Are you trying to get rid of belly fat? 'Don't do it.' It's the season for holiday meals, which have many of us resigned to gaining a few pounds before the New Year, and Ol' Saint Nick, the poster child for merriment and a little belly fat. Unfortunately, weight gain around the holidays (or any other time) becomes more difficult to reduce as we get older, particularly around the middle. Meanwhile, belly fat (also known as visceral fat) can be dangerous to one's health.
1. What Is Visceral Fat and How Does It Affect You?
Visceral fat surrounds organs deep within the belly, such as the stomach, liver, and intestines, instead of subcutaneous fat, which is the jiggly fat under the skin that you can grab or pinch. It might also harm your health. Excess visceral fat, according to the Cleveland Clinic, increases your risk of significant metabolic problems such as:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Fatty liver disease
- Sleep apnea
According to Harvard Medical School, visceral fat is linked to breast cancer, polycystic ovary disease, and the necessity for gallbladder surgery in women.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, if your waist is more than 35 inches for a woman or more than 40 inches for a man, you're more likely to have health problems caused by visceral fat.
2. Poor Diet
A bad diet, particularly one high in added sugar, processed foods, and simple carbs, is the leading source of visceral fat (which the body quickly converts to sugar). This causes weight gain, which can be difficult to decrease, especially in the stomach area. According to the Cleveland Clinic, "Fructose, or sugar, causes fat cells to mature faster, particularly in visceral fat." "A diet high in fructose-containing sodas or drinks not only increases calorie intake, but it also impacts how belly fat grows."
3. A lack of physical activity
"If you consume too many calories and move insufficiently, you are likely to gain excess weight — including belly fat," the Mayo Clinic states. Muscle mass decreases gradually as we get older, while fat mass rises. When you have less muscle, your body burns fat at a slower rate—exercise regularly to combat visceral fat. The best way to lose belly fat appears to be a combination of moderate physical activity and strength training. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, with two strength-training sessions included.
4. Too Much Stress
Chronic stress causes the body to create more cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol instructs the body to perform several things, one of which is to store fat around the abdomen. Exercise and relaxation techniques can help you reduce stress, and if you need more help, talk to your doctor.
5. Not Enough Sleep
Wake Forest University researchers discovered that dieters who slept five hours or less every night gained 2 1/2 times as much belly fat as those who slept enough (seven to nine hours a night). Beware, night owls: According to a 2021 study, persons who went to bed at midnight or later had a 20% increased risk of abdominal obesity. People who went to bed between 2 and 6 a.m. had an even higher risk—38 percent. Going to bed late, according to scientists, may disrupt circadian rhythms, prompting the body to create extra belly-bulging cortisol.