In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleThe #1 Habit to BreakWhat is Visceral Fat?Other Tips for Reducing Visceral Fat
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
The #1 Habit to Break
What is Visceral Fat?
Other Tips for Reducing Visceral Fat
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Photo:Getty Images
Getty Images
The Plank Challenge may be all over TikTok. But there’s another reason to burn off belly fat that has nothing to do with sculpting killer abs. Belly fat, technically known as visceral fat, can spell bad news for your health.
If you’ve never heard of visceral fat before, this type of fat burrows deep into your abdomen, where it surrounds organs like the liver and intestines. That doesn’t just make your belly rounder. Visceral fat also cranks out inflammatory proteins that increase the risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and some cancers.,,
However, your lifestyle habits can have a big impact on the amount of visceral fat you carry. If you’d like to trim belly fat and improve your health in the process, read on to learn the No. 1 habit to break to reduce visceral fat.
9 Things You Shouldn’t Do If You’re Trying to Lose Visceral Fat
The #1 Habit to Break to Reduce Visceral Fat
If you’re sitting down reading this, then stand up immediately. Then get ready for this … being too sedentary is the No. 1 habit you need to break ASAP to reduce visceral fat.
Why? Most of us are not nearly active enough (and spend way too much time sitting!).While physical activity guidelines recommend engaging in at least 150 minutes of activity per week, less than half of us actually meet these recommendations.,
6 Things You Should Do to Lose Visceral Fat, According to Dietitians
What Is Visceral Fat and How to Reduce It
Unlike subcutaneous fat, which is the type of fat that lies right below your skin, visceral fat is buried deep within your abdomen. So, burning it requires targeted movement strategies like these.
Start Small
Visceral fat may be stubborn, but you don’t have to run a marathon to get rid of it. “If you’re new to regular movement, start with just 10 to 15 minutes of an activity you enjoy, like a walk around your neighborhood, dancing or yoga,” saysPatricia Bannan, M.S., RDN, author ofFrom Burnout to Balance.
“Fit in movement throughout the day in small ways, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther away, or taking the long way to the coffee machine at work to add more steps to your day,” adds Palinski-Wade.
Buddy Up
The best way to make it a habit is to repeat it daily until it’s as normal as brushing your teeth. Bannan recommends teaming up with a friend to make your movement habit stick. “Celebrating small wins, like reaching a daily step goal, can build momentum and make it easier to stay active in the long term,” she says.
Set a Timer
“Every 30 to 60 minutes, set a reminder to stand up, stretch or walk around for a couple of minutes,” says Bannan. “This breaks up long periods of sitting and helps stimulate circulation and muscle activity.”
Pace Around the House
Palinski-Wade recommends walking while talking on the phone instead of sitting. “This way you are using time you already have to fit more movement into your busy day,” she adds.
Pump Some Iron
“Strength training is one of the best things you can do to offset visceral fat,” says Palinski-Wade. “Aim to add strength training one to two times per week, focusing on major muscle groups to improve strength and lean body mass.”
Mix It Up
Strength training isn’t the only way to burn visceral fat. Research has found that three aerobic or interval workouts per week are also effective for reducing belly fat.
The 5 Best Exercises to Help You Lose Weight
Yes, moving is key, but there are even more steps you can take to lose visceral fat.
The Bottom Line
There’s no magic pill to reduce visceral body fat. However, nutrition experts agree that simply moving more can improve your body composition and reduce visceral body fat. And you don’t have to log hours in the gym to see results. While strength training and aerobic activity are excellent ways to burn belly fat, going for regular walks with a friend or scheduling movement breaks into your workday are great ways to incorporate more activity into your day. The goal is to rack up those 150 minutes of physical activity each week. And if you still want to do the Plank Challenge, well, that’s great too!
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Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Khanna D, Welch BS, Rehman A.Pathophysiology of Obesity. In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2024
Silveira EA, Kliemann N, Noll M, Sarrafzadegan N, De Oliveira C.Visceral obesity and incident cancer and cardiovascular disease: An integrative review of the epidemiological evidence.Obesity Reviews. 2020;22(1). doi:10.1111/obr.13088
Hanlon, C., Yuan, L.Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: The Role of Visceral Adipose Tissue.Clinical Liver Disease.2022;19(106-110). doi: 10.1002/cld.1183
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Physical Activity Guidelines, 2nd Edition.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics.Exercise or Physical Activity.
Chang YH, Yang HY, Shun SC.Effect of exercise intervention dosage on reducing visceral adipose tissue: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.International Journal of Obesity. 2021;45(5):982-997. doi:10.1038/s41366-021-00767-9
