Visceral fat is a type of fat that accumulates deep within the abdominal area, enveloping organs like the liver, stomach, and intestines. It poses a greater risk to health compared to subcutaneous fat, which is located just beneath the skin, because it can lead to severe health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.
This type of fat is often called “active fat” due to its hormonal effects on the body. Shedding this fat can be particularly challenging during weight loss, prompting many to alter their diets and exercise routines. To address this issue, we have gathered five tips from nutritionist and TikToker Kat Malthaner, who shared her insights in a recent video.
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1. Reduce Your Fructose Intake
Malthaner’s primary advice is to limit your consumption of "fructose." Fructose is a simple sugar, also known as a monosaccharide, and it constitutes fifty percent of table sugar, which is scientifically referred to as sucrose.
She points out that the main contributors of fructose in our diets are soda and juice. According to the health expert, it's best to avoid them because fructose tends to be "stored as visceral fat more than" other carbohydrates.
2. Stop/ Limit Doing Cardio
The TikToker then told a story of someone "who was running 50 miles per week" and "when they stopped running all together, their visceral fat reduced by two pounds."
She shared that "some better forms of exercise" for healthy weight loss this winter include "low intensity cardio such as walking, resistance training to build muscle, and high intensity interval training."
3. Be "Smart About" Your Carb Intake
Her next tip is to be "smart about your carbs" as "visceral fat is highly associated with insulin resistance, and insulin resistance is caused by high insulin levels." To reverse this resistance, she advises that "you want to keep your insulin low, and carbohydrates are the macronutrients that spikes insulin the most."
She stressed that this doesn't mean "you have to cut out carbohydrates entirely," but "reducing them can be an effective strategy." She suggests "even just making sure to not eat them in isolation" and to always "pair them with protein and fat" and "have apple cider vinegar before a high carb meal" as "these can all lower the insulin response to that meal."
4. Try Intermittent Fasting
For her fourth tip, the nutritionist recommended trying "intermittent fasting," noting that in one study, participants ate "within a shorter window each day and their insulin sensitivity improved and their visceral fat reduced." She added that "even without total weight loss, fasting between 12 to 16 hours every day can make a big difference."
She observed that it involves cycles of eating and fasting. Rather than being a specific diet, it serves as a guideline for managing one's food consumption.
5. Reduce Your Alcohol Intake
Lastly, she encouraged her followers to "reduce" and "limit" alcohol intake and joked: "it's not called a beer belly for nothing."
Excessive alcohol consumption, she noted, can hinder weight loss by reducing metabolic rate and making fat burning more difficult. Additionally, alcohol may result in overeating, poor sleep quality, and increased cravings for unhealthy foods.
@healthcoachkait Reply to @desabellthedoodle 5 ways to target belly fat aka visceral fat #visceralfat #bellyfat #thinoutsidefatinside #insulinresistance #intermittentfasting #fatlosshelp ♬ original sound - Kait Malthaner (Nutritionist)
The Bottom Line
To reduce visceral fat, the nutritionist primarily advised adopting a healthy lifestyle. This includes consuming a balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, participating in regular aerobic activities such as brisk walking, incorporating strength training, ensuring adequate sleep, managing stress effectively, and moderating alcohol consumption.
She emphasized that the most effective method for decreasing visceral fat is through overall weight loss achieved by maintaining good eating and exercise routines.
