Most of us have heard of low-carb diets and the keto and paleo diets, but what about getting rid of visceral fat? I did some research and found out that visceral fat loss is key to melting belly fat specifically and visceral fat is dangerous to our organs heath wise. Although it is healthy to have some fat on our body, there is a difference between the type of fat and where it is stored. I had no idea what the difference is and how this could be possible. I would like to share with you what visceral fat is and how to get rid of it with the correct diet and exercise. Let’s take a look at the visceral fat loss diet to melt belly fat.
What Is Visceral Fat?
Visceral fat is a type of fat stored within the abdominal cavity. It’s located near some of our vital organs, including the liver, stomach and intestines. Visceral fat is dangerous because it can build up in the arteries and clog them. Visceral fat can increase the risk of serious health problems. As we age, our bodies produce more of this fat and it stores in our abdomen.
If you do have belly fat, it isn’t always visceral. Some fat could be subcutaneous which means its stored under our skin. Subcutaneous fat is fat that we can see like the fat under our arms and in our legs. Visceral fat is stored where we can’t see it, inside the abdominal cavity. The only way to diagnose visceral fat is through an MRI or CT scan, but these are expensive and take too much time.
Medical providers often use general guidelines to evaluate visceral fat and if it poses a risk to your health. According to Harvard Health about 10% of our body fat is visceral, so if you calculate your total body fat, generally 10% of that is visceral. An easy way to tell if you have too much is to measure your waist size. If you’re a woman and your waist size is above 35 inches, 40 for a male, then you are at risk of health issues from visceral fat.
Health Problems From Visceral Fat
It doesn’t take long for health problems to arise from too much visceral fat. In fact, it can increase insulin resistance even if you don’t have diabetes or pre-diabetes. In fact there has been research done that a retinol binding protein that increases insulin resistance is secreted by this type of fat. This can also cause high blood pressure. Carrying this excess fat increases your chances of developing serious diseases and long-term health problems. Some of these include:
- Alzheimer Disease
- Stroke
- Breast Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Type-2 Diabetes
- Heart Disease & Heart Attack
Visceral Fat Loss Diet
There is a way to get rid of visceral fat through diet and exercise. Think of it this way, with each pound you lose, you are losing some visceral fat. You can start now it’s never too late. Start off slow if you haven’t exercised in a while and try to work your way up to at least 30 minutes a day of cardio and strength training. Cardio can include any type aerobic exercise such as running, biking which will burn fat faster.
Strength training burns more calories over time as your muscles build they will burn more fat so try to mix it up during the week. As far as the type of diet to follow, first get rid of most if not all refined sugar and processed foods. Include more veggies and lean meats/proteins. Using low fat cooking methods instead of frying using healthy oils such as olive oil will help you melt that belly fat.
Increasing your lean protein intake, such as fish, eggs, legumes and whey protein will help you burn visceral fat. Increasing your fiber intake also will make you feel fuller longer. Try to avoid heavy meals and opt for several small meals during the day. Also, not eating after 6pm will help you lose weight. Drink water! Stay away from sugary drinks, even fruit juices are loaded with sugar, check the labels.
Foods To Lose Visceral Fat
Here is a list Ive compiled of 20 foods to eat to lose visceral fat:
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Spicy Chili Peppers
- Lemon
- Artichokes
- Coconut Oil
- Eggs
- Avacado
- Sea Vegetables
- Yogurt
- Raspberries
- Lemon
- Farro
- Nuts
- Nut Milks
- Leafy Greens
- Saurkraut
- Garlic
- Soup
- Beans
Conclusion
Now that we know what visceral fat is, we can start our journey to lose that stubborn belly fat. One other major thing to avoid is alcohol. Alcohol contributes to visceral fat so try to stay away from consuming large amounts of alcohol so you don’t end up with a “beer belly”.
Stress can also contribute to belly fat. When we are stressed our bodies produce coritsol also known as “the stress hormone”. Try deep breathing exercises or meditation. I hope this article helped and I would love to hear any questions or comment you have, so don’t hesitate to leave them down below.
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Very good article! It’s good to know what’s effective in losing belly fat. There is a ton of information out there on certain diets, but not effective. Here, you did a good job pointing out better diets, and types of food work.
Thanks for the valuable info- keep it up!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I know how hard it is to lose belly fat but if we start eating the right way now we can avoid visceral fat in the future. I am glad you found this informative and thanks for stopping by!
This is great information. It’s true that visceral fast is the leading cause of the number 1 killer: heart disease. This is important information especially for Americans because North America alone accounts for 70% of the world meat consumption. So suffice to say America is overweight. I like the article, it’s very health concious and informational.
I am so glad you found it informative! Thanks for reading and commenting. Those stats are scary and the foods we eat now could save us from disease in the future! I just found out that those honey buns from little debbie have titanium in them. Seriously not healthy! Thank you so much for stopping by!
Belly fat is the most stubborn fat and the hardest to lose. I struggled with it even before having kids. I think for me, stress is definitely a big part of it. Thanks for the helpful info!
Oh I know same here!! But I have been meditating trying to cut down on stress. And now I know what foods to eat more of! Thanks for stopping by and commenting I really appreciate it!
Hi Karli
Thanks for your very informative post on “Visceral Fat Loss Diet” I have heard of belly fat, but have not specifically heard of Visceral fat and Subcutaneous fat. You did a great job in explaining what they are. It is always good to be reminded that “with the correct diet and exercise,” we can do a lot of good for our health.
I try my best to eat right, I do not use a lot of sugar. However, I do need to exercise more.
Listing the “Health Problems From Visceral Fat,” and the “Foods To Lose Visceral Fat” will give individuals the information that could help them to avoid suffering from those health problems.
A well-done article with valuable information to prevent and lose Visceral Fat.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I love to hear that my posts could be of some help. Before I learned of visceral fat, I just thought the fat was under our skin and had no idea it could harm our health and cause so many issues. I have cut down on sugar too and mostly drink lemon water which also helps with detoxification and metabolism. Thanks so much for stopping by and I am glad you found it informative!
Thanks for this article, I definitely find belly fat is the hardest to get rid of. I’ve done a big overhaul on my eating habits this year, and really committed to eating healthier. I don’t deprive myself of a treat but try to have it in moderation. It’s good to know that a lot of the foods I’ve been eating are on that list. Thank you for the reminder of why it’s so important to eat well, it’s made me even more determined to eat well and look after my body. 🙂
Awesome! I am so glad you found this helpful! There are a lot of bad ingredients that get hidden in our supposedly healthy foods, we should always read labels! I like to keep a food journal to stay on track so you could also try that! Thanks for taking the time to comment and stopping by!