How to Break Down Visceral Fat

How to Break Down Visceral Fat
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Visceral fat is fat stored around the internal organs near your belly. This not only is unattractive, but it also may pose serious health implications. Too much belly fat can negatively affect liver function, causing insulin resistance, which may result in diabetes, hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels and heart disease. The best way to break down and burn off visceral fat is to eat a balanced diet and engage in regular exercise.

Step 1

Clean up your diet to get rid of visceral fat. Poor nutrition can cause your health to deteriorate and waistline to increase. Eat lean proteins such as fish, turkey and chicken breast, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Incorporate complex carbs and low-fat dairy to take in extra vitamins and minerals and help keep you satiated.

Step 2

Monitor your meal frequency just as closely as you do the foods you consume. Instead of eating two or three large meals, eat five or six smaller meals throughout the day. This curbs cravings, decreasing the likelihood of gorging on fast food, revs up your metabolism and keeps blood sugar stabilized.

Step 3

Perform at least four cardio sessions of 45 to 60 minutes per week. This can include any activity you enjoy such as running, brisk walking, stair climbing, high-impact aerobics or swimming. Cardio training burns calories and fat from your whole body, including the area around your belly.

Step 4

Ramp up your cardio sessions with interval training. Elevate the intensity of your favorite cardio workouts for one to two minutes, followed by one to two minutes of rest. For example, sprint for a minute on a treadmill, then walk for a minute. Swim three laps, then rest two minutes. Repeat this cycle until you have completed 30 minutes of interval training.

Step 5

Perform abdominal exercises to help tone your stomach and build lean mass. Try exercises such as leg lifts, basic crunches, reverse crunches, bicycle crunches, pelvic tilts and side bends to work all of your major ab muscles. Do at least three sets of 10 repetitions per exercise.

References

Article reviewed by Kile McKenna Last updated on: Jul 15, 2011

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