The stubborn fat that sits around the body’s midsection isn’t just frustrating – it’s genuinely dangerous.
Known as visceral fat, the lipids that sit deep inside your abdomen, where you can’t pinch it or see it properly.
It’s the kind that wraps around your organs and causes real trouble, raising our chances of developing serious conditions, including heart problems, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and fatty liver disease. That’s why keeping it under control matters so much.
But much of what we’re told about losing this risky fat might actually be wrong. Some supposedly “bad” habits could be exactly what you need.
Intense cardio can leave dieters ravenous
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GETTYYou’ve probably heard that cardio is the key to burning fat. Hours on the treadmill, endless cycling sessions – that’s what we’re told works best, right? Well, it’s not quite that simple.
New York City-based registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, M.S., RD, explained on EatingWell that while it’s true that cardio activities torch calories faster than other exercises, there’s a catch that often gets overlooked; intense cardio can leave you absolutely ravenous.
And when you’re that hungry, it’s easy to eat more than you’ve actually burned off.
This means that ultimately you risk consuming extra calories that lead to weight gain – the exact opposite of what you were trying to achieve.
Instead of exhausting yourself with marathon cardio sessions, there are smarter ways to tackle that dangerous belly fat.
Here’s where walking comes in, as research published in the Journal of Obesity Research and Clinical Practice in 2020 showed that simply putting one foot in front of the other can effectively shrink that dangerous visceral fat.
Scientists found that people who walked more had noticeably less visceral fat, while those who spent more time sitting accumulated more of it.
The message is that any movement helps – you don’t need fancy equipment or gruelling workouts.
Just getting up and walking whenever you can makes a real difference to that risky abdominal fat.
Another surprising ally in the fight against visceral fat is lifting weights. Strength training doesn’t just help during your workout; it keeps burning calories long after you’ve put the dumbbells down.
Building muscle through regular weight sessions changes how the body works
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This afterburn effect means your body continues torching energy even when you’re relaxing at home, but that’s not all the strength training offers.
Building muscle through regular weight sessions actually changes how your body works, leading to a faster metabolism that helps the body burn fat more efficiently throughout the day.
So endless cardio is not the only answer; a combination of regular walks and some strength training could be your best bet for shifting that dangerous belly fat.