Not all types of body fat are bad. Essential fat is called such because it’s used to protect parts of the body, such as nerves, bone marrow, and the brain. Visceral fat, however, is that technical term for belly fat, and it’s also found around major organs like the heart, liver, and pancreas, which can cause damage in those vital areas.
A good rule of thumb to see if you have too much visceral fat is if the waist circumference measures 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men.
We all know belly fat is hard to shed, but it is possible. Bronx Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at four ways to lose those inches in the midsection.
- Watch Simple Carbohydrate Intake
Simple, or refined, carbohydrates cause your body to spend a lot of time trying to break them down, which causes it to shirk some of its other responsibilities—namely, breaking down fat for energy instead of carbs, so watch how much white bread, white rice, white sugar, and flour you consume.
- Cut Back on Sugar
Sugar, including what’s broken down from alcohol, can cause inflammation in the body, which prevents it from breaking down fat as it should.
- Get Regular Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise like jogging, cycling, swimming, and even brisk walking can help the body shed belly fat because the exercise allows the body to speed up processes like digestion and metabolism while increasing overall circulation.
- Don’t Cheat Your Body of Sleep
Experts say that getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night gives your body enough time to recharge and reset all of its systems, which will allow things like your metabolism to work at optimal levels. In fact, studies have shown that getting enough sleep every night can reduce belly fat by around 25%.
To learn more about Bronx Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://bronx-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.
