Many people around the world want to reduce body fat. There are many areas of the body where people gain weight. Where weight is stored on a particular person is decided by many different factors. Visceral fat is often considered the hardest type of fat to shed.
Let’s take a closer look at what visceral fat is and some tips for losing it.
What Is Visceral Fat?
Visceral fat is ‘hidden fat,’ that is stored deep inside the belly. It surrounds the major organs including the intestines, pancreas, and liver. Visceral fat in small amounts is important in that it ensures there is some distance between each organ. However, too much visceral fat can lead to inflammation and high blood pressure, which leads to many health complications.
Most fat is subcutaneous fat, meaning that it is stored under the skin. This is the type of fat that you can see and feel. The rest of the fat, the visceral fat, is hidden in the body. Visceral fat makes up about 10% of the fat stored in the body.
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What Are The Problems Associated With Too Much Visceral Fat?
Too much visceral fat leads to complications associated with inflammation and high blood pressure. This is also known as central obesity. Visceral fat also produces more toxic substances than subcutaneous fat, so it’s more dangerous.
Visceral fat also impacts adiponectin, also known as the ‘fat hormone.’ Adiponectin’s function is to regulate your body fat. Visceral fat obstructs adiponectin, resulting in your body producing more fat than it needs to.
Higher levels of visceral fat also affect your insulin sensitivity, which can lead to Type 2 diabetes down the line.
How To Know If You Have Too Much Visceral Fat.
Visceral fat often makes the belly stick out or gives someone an apple shape. A CT or MRI scan is the only way to know with certainty how much visceral fat someone has. Your GP can use general measurements and guidelines to tell if you have too much visceral fat.
At home, you can use the waist-height ratio (WHtR), or the waist-hip ratio to measure yourself. You could also purchase a bioimpedance scale.
How To Get Rid Of Visceral Fat?
Visceral fat is very receptive to lifestyle changes and diet. Make sure to exercise every day, at least 5 days a week. Include both cardiovascular and strength training for best results. Do cardio 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes and weight training at least 3 times a week.
As your muscles get stronger they’ll require more energy to function and will burn more calories in the long run.
Drink Enough Water
We need water to metabolize and burn fat. This process is called lipolysis. Be sure to drink enough water every day. If you’re exercising a lot of its particularly hot weather, make sure to drink extra water as you’ll be losing more through sweat.
The Bottom Line
Visceral fat is also known as hidden fat. It makes up about 10% of the fat in your body. Visceral fat is important in that it maintains space between your vital organs. Too much of it, however, can lead to complications such as inflammation, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes.
Visceral fat can be measured at home or you can visit your GP for a more in-depth analysis. Making healthy lifestyle choices such as eating well and exercising can help reduce the risks of too much visceral fat.
This post was last modified on September 26, 2022 5:50 pm