KEY POINTS

  • Visceral fat is worse than having a lot of belly fat since this is the one that is close to the organs
  • Having this can lead to health complications like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
  • Getting rid of this kind of fat must be prioritized to prevent your health from declining

The hidden and unseen fat, which is also called belly fat, is located within your abdominal cavity and surrounds some of your vital internal organs. Some of these organs are the intestines, liver, and pancreas. Oftentimes, the amount of visceral fat you have may be determined by large waist measurement, particularly when compared to the size of the hips.

Having high amounts of belly fat can increase your risk of developing a host of health problems like obesity, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes. It also increases your risk of developing dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s disease.

Even if you have a slender figure, you can have high levels of belly fat. This may have been caused by having a stressful lifestyle, or you may have been consuming a diet that is high in sugar.

how to get rid of belly fat effectively
how to get rid of belly fat effectively Bru-nO - Pixabay

Reducing Belly Fat

According to Gudrun Johnson, you need to minimize your intake of refined carbohydrates. This will keep the amount of visceral fat within normal or healthy levels. Johnson is the author of Gut Reaction and Dietary Advisor to Nibble Protein.

In an interview with Express.co.uk, Johnson said minimizing refined carbohydrates intake is one of the best ways to lower visceral fat levels in your body. Processed foods and those that contain simple sugars are examples of refined carbohydrates.

Observing a healthy, low-carbohydrate diet, such as ketogenic, which is high in healthy fats, with sufficient protein, is a great way to lower visceral fat content. This diet can also help in preventing further build-up of visceral fat.

Lean meats and poultry, avocados, cheeses, and seafood are also great foods to eat when getting rid of visceral fat. Vegetables that are low in carbohydrates like kale and broccoli are also good diet inclusions when trying to lose belly fat.

Other Ways of Reducing Visceral Fat

Gudrun Johnson also recommended other ways to keep your belly fat levels in check. She said you could start by slashing your sugar intake, increasing vegetable intake, reducing stress, avoiding stimulants, and exercising.

Gudrun said you need to check the amount of sugar content in your diet. Eliminate those foods which have hidden sugars, such as those found in heavily processed foods. Whenever possible, cook them fresh.

Eat more vegetables and fruits. The fitness expert said you should have a goal of having approximately nine servings of vegetables and fruits daily. Of those nine servings, six of them must be vegetables. You also need to relax a bit to minimize stress. Gudrun said that cortisol, a stress hormone, contributes a lot to the accumulation of visceral fat.

If possible, try to steer clear of stimulants like caffeine as they can lead to an increase in levels of blood sugar. You should also get rid of drinking alcohol and smoking. Try to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water as this can help you flush toxins out.

Start performing exercises for at least 150 minutes every week, broken in chunks of 20 to 30 minutes each day. Weight or resistance training and cardiovascular exercises have been proven to be very beneficial when trying to lose visceral fat.