Data suggests that around 67 percent of people are either overweight or obese according to the standard BMI definition. That’s bad enough, but when you consider how fat is distributed, the situation becomes a lot worse. Most people have excess fat around their organs in the form of abdominal fat – the most dangerous kind.

Abdominal fat, sometimes called visceral fat, is the fat that surrounds the liver, stomach and intestines. In prehistoric times, people laid down fat in these locations to prepare them for lean winter months. But with our current glut of junk food, we’re keeping our visceral fat stores throughout the year, and it’s creating a host of problems.

We see the rise of TOFI or “thin outside, but fat inside.” Estimates suggest that if you include members of the TOFI club and add them to people whose BMIs are above a healthy 25, 90 percent of the population is “over fat.”

The Dangers Of Visceral Fat

Visceral fat is not benign. It is much more dangerous than the run-of-the-mill subcutaneous fat that you frequently find under the skin. Researchers have linked excessive visceral fat with a host of conditions, including high cholesterol, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. It is, therefore, extremely dangerous and should be your weight-loss priority.

According to webmd.com, you can measure your body’s level of visceral fat. Grab a tape measure and then wrap it around your waist. If you’re a woman and your waist circumference is greater than 35 inches, then you probably have too much abdominal fat than is safe. If you’re a man, you want a waist circumference less than 40 inches to prevent an elevated risk of disease.

Measuring your waist circumference isn’t necessarily the only way to measure visceral fat. Some doctors also use the waist to hip ratio.

The best way to find out how much visceral fat you have is to use an imaging test in a CT or MRI scanner. These tools can measure the precise amount of visceral fat that you have and provide a detailed image of its structure.

So, now you know that losing visceral fat is a priority, how do you get rid of it?

Move As Much As You Can

The best way to reduce visceral fat is to introduce new lifestyle behaviors that help you combat the bloat that fits into your day.

You don’t have to do exhausting hours of exercise at the gym to get the pounds to melt off. Something as simple as walking the dog or cycling to work can make a significant difference over several months. Importantly, you might not see any differences on the outside: your weight might stay the same. But healthy lifestyle changes can help you adjust your body composition away from dangerous visceral fat and towards healthier subcutaneous fat.

Be Smart About Your Eating

As shakethatweight.co.uk, there are plenty of tools that people can now use to lose weight. Many people, for instance, find that they are successful when they use meal replacement options. These meal replacements provide all of the nutrients that the body needs, but without so many calorie

Being smart about what you put in your mouth also requires checking the label on the back of food packets. Food manufacturers like to stuff their products with sugar, fat, and salt to enhance palatability. Always check the ingredients list, looking out for problem substances like corn oil and high-fructose corn syrup.

Hydrogenated oils are a big no-no because the body finds these the most difficult to break down and store safety. These fats are most common in baked goods and margarine – two foods that are highly associated with uncontrollable weight gain.

When it comes to protein, the best choice for people with high levels of visceral fat is beans. Not only are beans high in fat-free healthy protein, but they’re also one of the best foods on the planet for overall health. People who regularly eat beans have a much lower risk of developing complications from having too much visceral fat. Garbanzo beans and lentils, for instance, are famous for both preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.

Finally, you may want to consider including more tree nuts like pecans, almonds, and walnuts into your daily diet. Research indicates that people who eat more nuts tend to have tighter waistlines and less abdominal fat.

Conclusion

Losing weight from your abdomen should be a priority. It puts you at a higher risk of disease and can lead to a variety of secondary complications. The best approach to fighting it is to eat plenty of beans and nuts while also getting daily activity.