Did you know there are several different kinds of fat? Some are better than others, and one is the true enemy: visceral fat. Perhaps you believe that a person’s thinness indicates that he has less fat and is in better health. Well, no, since the fat that is most visible to the eye is not usually the fat that is most concerned about your health. We explain what visceral fat is, where it collects, and how to prevent it in this post.
What is Visceral Fat?
To sum up, visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the internal organs of the abdominal cavity. The crucial thing to remember is that the fats we retain in our bodies are not all the same and have different properties. Although we all have visceral fat, a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits may lead levels to rise over what is considered healthy.
In fact, if you’ve ever been weighed on a bioimpedance scale, one of the data points that comes up is your visceral fat level. It is critical that this number does not surpass the limit, since we would then be dealing with a health concern rather than an aesthetic one.
Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension are all linked to large visceral fat deposits. As a result, while discussing fat percentages, we must distinguish between body or essential fat, which is a vital component of our bodies, and visceral fat.
Where Does Visceral Fat Accumulate?
Visceral fat accumulates more in certain regions than others, depending on the sex. In general, we may say that women have more subcutaneous (body) fat than males, but not visceral fat. The shape of the abdomen changes as visceral fat levels rise. However, since this also represents an increase in body fat, it is not entirely dependable. The fat that surrounds the heart is also referred to as visceral fat.
Men are more likely to have a rounder shape (apple type) when fat accumulates in the trunk and belly. On the other hand, women tend to store body fat in their hips and buttocks (pear type). Although this is not always the case, they are the most prevalent phenotypes, and women with fat in the lower body have a decreased cardiovascular risk.
Solutions to Combat Visceral Fat
What can we do now that we know what visceral fat is and where it accumulates to keep it at bay?
The suggestions are really fairly comparable to those we’d see concerning body fat.
Physical Exercise
Physical activity, particularly high-intensity and strength workouts, will aid in the reduction of visceral fat:
- On the one hand, it will stimulate fat catabolization and boost calorie intake.
- On the other side, it will prevent visceral adipose tissue from absorbing fatty acids.
Healthy Diet
Avoid sugary drinks, excessive alcoholic beverages, and goods high in simple carbs in your diet. High-fat meals, particularly saturated fat, should also be avoided. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meat, and high-fiber meals like whole grains are recommended.
Less stress, More Sleep
We often remind you that rest is the third pillar! You are building your own visceral fat if you sleep little and have high levels of stress and worry.
