Visceral fat surrounds your internal organs, mostly in the stomach region, and is the reason so many people have big bellies. This is the really dangerous fat, directly linked to diabetes, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke and some cancers. It is full of hormones and toxins, which, when released, go directly to the liver or into the bloodstream. The more visceral fat your body carries, the more likely you are to develop any of the above diseases or conditions, all of which can incapacitate or kill you.
The good news is that although visceral fat is the easiest fat to put on, it’s also the easiest to take off. Many studies have shown that while losing weight may stop the growth of visceral fat or minimally reduce it, exercise is what really burns it off. A brisk 30-minute walk, six times a week will stave off increases in visceral fat and test subjects who performed intensive aerobic exercise 5 – 6 times per week were able to lose several pounds of visceral fat over a period of six months.
Dieting alone won’t rid your body of visceral fat; it must be burned off through exercise, and in order to keep it off, you must make adequate aerobic exercise a part of your daily life. People who lead sedentary lives have more visceral fat than those who are even moderately active. Weight loss diets unaccompanied by sufficient aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise may cause you to lose weight, but most of the loss is from lean muscle tissue and not from stored fat.
Your body hoards and protects its fat stores like a dragon does the treasure in its cave, and adds to its collection as much as it can. It’s up to you to convince your body that your lean muscle tissue is too precious to sacrifice, so that it will resort to burning fat for its fuel. This can be done only by “showcasing” your muscles by exercising each muscle group in order to bring them to the attention of your body. Brisk walking, swimming, cycling, cardiovascular aerobics and anaerobic exercises such as resistance weight training and Pilates will do this for you by raising your metabolism so that you burn calories and fat more rapidly without losing nearly as much lean muscle. Preserving your lean muscle tissue through exercise also makes you stronger and takes inches off your body through the combination of fat loss and muscle tightening and toning.
Your entire body benefits from the loss of visceral fat. Losing visceral fat decreases your resistance to insulin, which can prevent Type II Diabetes, or if you are already diabetic, increase the efficiency of the insulin your body produces, making it easier to control your blood glucose levels. Your body won’t have to deal with the toxins that visceral fat releases into your system; if you are hypertensive, your blood pressure may be easier to control, decreasing your risk for heart attack and stroke. With less weight to carry, your stamina is increased and even small tasks that once tired you out are easier to accomplish. The more visceral fat you lose, the flatter your stomach becomes, resulting in the ability to wear smaller clothing sizes and have a trimmer figure.
Everyone needs to avoid putting on visceral fat. Diet is an important part of losing fat, but sufficient exercise guarantees visceral fat loss, and may save your life!
