Visceral Fat: What It Is and How to Get Rid of It
What is Visceral Fat?
Out of the various fats present in the human body, visceral fat is the fat that is stored deep within the abdominal walls, or it wraps around organs in the body. A given amount of visceral fat is healthy and shall continue to serve you for protecting your internal organs. However, more than that can be considered unhealthy from other perspectives. Some experts now refer to visceral fat as “active fat,” for it is that fat that takes part in determining how one’s body would behave. When excessive, visceral fat is what accounts for serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, or even stroke.
The Difference between Visceral Fat and Subcutaneous Fat.
This is the kind of fat that can be pinched with your fingers as it resides directly beneath the skin. Those abdominal muscles, on the other hand, shroud visceral fat, which cannot be seen. Rather, it encircles the stomach, liver, intestines, and various other organs within the body. Different than each other in location and function, both visceral and subcutaneous fats fall under the category of belly fat.
Symptoms and Causes of Visceral Fat
What are the Symptoms of Visceral Fat?
The way to tell if you have visceral fat is by seeing your belly grow, but that may be true for subcutaneous fat, too. Studies indicate that if you have a “potbelly” or are pear shaped, possibly more apple shaped with potbelly, there is a greater amount of visceral fat in the person’s body.
What Causes Visceral Fat?
Your collection of visceral fat is a genetic factor in conjunction with environmental influences. It has genetics involved in defining the body shape and the pattern with which visceral fat is laid in the body. Then the external aspect of feeding and exercise comes in. Poor feeding habits combined with lack of exercise, featuring high fatty foods and carbohydrates (even sugars), would always result in an accumulation of visceral fat. Stress is another trigger. When stress occurs, it stimulates a hormone called cortisol, which then induces the storage of more visceral fat.
How is Visceral Fat Measured?
Different methods are used to measure your body fat: visceral fat measure waist Measurements: Measure your waist straight above the hip bones. A waist above that measurement indicates health issues associated with visceral fats among women whose waist measurement is 35 inches or more, while that of men is 40 inches or more.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio: Measure your waist and hips and then divide the waist size by the size of the hips. In women, it shows risk of abdominal obesity when the value is greater than 0.85 while for men, it should exceed 0.90: Body Mass Index (BMI): Measures body fat using height and weight. A BMI equal to 30 or more indicates that the subject is likely overweight and potentially has higher levels of visceral fat. Waist Height Ratio: Divide the size of the waist with the height of the person. This ratio must not exceed 0.5. This method is preferred by some healthcare providers to differentiate visceral fat and subcutaneous fat because it is more accurate.
What Are the Ways to Reduce Visceral Fat?
The best method by which you can reduce visceral fat would be to bring about a healthy lifestyle. Visceral fats can be reduced using the same kind of diet and exercise plans which are followed to lose weight and overall body fat reduction. Here are very good recommendations of measures you can take for the reduction of visceral fat:
Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, may it be cardio or strength training. HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training is the best form of exercise that is preferred as a fat-burning method.
Healthy Diet. The healthy diet consists of lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, vegetables, and fruits. Avoid or limit trans fats, refined sugars, sodium, and processed food. Low carb diets learn your body to burn fat, instead of carbs; such as the ketogenic (keto) diet for directing visceral fat apparently.
Intermittent Fasting of Eating and then Non-eating Periods: Intermittent fasting can be great to reduce visceral fat levels. Good Sleep Guarantee about seven hours a night. Lack of sleep can cause an increase in visceral fat.
Stress Reduction: Yoga or meditation are good forms of activity to practice in order to lessen your stress, according to which heightened levels of stress trigger a spike in cortisol levels, prompting people to store visceral fats.
Reduce Alcohol: Long-term intake of alcohol may also effect on the increase in visceral fat.
When to See a Healthcare Provider?
In case your body fat composition turns out to be higher than recommended limits, consult your health care provider. This can give you a body fat percentage and the amount of visceral fat in your body, along with possible health conditions. The provider helps in arranging the best diet and exercise plan for you.
If it appears that your measured body fat exceeds the recommended amounts, contact your health care provider. They will track the proportion of body fat which includes visceral fat, then assessment will take place concerning possible health risks. Provider also recommends the proper plan to suit dietary and exercise needs.
conclusion
Just because you may not be actually seeing visceral fat doesn’t mean that it is a not source of concern for you. For instance, excessive amounts of visceral fat within the body could really do damage to the person’s health. On the contrary, the good news is that it is easier to lose than subcutaneous fat. You should maintain a healthy routine of eating and exercise to prevent it from accumulating in your abdominal cavity. If you suspect you contain too much visceral fat, you should consult the advisor for help.
FAQs
Q.1 What is visceral fat?
A.1 Visceral fat is the fat cushioning the internal organs, most predominantly in the abdominal cavity. Required to a certain extent for protecting the organs, an over-excess amount may lead to some serious health implications, including heart disease and diabetes.
Q.2 How do I know if I have too much visceral fat?
A.2 You can use waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio as a measure. A waist circumference of 35 inches or more in women and 40 inches or more in men may indicate excess visceral fat. Also, a BMI of 30 or above suggests a greater risk.