How to know if you have visceral fat and what measures to take to reduce it?

Do you think of body fat as a fierce enemy that you must always fight?

You must know that you need it for your body to function properly; the problem is when you accumulate it in excess.

And there's a specific type of fat that some people don't see, but it's dangerous because it causes serious weight and health problems.

Here you will discover what visceral fat is all about and how to reduce it.

What is visceral fat?

It is a type of fat that accumulates inside your body, specifically in the abdomen, and surrounds internal organs such as the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. Also, it is called intra-abdominal fat .

When it occurs in excess, it not only increases your waistline and can cause obesity. It is also linked to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, liver and hormonal problems, insulin-resistant diabetes, and stroke.

Visceral fat appears as a direct consequence of leading unhealthy lifestyle habits.

Especially, a bad diet full of ultra-processed foods, junk food, sugar abuse, saturated and trans fats. In fact, the Mayo Clinic portal published a study on how trans fats represent a double problem for heart health .

Also, it can affect you if you are sedentary.

This fat produces what is called lipotoxicity. This means that when you accumulate it, substances derived from fat are produced that cause chronic inflammation of the organs and interfere with their proper functioning.

How do I know if I have visceral fat?

If the central area of ​​your trunk looks bigger and bigger, it may indicate that you have a high percentage of visceral fat.

But if you want to make sure you do, there are three metrics you can apply right away:

1. The measurement of the circumference of your waist: it must not exceed 88.9 cm for women and 93.9 cm for men. If you exceed it you must take action.

2. The waist/hip ratio: measure your hips, and divide the result by the waist measurement. If the result is higher than 0.88 for women and 0.95 for men, you are outside the healthy range for visceral fat.

3. The waist/height index: the waist must measure, at most, half your height.

Measuring your visceral fat index is very important, because it is an alarm system that alerts you if something is not working well.

In addition, you will be able to take steps to avoid the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or other metabolic diseases caused by visceral fat.

11 healthy measures to reduce it

To bring visceral fat back to normal levels, you must transform your habits and make real and consistent changes to your lifestyle.

Here the most important:

1. Following a low-carb diet, such as the ketogenic diet, may help you reduce visceral fat. Before starting this style of eating, consult a doctor or nutritionist to do it correctly.

2. Avoid the intake of sugar and sugary drinks, as their abuse causes a large accumulation of visceral fat.

3. Avoid artificial trans fats that are in industrialized foods such as margarines and ultra-processed products that you buy at the supermarket.

4. Eat more protein to boost your metabolism, promote weight loss and, in turn, eliminate visceral fat.

5. Eat more vegetables and vegetables, especially those with a high fiber content.

6. Consume only good fats like olive, avocado or coconut oil.

7. Drink water, at least 2 liters a day.

8. Eliminate alcohol from your life, as the body prioritizes it and stores it as fat.

9. Keep moving and do resistance exercises combined with aerobics.

10. Manage stress and get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

11. Consume supplements that help you mobilize fat.

Losing visceral fat is not a process that happens overnight.

You need willpower to beat the addiction to food that hurts you.

Also, you must be consistent to acquire new habits of healthy, balanced and natural eating, and a lifestyle to prevent diseases associated with the accumulation of visceral fat.

It may not be easy, but keep going if you can.