Visceral Fat And Peripheral Fat: Learn To Fight Them

At some point you will have heard about visceral fat and its risks to our health. Although it is true that women suffer more from the so-called “peripheral fat”, neither of them is suitable, so it is important to combat them on a day-to-day basis.

Why do we suffer from them? What are these common problems? We know that incorrect diet and lack of exercise are two of the most common causes.

However, there are also other factors that should be taken into account: our genetic inheritance, menopause and maintaining incorrect diets that, instead of making us lose weight, take away our health. Today in our space we invite you to know a little more about the subject.

Visceral fat, the most dangerous for health

We all, to a greater or lesser extent, have a certain amount of fat in our body.

• If you touch your thighs for a moment you will perceive that subcutaneous fat that most women have.
• If now you bring your hand to your belly and you perceive that it is something bulky, it is very likely that, around your stomach, intestines and liver, there is also that most dangerous fat that can cause us serious problems.

Doctors tell us that it is men who are more prone to suffering from so-called visceral fat, the same one that, sooner or later, can bring about a heart attack or other heart problem. It represents a very high risk.

Aspects to be taken into account

It is not inactive

Visceral fat is not inactive. That is, it does not just surround our stomach and liver. On the contrary, it is very active in releasing very harmful toxic substances into the bloodstream.

Inflames us

Visceral fat inflames us; it is she that causes arteriosclerosis, the one that causes digestive and colon problems and, the one that brings, many times, diabetes and different types of cancer.

Affects our mood

Something that many people don’t know is that visceral fat can affect our mood. Do you know in what way? It causes us:

• Tiredness.
• General discomfort.
• Mood changes
• Stress.
• Anxiety.

Also different types of depressions that end up generating, in turn, the production of cortisol in the blood.

Insulin resistance

The simple act of releasing a series of toxic substances into the blood also causes what is known as  metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance.

• If, in addition, we suffer from hypertension, the problem can become even more serious.
• It is important to keep this in mind.

How do I know if I have visceral fat?

It may seem like an obvious question, but the reality is that many people live with the fat accumulated in their belly without going to the doctor. Reviews are not made, which in many cases could save lives.

To assess our cardiovascular risk, it is important to pay attention to our waist circumference: in no case should it exceed half our height.

Peripheral fat can also be dangerous

We know that it is men who tend to have a greater tendency to accumulate fat in their waists at an age. Now, we can also store fat in the belly, but it is usually more common for our problem to be in the hips, thighs and legs.

Doctors warn us of something very important that we cannot neglect:

• The accumulation of fatty plaques on the legs does not always have symptoms, but it is very dangerous.
• You may feel cramps, heaviness, a feeling that your legs go numb, etc.
• All this is a clue that our arteries are no longer so elastic, and that peripheral fat has accumulated in them and is already causing us problems that can be serious.
• In this case, we would be facing peripheral arterial disease  which, although it is true that it is quite common, can become serious.

• It occurs when there is an excess of cholesterol and other fats that circulate in the blood, and these accumulate in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs.
• The most worrying thing is that the symptoms are not very obvious, but they can cause heart problems and even a brain stroke.

How to fight visceral and peripheral fat

1. Previous aspects that must be taken into account

• If you have a family history of obesity or cardiovascular accidents, start improving your lifestyle from an early age.
• Once we reach 40 or 45 years old, it is important to take maximum care of our lifestyle.  It is the moment in which in our analyzes a little cholesterol begins to appear, and an age after which it may cost us a little more to lose weight.

• Keep in mind that visceral fat is not lost overnight. There are no miracle diets or magic bullets. We need the help of our doctors, who will control the correct guidelines that we have to follow at all times.
• Family and social support is important. If you need to go on a diet, it is recommended that you have the support of your family. Moreover, it would be very appropriate for everyone at home to encourage each other to lead a “more active” life.

2. Keys to lose visceral and peripheral fat

It is not about completely eliminating fat from our diet.  There is also healthy fat that our body needs. The one from:

• The olive oil.
• The salmon.
• The nuts.
• Avocado

Don’t skip any meals. You should eat between 4 and 5 meals a day. It is about “filling ourselves little” but many times a day, since in this way we keep the metabolism active.

Say yes to soluble fiber:

• Oatmeal.
• Saved.
• Barley.
• Buckwheat.
• Flax seeds.
• Plums
• Apples
• Mangoes
• Oranges
• Leeks
• Celery
• Carrots
• Cucumbers

Eliminate salt from your diet:  as well as white flour, industrial foods, pastries, sugary soft drinks … Increase the consumption of fresh vegetables.

Physical exercise is key. It is not about getting tired, on the contrary, it is about maintaining an aerobic, regular and constant exercise that allows us to burn fat little by little, always keeping the heart active. This has been corroborated by a study published in the medical journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,  which indicates that  high intensity exercise training could be more effective in reducing abdominal fat in obese women with metabolic syndrome.

• So, don’t hesitate, go for a walk, dance, climb stairs, swim …