase in anxiety all over again, this time about leaving their homes and reentering society. Posts about people's growing anxiety have been popping up around social media for the past couple of weeks, and it's given rise to the term "reentry anxiety." We wanted to find out exactly what reentry anxiety is, whether it's normal to be experiencing trepidation about leaving your stay-at-home orders, and how to cope if you are feeling anxious. What Is Reentry Anxiety? The short answer is that "post-lockdown anxiety is real," said Dr. Balu Pitchiah ,

Weight Loss Tricks

Search This Blog