Visceral fat is stubborn. It is located deeper in the stomach and cannot be “trained away” directly. But this fatty tissue doesn't just make your stomach bigger. In the long term, it also damages the surrounding organs and affects metabolism. But how are you supposed to lose visceral fat if you can't specifically train the area? Recent research suggests that increasing protein intake may be the solution and meal frequency may have an impact.
In a study published in the journal Obesity, researchers compared protein intake from a traditional three meals with increased intake from six meals a day to see if this affects how we lose visceral fat. For this purpose, overweight people were divided into three groups. Two of them ate high-protein meals either three or six times a day. The third ate normal, traditional meals three times a day. The result showed that consuming protein-rich meals more frequently could reduce visceral fat.
If you want to get rid of visceral fat, health experts recommend: “Make sure you add protein to every meal.” Good sources include skinless chicken breast, tuna, mackerel, salmon, eggs, milk, red lentils, chickpeas, whole grain bread, nuts and soy. “Remember that a serving of protein is about the size of the palm of your hand.”
Make sure you eat a balanced diet if you want to lose visceral fat. Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day and include high-fiber starchy foods in meals. Opt for low-fat milk or soy drinks fortified with calcium, eat more beans, legumes, fish and eggs, small amounts of unsaturated oil and avoid adding salt or sugar to your meals. Drink six to eight glasses of water daily.
Get rid of visceral fat permanently with exercise
Even if you cannot specifically “attack” visceral fat with training, exercise is important if you want to lose visceral fat. Moderate intensity and a combination of endurance and strength training are ideal. “Point exercises like sit-ups can tone abdominal muscles, but don’t target visceral fat. Exercise can also help prevent fat from coming back,” explains Harvard Health. According to the experts, you should do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days to reduce belly fat. The effort is moderately intense when you can still speak but can no longer sing. The following are well suited: brisk walking, water aerobics, dancing and cycling.
