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Best Exercises to Lose Visceral Fat

Burn visceral belly fat with these movements

Visceral fat is a type of belly fat that sits deep inside your body, wrapping around your organs. Unlike the fat under your skin, you can’t see or pinch visceral fat, making it harder to tell how much you have. Even if your weight or BMI seems normal, you could still have a lot of visceral fat without realizing it.


Too much of this fat can increase your risk of serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It releases harmful chemicals that can affect how your body works, including raising cholesterol and insulin resistance.


What Causes Visceral Fat?


Certain lifestyle choices, such as eating too many processed foods, not exercising enough, getting poor sleep, and experiencing high stress, can lead to extra visceral fat.


The InBody Metabolic Assessment will give you an accurate measurement of your visceral fat. If you can’t use the InBody test, measuring your waistline is one simple way to estimate your visceral fat—if it's over 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men, you may have too much.



How to Reduce Visceral Fat


The best way to lose visceral fat is through high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which has been shown to reduce this harmful fat quickly. But any kind of movement helps! 


Even if you don’t lose weight, regular exercise can shrink your waistline by reducing visceral fat and building muscle.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days, like brisk walking or casual bike riding. Strength training, such as lifting weights, also helps burn fat. While sit-ups can strengthen your stomach muscles, they won’t specifically target visceral fat.


To stay active throughout the day, try parking farther from your destination, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or standing while talking on the phone. Studies show that staying active not only helps reduce visceral fat but also keeps it from coming back.



Best High-Intensity Exercises for Burning Visceral Fat


High-intensity exercise gets your heart rate up quickly and burns a lot of calories in a short time. Here are some great examples:

  1. Jump Rope – A few minutes of jumping rope can quickly increase your heart rate and improve endurance.

  2. Sprint Intervals – Alternate between 30 seconds of sprinting and 1 minute of walking or jogging.

  3. Burpees – A full-body exercise that combines jumping, squatting, and push-ups for maximum intensity.

  4. Jump Squats – Squat down and explode upward into a jump, landing softly before repeating.

  5. Mountain Climbers – In a push-up position, quickly alternate bringing your knees toward your chest.

  6. Kettlebell Swings – Swing a kettlebell between your legs and up to shoulder height using your hips and core.

  7. Rowing Machine – A great way to combine cardio and strength training in one workout.

  8. Cycling Sprints – Alternate between high-speed pedaling and slow recovery on a stationary or road bike.


For best results, try doing these exercises in short bursts (20-40 seconds) with brief rest periods in between!





Modified High-Intensity Exercises for Those with Limited Mobility


High-intensity exercise can be modified for older adults or those with balance and mobility challenges while still being effective. Here are some safe options:

  1. Seated Marching – Sit in a sturdy chair and lift your knees up and down quickly to raise your heart rate.

  2. Chair Stands – Repeatedly stand up from a chair and sit back down without using your hands to strengthen your legs.

  3. Step Touches – Step side to side at a brisk pace, adding arm movements for extra intensity.

  4. Seated or Standing Knee Lifts – Lift your knees toward your chest one at a time while engaging your core.

  5. Wall Push-Ups – Lean against a wall and do push-ups to strengthen your upper body without stressing your joints.

  6. Mini Squats – Hold onto a sturdy surface and do small squats to build leg strength safely.

  7. Standing or Seated Leg Lifts – Lift your legs straight out in front of you to engage your core and legs.

  8. Water Aerobics – Exercising in water reduces joint strain while providing resistance for a great workout.


These exercises can be done in short bursts (20-40 seconds) with rest in between. They help improve strength, balance, and cardiovascular health while being gentle on the joints!


 

Després, J.-P. (2006). Is visceral obesity the cause of the metabolic syndrome? Annals of Medicine, 38(1), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890500383864


Irving, B. A., Davis, C. K., Brock, D. W., Weltman, J. Y., Swift, D., Barrett, E. J., Gaesser, G. A., & Weltman, A. (2008). Effect of exercise training intensity on abdominal visceral fat and body composition. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(11), 1863–1872. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181801d40

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