Let's talk about Belly Fat
We all come in different shapes and sizes and even though we have improved our perception of health and body shape from the pressures of society, there is still the idea that we need to glorify the six-pack no matter what. Don’t get me wrong, defined abdominals look great in models and underwear advertisements for men. Still, the fact is a very small percentage of the population goes in the six-pack direction.
However, there are more reasons than aesthetics for wanting to lose belly fat and many of my clients come to me for that specific aspect.
So let’s talk about belly fat and the difference between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.
*Visceral Fat surrounds vital organs such as the liver, stomach and intestines. This type of fat contributes to chronic inflammation, the formation of arterial plaque, and blood clots. It’s also associated with an increased risk for metabolic syndrome, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
*Subcutaneous Fat is the padding under the surface of the skin and it is mostly benign. Subcutaneous fat is also found in different areas of the body - back, butt, arms, legs and so on, which is another distinguishing factor of subcutaneous fat.
The easiest way to tell physically if you have visceral fat is by checking your waist circumference, meaning over 37 inches (94 cm) for men and 31 inches (80 cm) for women. Also, If you tend to store more fat in your midsection, similar to an apple shape, that's an indication of visceral fat. If you hold more fat in your lower body like a pear, you have more subcutaneous fat.
How to Lose Both Visceral and Subcutaneous Fat
Belly fat loss happens with overall body fat loss, which usually goes along with changes to diet and exercise. When you lose weight, you tend to lose both subcutaneous and visceral fat, and when you gain weight, you tend to gain both, however, depending on your genetics and your physiology, some people will gain or lose more of one as opposed to the other. Visceral fat is more metabolically active, so you will lose that type of fat first. Also, keep in mind that by only losing 5% of fat you are already improving your metabolic health.
If you want to improve your health and lose fat you need to be aware that belly fat loss goes along with overall body fat loss, which usually goes along with changes to diet and exercise. So, if you start giving up what doesn’t work regarding your current lifestyle, the sooner you can change to what does work.
1- Start by getting rid of highly processed and highly- palatable foods because they are easy to overeat. Don’t buy them or keep them in your cupboards. Focus on consuming whole foods (the ones you need to prepare or have no added flavours on synthetic colours)
2- Avoid snacking all day long and focus on 3 meals a day so you can balance insulin and give your digestive system a break
3- Avoid rushing when you eat and make sure you enjoy the flavours of your food. This will activate your internal sense of fullness and hunger.
4- Consume low glycemic load foods so you won’t spike your insulin levels. Choose foods that range below 10 on the glycemic load charts.
5- Exercise by doing resistance training, cardio and also calming exercises. Mix them up and be consistent. However, no amount of exercise will save you if you don’t change your diet and stress levels at the same time.
6- Focus on liver health. A congested liver will hold your fat loss journey and can affect your overall health.
Finally, check your emotional health and how you feel in your own body. How is your level of acceptance of where you are in your life and where you want to go?
You don’t want to have amazing abs but feel awful inside, right? That’s why your deep health journey might lead you to change your environment, your values and your thoughts, and get lots of support from family, friends, medical practitioners, and maybe hire a coach like me 😀
Check my Wellness and Weight Loss programs here so you can be supported and guided with nutrition, wellness and mindset.
Thanks for reading!