Excessive abdominal fat, often known as visceral fat, affects more than simply your appearance. It has the potential to be extremely harmful to your health.
Visceral fat is distinct from subcutaneous fat, which is the fat that sits beneath the skin and maybe grabbed or pinched. Visceral fat surrounds the intestines, stomach, liver, and pancreas deep within the abdomen. It releases pollutants there, raising your chance of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and other serious health issues.
A poor diet, particularly one high in added sugar, processed foods, and simple carbs, is the source of visceral fat. It leads to weight gain, which can be difficult to lose, especially in the stomach area. “Sugar accelerates the maturation of fat cells, particularly in visceral fat,” warn doctors. A diet that includes a high amount of fructose-containing sodas or drinks not only raises calorie intake but also impacts how belly fat grows.
“You’re more likely to carry excess weight, particularly belly fat if you eat too much and move too little,” says a nutritionist. “As you become older, your muscle mass may decrease significantly as your fat mass grows. Losing muscle mass slows down the rate at which your body burns calories, making it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.”
Do exercises, that’s your smart move towards losing belly fat. The best way to lose abdominal fat appears to be a combination of moderate physical activity and strength training.
To avoid getting a beer belly, because alcohol makes you hungry. Alcohol is processed first by the liver, which then uses those calories for energy.
So, if you drink too much before or during a meal, your liver will store the protein and carbs you eat as fat while it processes the alcohol. Drink moderately to avoid the booze bulge: no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for ladies.
Cortisol production increases as a result of chronic stress. Cortisol instructs the body to store fat around the abdomen in case of an emergency. Even skinny persons can have a protruding stomach as a result of this. Exercise and relaxation can help to relieve stress.
Experts discovered that people who slept five hours or less per night gained more belly fat than those who slept eight hours or more. People who went to bed at midnight or later had a 20% higher risk of abdominal obesity, according to a study published in 2021. The danger was much higher for persons who went to bed between 2 and 6 a.m., at 38%.