Visceral fat is more than a nuisance that makes your blazer, button-down shirts, and pants feel tighter.
It is a seriously harmful type of belly fat that can lead to several health conditions, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Many health organizations predict the risk of metabolic disease using a person’s body mass index (BMI). This is, however, misleading because even some thin individuals who have excess belly fat are also at an increased risk.
Although losing visceral fat can be an uphill battle, there are still ways to reduce it. Here are 20 simple, science-backed strategies to get rid of visceral fat.
1. Fill your plate with protein
Protein is an essential nutrient for weight regulation.
It boosts several satiety hormones and reduces the hunger hormone, thereby promoting fullness and decreasing appetite.
Increased protein intake also increases your metabolic rate and helps with muscle growth and maintenance.
In fact, people who eat more protein have been shown in many observational studies to have less visceral fat than those who don’t.
So make sure to include eggs, fish, meat, dairy, beans, whey protein, and other good protein sources in your diet.
2. Load up on soluble fiber
Soluble fiber helps slow stomach emptying.
It has been shown in studies to help you feel full and make you eat less, thus promoting weight loss. It may also help slow the absorption of calories in your body.
It has also been shown to help fight visceral fat.
For example, a 10-gram increase in soluble fiber intake has been found in a 5-year observational study in over 1,100 adults to reduce belly fat gain by 3.7%.
Another type of fiber known as viscous fiber can also help you get rid of visceral fat. It helps you eat less without even trying.
So make sure to incorporate excellent soluble fiber sources, such as flax seeds, Brussels sprouts, blackberries, shirataki noodles, legumes, and avocados, in your diet.
3. Eat fatty fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies, and mackerel, are extremely healthy.
They are rich in omega-3 fats, which is a type of fat that provides several health benefits. They also contain excellent amounts of high quality protein, which is a nutrient necessary for weight management.
Omega-3 fats have been suggested in some evidence to also help shake off visceral fat.
In fact, fish oil supplements have been shown in studies in children and adults with fatty liver disease to significantly lower abdominal and liver fat.
4. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to increase fiber intake.
Fiber has been demonstrated in research to help with blood sugar management and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is a condition associated with visceral fat and being overweight.
What’s more, they also contain complex carbohydrates, which are a healthy alternative to refined carbohydrates.
5. Keep track of your calorie intake
There can be a ton of strategies to get rid of visceral fat, but fewer calorie consumption is key.
Monitoring your calorie intake has been found to be beneficial for weight management. You can either use an online food tracker or app or keep a food diary to keep track of your calorie consumption.
These tools can also help you track your fiber, carb, protein, and micronutrient intake. Some can also record your physical activity and exercise.
6. Limit sugary foods
Sugar holds fructose, which, when consumed in excess, can lead to several chronic diseases, including obesity, fatty liver disease, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Keep in mind that anything that is sugary, whether refined sugar or healthy sugar, can lead to belly fat gain. So make sure to limit your consumption of any sweet food.
7. Eliminate carbs — especially refined carbs
Carb restriction can be very helpful in getting rid of visceral fat.
In fact, low-carb diets have been shown in studies to cause belly fat loss in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), people at risk for type 2 diabetes, and those who are overweight.
You need not completely eliminate carbs in your diet. Consuming unprocessed starchy carbs instead of refined carbs has been suggested in some research to reduce belly fat and improve metabolic health.
For example, those who eat whole grains the most have been found in the famous Framingham Heart Study to be 17% less likely to have excess abdominal fat as compared with those who consumed refined grains.
8. Cut back on trans fats
Created by pumping hydrogen into unsaturated fats, trans fats are an absolute hindrance to your visceral fat loss.
They are so unhealthy that some observational and animal studies have linked them to inflammation, abdominal fat gain, insulin resistance, and heart disease.
For example, monkeys who consumed more trans fats have been found in a 6-year study to gain 33% more abdominal fat than those who consumed monounsaturated fat.
To get rid of that annoying visceral fat and improve your overall health, stay away from trans fat-containing products, such as margarines, spreads, and some packaged foods. Make sure to always read ingredient labels.
9. Drink green tea
An exceptionally healthy beverage, green tea contains the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and caffeine, which are both beneficial for metabolism.
EGCG has also been shown in multiple studies to help you lose belly fat. This is especially true when you combine green tea consumption with regular exercise.
10. Limit sugary drinks
Sugary drinks are jam-packed with liquid fructose, which is a contributor to belly fat gain.
Sugar-sweetened beverages have been shown in studies to increase fat in the liver. For example, people who consumed fructose-containing drinks have been found in one 10-week study to gain abdominal fat.
Sugar-sweetened beverages that need to be completely avoided include alcoholic mixers containing sugar, soda, sweet tea, and punch.
11. Drink alcohol moderately
When taken moderately, alcohol can offer some health benefits. But it can be absolutely harmful when taken in excess.
Too much alcohol consumption has been suggested in research to make you gain belly fat.
For example, heavy alcohol consumption has been shown in observational studies to significantly increase central obesity risk.
Limiting alcohol consumption can have a beneficial effect on your waistline.
In fact, those who consumed alcohol in small amounts every day have been shown in one study to have less belly fat than those who consumed more.
12. Practice stress management
Stress triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which can contribute to belly fat gain.
High cortisol levels have been shown in research to boost appetite and increase visceral fat.
In addition, women with large waistlines have been shown to produce more cortisol as a stress response. It can be noted that increased cortisol levels can contribute to fat gain around the middle.
To manage stress and subsequently protect your waistline, try to practice yoga or meditation or engage in any pleasurable activities.
13. Do cardio
Cardio (aerobic exercise) is a great, simple way to burn calories and improve your overall health.
It has been shown in studies to be one of the most effective forms of exercise for getting rid of that fat in the middle. Study results are however mixed, depending on the intensity, frequency, and duration of the exercise program.
For example, postmenopausal women have been found in one study to lose more fat from all areas when they did cardio for 5 hours (300 minutes) every week than those who did only 2.5 hours (150 minutes) of cardio per week.
14. Lift weights
Also known as resistance training or strength training, weight lifting is beneficial for your muscle mass.
Weight lifting has also been shown in studies involving people with fatty liver disease, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes to be beneficial for reducing visceral fat.
For example, weight lifting, combined with aerobic exercise, has been found in one study involving teenagers to cause a huge reduction in visceral fat.
You can also try crunches, lower ab workouts, and abs workout routine, but make sure to seek the advice of a certified personal trainer first.
15. Get quality sleep
Getting quality sleep is as important as eating a healthy diet; it can ultimately affect several aspects of your health as well, including your weight.
In fact, people who usually lack sleep have been shown in studies to gain more weight, as well as belly fat.
For instance, people who slept less than 5 hours every night have been found in a 16-year study to significantly gain more weight, as compared with those who slept for ≥ 7 hours per night.
In addition, a sleep disorder called sleep apnea has also been linked to visceral fat gain.
So make sure to get enough, quality sleep every night.
16. Say no to fruit juice
Fruit juice is a healthy drink; however, it being high in sugar is absolutely unhealthy for your weight loss journey.
Like soda and other sweetened beverages, drinking fruit juice in large amounts can contribute to abdominal fat gain.
Instead of drinking fruit juice, try having unsweetened iced tea, plain water, or sparkling water.
17. Drink apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can have a ton of health benefits; it can help lower blood sugar levels.
Several animal studies have also found that its acetic acid content can reduce abdominal fat storage.
In addition, those who consumed 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per day have been shown in a 12-week controlled study in obese men to lose half an inch from their waists.
Take note though that undiluted apple cider vinegar can erode the enamel of your teeth, so make sure to dilute it with water before drinking.
18. Take a probiotic supplement
Probiotics offer several health benefits, including enhanced immune function and improved gut health.
They are bacteria found in some foods and supplements, which have been found in some research to play a role in weight management.
Members of the Lactobacillus family, such as Lactobacillus gasseri, are especially helpful for reducing visceral fat.
So choose probiotic supplements that contain one or more of these bacterial strains.
19. Try intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting has recently gained increasing popularity worldwide. It has been thought to be among the many effective weight loss tools.
This is more of an eating pattern – rather than a diet – that involves cycling between eating and fasting periods.
There are several forms of intermittent fasting, but the most popular for visceral fat loss is alternate-day fasting. This form of intermittent fasting allows you to eat all your food one day and then fast the next.
People who followed alternate-day fasting have been shown in a review of studies to experience a 4–7% reduction in abdominal fat.
However, consider stopping immediately if you experience some adverse effects.
20. Make healthy lifestyle changes
Doing only one of the aforementioned strategies won’t give you the best results.
You need to incorporate at least some of them in your daily routine to see which works best for you.
You basically need to make healthy lifestyle changes in the long term to lose that annoying visceral fat and improve your overall health.
The Take-Home Message
Unfortunately, you can’t shake off that visceral fat in just a day or two or even a week. Improving your physique requires hard work, patience, and perseverance.
Adopting some, if not all, of the aforementioned strategies into your daily routine will definitely help you get rid of that excess visceral fat.
