Got a lot of visceral fat to lose? Follow this 3 simple step guide!
Visceral fat surrounds the deep organs of the abdominal cavity. This substance has been correlated with various diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
Because of the risk, visceral fat poses to our health, we should do everything we can to get rid of it.
In this article, we will take a look at visceral fat and give you some tips and tricks to shred this extra weight.
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The Benefits of Fat
To start, it’s important to note that we all need some fat in our bodies in order to live. If we have absolutely no fat, we die. Plain and simple.
However, having excess fat on our bodies can cause many problems. Namely, extra fat can lead to cardiovascular, neurological, and orthopedic issues.
We use fat to do all of the following.
- Store energy.
- Keep warm.
- Protectively pad our deeper tissues and organs.
Of course, there are many more functions of fat as well, but these are the major ones.
The Danger of Excess Visceral Fat
In the previous section, we noted that fat is essential for our health. However, maintaining too much fat on our bodies is a recipe for disease and disability.
This is especially true when it comes to visceral fat.
Visceral fat is the adipose tissue found surrounding organs. Studies have shown that visceral fat is particularly problematic for our health. In fact, increased visceral fat has been associated with higher rates of diabetes and some cancers.
Therefore, finding ways to rid yourself of this fat can go a long way towards improved health.
The Best Ways to Lose Excess Fat
In general, the best way to lose fat is to create a caloric deficit.
This means eating fewer calories than you expend through exercise. However, this is no easy task.
It can be incredibly difficult to lose weight. Food cravings, lacking knowledge about exercise techniques, and other issues all limit our ability to drop extra pounds.
However, if you follow some of the simple tips outlined in this section, you’ll lose weight slowly but surely!
Perform High-Intensity Workouts
The more intense your workout is, the more calories you’ll burn. That being said, higher-intensity workouts can also put you at greater risk for injury. For this reason, it’s important that you don’t try to do too much, too fast.
When it comes to the type of exercise, research points to the benefit of engaging in cardiovascular workouts as opposed to resistance training. This seems to burn more calories, leading to greater weight loss.
Eat a Clean Diet
On the other end of the spectrum, diet is incredibly important for fat loss. By following a clean, strict diet, you can shed pounds one day at a time.
Unfortunately, there is much disagreement about which type of diet is best. Some people advocate for a vegan diet. Others point to a carnivore diet. Still, others will swear by a ketogenic diet or something else entirely.
Whatever diet you follow for weight loss, you need to keep a few things in mind.
- You should monitor your calorie intake closely.
- Working with a dietitian or nutritionist can help you stay on track.
- Avoiding “empty” calories (such as those found in alcohol or pure sugar) is always a good idea.
Other than that, many people find success with many different types of diets.
Prioritize Protein Intake
Of the three macronutrients (carbs, proteins, and fats), protein is the most satiating. This means that protein leaves us feeling more full than fats and carbs do.
Therefore, ensuring adequate protein intake goes a long way toward weight loss.
Protein can be found in high amounts in animal products such as chicken and beef. However, there is at least a small amount of protein in almost every food on earth.
For minimal health, it’s recommended that individuals eat 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, athletes and those looking to lose weight may want to increase this level slightly.
Conclusion
Losing weight is hard no matter who you are. But by following the advice listed above, you’ll put yourself in a great position for healthy, sustainable weight loss. If you are ready to commit to a plan to lose your visceral fat and improve your health, try these tips out today!
Works Cited
- Elffers, T. W., de Mutsert, R., Lamb, H. J., de Roos, A., Willems van Dijk, K., Rosendaal, F. R., Jukema, J. W., & Trompet, S. (2017). Body fat distribution, in particular visceral fat, is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in obese women. PloS one, 12(9), e0185403. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185403
- Chait, A., & den Hartigh, L. J. (2020). Adipose Tissue Distribution, Inflammation and Its Metabolic Consequences, Including Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 7, 22. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2020.00022
- Crudele, L., Piccinin, E., & Moschetta, A. (2021). Visceral Adiposity and Cancer: Role in Pathogenesis and Prognosis. Nutrients, 13(6), 2101. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13062101
- Willis, L. H., Slentz, C. A., Bateman, L. A., Shields, A. T., Piner, L. W., Bales, C. W., Houmard, J. A., & Kraus, W. E. (2012). Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 113(12), 1831–1837. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01370.2011
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