How to Lose Visceral Belly Fat

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methods

1Improving Your Dietary Choices

2Engaging in Aerobic and Strength-Building Exercises

3Making Additional Lifestyle Adjustments

Other Sections

Expert Q&A

Tips and Warnings

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References

Although it's easier to notice the "pinchable" subcutaneous fat that's right under your skin, it's not as damaging to your health as fat deposits stored deeper inside you. Visceral fat surrounds the organs in your abdominal cavity (known collectively as "viscera"), is readily converted into "bad" cholesterol by your liver, and can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and a range of other health problems. Fortunately, switching to a healthier diet and getting regular exercise, along with a few other lifestyle changes, can help you reduce visceral belly fat.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Improving Your Dietary Choices

1. 
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   Limit your consumption of simple sugars. Eating too much sugar often results in your body storing it as fat. Cutting out sugar can help you improve your health and shed the extra fat. Make sure you're checking nutritional data and reading labels to monitor how much sugar you consume.

   • Cut back on how much dessert you eat, and switch out sugary sweets for healthier options, like a piece of fruit.
2. 
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   Cut back on saturated fats and eliminate trans fats. Not surprisingly, consuming too many fats in your diet increases your likelihood of having excess visceral belly fat. Not all fats are created equal, though, and it’s saturated fats and trans fats that you really need to work on reducing. Aim to have 20-30% of your total daily calories come from fats, no more than 7% come from saturated fats, and as little as possible come from trans fats.

   • So, if you consume 2,000 calories per day, you should eat around 44-67 grams of fat per day, including no more than 15 grams of saturated fat.
   • Red meat (like burgers and steaks) and full-fat dairy products (like cheese and ice cream) are high in saturated fat, and processed foods (like cookies and other snacks) are often high in both saturated and trans fats.
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3. 
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   Eat fewer processed foods. While there’s no doubt that they’re convenient, the fact remains that processed foods are rarely if ever healthy choices. They're often packed with added sugars, which are harmful to your health. Additionally, they are commonly high in sodium and may contain high levels of unhealthy fats. Processed foods also usually provide a lot of empty calories with limited to no nutritional value.

   • Planning ahead is one of the best ways to reduce your intake of processed foods. Pack your lunch for work and make fresh fruits and veggies the stars. Plan your meals and your shopping list for the week, and stick to the list as you shop. Eat a healthy snack at home instead of loading up on junk food at the movie theater.
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   Cut back on your alcohol intake. Excess visceral fat can cause what many people call a “beer belly,” and there is a grain of truth to the name. Alcohol is high in calories but low in nutritional value, making it a prime source of “empty calories.” Drinking alcohol can also make you more likely to overeat by reducing your willpower.

   • You don’t necessarily have to cut out alcohol entirely, but making lifestyle changes that help reduce your alcohol intake can help you in your battle against visceral belly fat.
5. 
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   Add more lean proteins and healthy fats to your diet. Cut back on red meat like burgers and steaks, and reach for lean proteins like chicken and fish. Cook with olive or canola oil instead of butter, and add healthy fat-rich foods like nuts and avocados to your dishes.

   • For vegan protein options, choose foods with tofu, seitan, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
   • If consumed in excess, even healthy fats will likely add to your visceral belly fat. Make sure no more than 30% of your dietary calories come from fat.
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   Enjoy lots of fresh produce and whole grains. Fresh fruits and veggies are low in fat and calories, chock full of nutrients, and rich in fiber that helps you feel full faster. Whole grains (like oatmeal and brown rice) also are good sources of fiber, and are more nutritious overall than processed grain products (like white bread and pasta).

   • Since fruits contain sugar, you may want to limit how much fruit you consume daily. However, keep in mind that studies show eating fruit is generally good for maintaining a healthy body weight.
   • Many of the tricks parents use to get their kids to eat more fruits and veggies are actually useful for adults as well. For instance, look for ways to add more fruits and veggies into your recipes—in sauces and batters, for example.
   • The more variety in the colors of fruits and veggies you eat (for instance, strawberries, carrots, peppers, squash, blueberries, oranges, etc.), the greater variety of beneficial nutrients you'll consume.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Engaging in Aerobic and Strength-Building Exercises

1. 
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   Work with your doctor to develop the best exercise program for you. Before dedicating yourself to a new exercise regimen, talk to your doctor about your overall health. This is especially important if you live a sedentary lifestyle or have underlying health conditions. It’s important to craft a program that suits your current health status.

   • Also keep in mind that, despite what all the ads say, you can’t spot-reduce fat in your belly or anywhere else. Overall fat reduction through a balanced diet along with an exercise program is your best bet.
   • If your waist measurement is above 35 in (89 cm) as a female or 40 in (100 cm) as a male, you may have excess visceral belly fat. However, you should allow your doctor to make that determination.
2. 
   2
   Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This is a standard exercise recommendation for adults, due in part to its benefits in both preventing and reducing visceral fat. While getting the 150 minutes total in any fashion is helpful, the best results for visceral fat reduction seem to come from engaging in 30 minute sessions, 5 times per week.

   • Biking, swimming, and brisk walking are all examples of moderate-intensity exercise.
   • How can you tell if you’re engaging in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise? You should be able to talk comfortably, but be too winded to belt out your favorite song.
3. 
   3
   Do 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise as another option. High-intensity aerobic exercise can be a beneficial part of your belly fat-busting plan. If you're doing high-intensity exercise, you can shorten your workouts. In general, people need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week to support good health.

   • Engaging in high-intensity interval training (HIIT)—which combines short bursts of intense activity with longer stretches of moderate exercise—at least twice per week may provide added benefits toward visceral fat reduction. However, make sure you discuss this plan with your doctor first.
   • You might prefer to do moderate-intensity workouts on certain days and HIIT workouts on others. As a sample weekly plan, you might do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (like brisk walking, aerobics, swimming, biking, or jogging) on Days 1, 3, 5, and 6; do 15 minutes of HIIT on Days 2 and 7; and rest on Day 4.
4. 
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   Add in strength-building workouts 3 times per week. Adding muscle helps you to burn calories more efficiently, which in turn makes it easier to burn fat. Plus, resistance training helps strengthen your bones. Try to fit in 2-3 strength training workouts lasting 20-40 minutes per week, and make sure you’re working all your major muscle groups.

   • Work your core and your abs as part of your workout, but don’t think that doing endless crunches will burn visceral fat faster. In fact, a well-rounded strength-building workout will provide greater fat burning benefits.
   • If you're doing strength training 2-3 times per week, you might aim for full-body workouts (that is, working all your major muscle groups) during 20-40 minute sessions on Days 1, 3, and 5.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Additional Lifestyle Adjustments

1. 
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   Work on reducing your stress levels. If you’re under too much stress you’re more likely to overeat, especially “comfort foods” that are often laden with fat, calories, and sugar. It’s also possible that excess stress may cause your body to redistribute fat to your abdomen, as a way to build up your energy stores during potentially threatening times. Therefore, keeping your stress in check may help control your visceral belly fat in multiple ways.

   • You can relieve stress in numerous ways, including by getting better organized, journaling, talking to someone you trust, exercising, trying yoga or meditation, and many more. The key is to find the strategies that work for you and stick to them.
2. 
   2
   Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Being short on sleep can increase your stress levels and make you more likely to overeat, both of which can contribute to visceral fat production. In the long term, not getting enough sleep is, like excess visceral fat, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

   • Generally speaking, adults should aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
   • If you have trouble sleeping, try setting a consistent bedtime routine and keeping your bedroom dark, cool, and free of electronic screens. Talk to your doctor about other options for improving your sleep.
3. 
   3
   Be realistic but not defeatist about your genes. Some people are simply more genetically predisposed to having visceral belly fat. If this is the case for you, it will be more difficult to both prevent and reduce visceral fat buildup. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible or not worth the effort. The healthy choices you make in your efforts to reduce visceral fat will provide overall health benefits regardless.

   • People who naturally have an “apple” shaped body tend to be more predisposed toward accumulating visceral fat.
   • Even if it’s not in the cards for you to get a washboard stomach, any amount of visceral belly fat that you can reduce by making healthy choices will benefit you.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How do you get rid of belly fat after 50?

  

  Laura Flinn
  NASM Certified Personal Trainer

  Laura Flinn is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer, USA Olympic Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach and Certified Fitness Nutritionist, with an additional qualification as a TRX Suspension Trainer. Laura runs her own personal training program based in the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in topics such as weight loss, muscle growth, cardiovascular training, and strength training.

  

  Laura Flinn

  NASM Certified Personal Trainer

  Expert Answer

  Unfortunately, you can't really target specific parts of your body for weight loss. If you just focus on losing weight generally though, you'll see your belly fat going down over time. Eat a healthy, balanced diet by consuming plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. Try to get plenty of cardio and work out regularly. You'll see your belly fat disappearing over time.

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Tips

• Don’t believe the ads for “ab blasters” and “fat busting” supplements—you cannot spot-remove body fat, visceral fat included. Your goal needs to be overall fat reduction through increased exercise, improved diet, and positive lifestyle choices.
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Warnings

• Visceral belly fat surrounds, among other organs, your liver, which processes some of this fat into cholesterol. Increased cholesterol can cause atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and raise your risk of heart attack and stroke. Excess visceral fat also makes it harder for your body to use insulin, which makes you more susceptible to type 2 diabetes. It may also increase your risk of some cancers.
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