Being overweight doesn't necessarily mean being unhealthy. In fact, many overweight people are very healthy. In contrast, many normal weight people have metabolic problems associated with obesity.
This is because subcutaneous fat is not actually a big problem (at least not a big problem from a health point of view, it is more a beauty problem).
The abdominal fat in the abdominal cavity is often the biggest problem. If you have a lot of excess fat around your waist, even if you are not very heavy, you should take some measures to get rid of it.
Abdominal fat is usually estimated by measuring waist circumference. A tape measure can be easily measured at home. Men with a waist circumference of more than 40 inches (102 cm) and women with a waist circumference of more than 35 inches (88 cm) are called abdominal obesity.
In fact, some strategies have proved more effective for abdominal fat than other parts of the body. Here are six evidence-based methods that can be used to reduce abdominal fat:
1. Don't eat sugar and avoid sugary drinks
Adding sugar is very unhealthy.
Studies have shown that sugar has unique harmful effects on metabolic health.
Half of sugar is glucose and half is fructose, which can only be metabolized by the liver.
When you eat a lot of refined sugar, the liver will turn all the excess fructose into fat.
Many studies have shown that excessive sugar, mainly due to a large amount of fructose, can lead to increased fat accumulation in the abdomen.
Some people believe that this is the main mechanism by which sugar is harmful to health. Increased abdominal fat and liver fat cause insulin resistance and many metabolic problems.
Liquid sugar is worse in this regard. Liquid calories are not 'registered' by the brain like solid calories, so when you drink sugary drinks, you will eventually eat more calories.
Studies have shown that taking sugary drinks every day increases the risk of obesity in children by 60%.
It's time to make up your mind to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet as much as possible! Consideration should also be given to completely abstaining from sugary drinks. Including sugary soda, fruit juice and all kinds of high sugar sports drinks.
Remember, this does not apply to the whole fruit. It is very healthy and contains a lot of fiber, which can reduce the negative effects of fructose.
The amount of fructose obtained from fruit is negligible compared with fructose obtained from a diet rich in refined sugar.
If you want to reduce your refined sugar intake, you must start reading the product label. Even foods sold as healthy foods may contain a lot of sugar.
Summary: excessive sugar intake may be the main driving force of abdominal fat accumulation, especially sugary drinks such as soft drinks.
2. Eating more protein is an important long-term strategy to reduce abdominal fat
When it comes to weight loss, protein is the most important mass nutrient.
It has been shown to reduce your appetite by 60%, increase your metabolism by 80-100 calories a day, and help you eat up to 441 fewer calories a day.
If weight loss is your goal, adding protein may be the most effective change to your diet.
It will not only help you lose weight, but also help you avoid getting fat again when you decide to give up your weight loss efforts.
There is some evidence that protein is particularly effective for abdominal fat.
One study showed that the amount and quality of protein consumed were negatively correlated with fat in the abdomen. In other words, people who eat more and better protein have much less abdominal fat.
Another Danish study showed that protein was associated with a significantly lower risk of increased abdominal fat within 5 years.
The study also showed that refined carbohydrates and oils were associated with increased abdominal fat, but fruits and vegetables were associated with decreased abdominal fat.
Many studies have shown that protein that provides 25-30% calories is effective. This is the goal you should achieve.
Therefore, we should try to increase the intake of high protein foods, such as whole eggs, fish, seafood, beans, nuts, meat, dairy products and some whole grains. These are the best sources of protein in the diet.
If you are still worried about how to get enough protein, high-quality protein supplements (such as whey protein) are a healthy and convenient way to increase your total intake.
Extra tip: consider cooking your food with coconut oil. Some studies have shown that 30 ml (about 2 tablespoons) of coconut oil a day can slightly reduce abdominal fat.
Summary: eating enough protein is a very effective way to lose weight. Some studies have shown that protein is particularly effective in reducing abdominal fat accumulation.
3. Reduce carbohydrates in the diet
Limiting carbohydrates is a very effective way to lose weight.
This is supported by many studies. When people reduce their carbohydrate intake, they will have a smaller appetite and lose weight.
More than 20 randomized controlled trials have shown that the weight loss caused by low-carbon diet (i.e. low carbohydrate diet) is 2-3 times that of low-fat diet.
This is the result even if the low-carbon diet group does not limit the amount of food, while the low-fat diet group (i.e. the low-fat diet group) limits calories and is hungry.
Low carbon diet can also quickly reduce water, which brings immediate results to people. The main differences in body weight can usually be seen within a few days.
Other studies have compared a low-carbon diet with a low-fat diet, showing that a low-carbon diet is especially targeted at fat in the abdominal region, around organs and in the liver.
This means that a particularly high proportion of fat reduced in a low-carbon diet is a risk factor for increasing abdominal fat.
It should be enough to avoid refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, etc.), especially when eating a high protein diet.
However, if you need to lose weight quickly, consider reducing your carbohydrates to 50g / day. This will put your body in a ketosis state, weaken your appetite and let your body start burning fat.
Of course, in addition to losing weight, low-carbon diet also has many other health benefits. For example, in patients with type 2 diabetes, it can have a life-saving effect.
Summary: studies have shown that a low-carbon diet is particularly effective in removing fat from the abdominal area, around organs and liver.
4. Eat foods rich in fiber, especially viscous fiber
Dietary fiber is mainly indigestible plant substances.
It is often claimed that eating a lot of fiber can help lose weight.
This is true, but remember that not all fibers have the same effect.
Mainly soluble fiber and viscous fiber, which will affect your weight.
These fibers form a thick gel after being combined with water, and 'coagulate' in the intestine.
This gel can greatly slow down the speed of food through the stomach and the movement of the small intestine, and retard the digestion and absorption of nutrients. The end result is prolonged satiety and decreased appetite.
A study found that an additional intake of 14 grams of fiber per day for four consecutive months could reduce calorie intake by 10% and weight loss by 2 kg.
In a five-year study, eating 10 grams of soluble fiber a day reduced abdominal fat by 3.7%, but had no effect on subcutaneous fat.
This means that soluble fiber can effectively reduce harmful abdominal fat.
The best way to get more fiber is to eat a lot of plant foods, such as vegetables and fruits. Beans are also a good source. In addition, there are some cereals like oats.
Then you can also try fiber supplements such as glucomannan. This is one of the stickiest dietary fibers and has been shown in many studies to cause weight loss.
Summary: there is some evidence that soluble dietary fiber may lead to a reduction in abdominal fat, which can lead to significant improvements in metabolic health.
5. Exercise is very effective in reducing abdominal fat
For various reasons, exercise is very important.
If you want to live long, healthy and avoid disease, this is one of the best things you can do.
This article does not detail the amazing health benefits of exercise, but exercise can effectively reduce abdominal fat.
But remember, this is not about abdominal exercises. Local weight loss (reducing one part of fat) is impossible. Endless sit ups won't make you lose abdominal fat.
In one study, only six weeks of abdominal muscle training had no measurable effect on waist circumference or abdominal fat.
However, other types of motion can be very effective.
Many studies have shown that aerobic exercise (such as walking, running, swimming, etc.) can significantly reduce abdominal fat.
Another study found that exercise can completely prevent people from regaining abdominal fat after weight loss, which means that exercise is particularly important during weight maintenance.
Exercise can also reduce inflammation, reduce blood glucose levels, and reduce all other metabolic abnormalities associated with central obesity.
Summary: if you want to lose weight, exercise can be very effective. Exercise also has some other health benefits.
6. Track your food and accurately calculate what and how much you ate
It's important what you eat. Almost everyone knows this.
Surprisingly, however, most people don't actually know what they're eating.
People think they are eating 'high protein', 'low carbohydrates' or other things, but tend to overestimate or underestimate.
I think it is absolutely necessary for people who really want to optimize their diet to follow up for a period of time.
This doesn't mean you need to track all the time, but a few consecutive days from time to time can help you find where you need to change.
If you want to increase your protein intake to 25-30%, just eating more protein rich foods will not achieve. You need to actually measure and fine tune to achieve this goal.
You can use the calorie calculator and free online tools and app to track your diet.
My personal practice is to track it every few months. Weigh and measure everything you eat to see what your current diet looks like.
Then you will know exactly where to make adjustments to get closer to the goal.