2 Types of Belly Fat and How to Lose it

Update Date: 30-05-2022 | All Facts checked by Dr. Alina Starkov – Nutritionist & Weight Loss Specialist.

• There are two types of belly fat: subcutaneous belly fat and visceral belly fat
• Subcutaneous belly fat is the visible, jiggling fat that is not strongly linked to health risks
• Visceral belly fat is the more dangerous type that surrounds internal organs and is linked to increased disease risk
• Excess belly fat, especially visceral fat, can harm your health by increasing inflammation, blood pressure
• Effective ways to lose belly fat include cutting out sugary beverages, increasing physical activity, and many more

We have some news for you – you can’t be completely free of belly fat; abdominal fat protects and insulates your body.

That said, it is essential to understand the types of belly fat to get into shape.

Excess visceral belly fat, for instance, can damage your health, and there are easy steps you can take to lose this unseen enemy.

Developing chronic diseases is another risk factor that comes into play with the extra bulge.

Ensure you are healthy, get rid of your extra abdominal fat, and lose weight overall.

This article will guide you through the types of belly fat and how to eliminate excess.

Read carefully, take in the information, and you might prevent being overweight.

What Is Belly Fat?

Losing bloated belly fat is probably one of the most common weight loss goals, and it’s not just for the sake of the perfect figure.

It is also suitable for your health.

Only a tiny amount of your overall body fat lies in your stomach, but understanding the types of belly fat and what they do can make a big difference in your life.

Let’s take a look

Types of Belly Fat?

The two types of belly fat are found in different places in your stress tummy.

One type is often the most noticed – right under your skin.

The other type, the visceral fat, is located a bit deeper into your abdomen and surrounding organs.

Subcutaneous belly fat

The fat that gets under your skin, quite literally.

This is the one that we don’t like to see.

It is the unsightly, jiggling type but not necessarily dangerous.

Also known as SAT, subcutaneous adipose tissue or subcutaneous fat is soft, and women are far more likely to have it than men.

Unlike visceral belly fat, it is not strongly linked to increased disease risk but can still be unhealthy.

In general, too much fat anywhere would pose a health risk.

Obesity, for instance, can cause you to develop chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.

So, although you should not be scared of having an acceptable amount of subcutaneous (jiggly) belly fat, you should look after your sudden weight gain and work to eliminate any excess.

Visceral belly fat

The baddy, this is the villain – the one you should avoid getting to know at all costs.

Also known as VAT, visceral adipose tissue is the fat that surrounds your internal organs like a blanket.

Unlike subcutaneous belly fat, this type is invisible, goes deep, and can cause internal health risks.

It’s a more ‘active’ type of fat.

This means it’s got more fat cells, vessels, and nerves than the safer type of belly fat. As with most destructive things, visceral belly fat is linked to hazardous conditions.

It is related to increased insulin resistance.

This hormone regulates your blood sugar levels, and over time, if resistance builds up, it may cause elevated blood sugar levels.

In return, this can cause you to develop type 2 diabetes.

Body fat distribution and where it goes in your body can change as you age.

You will need to understand what goes into being healthy and free from the health dangers of tank fat.

You can see this with premenopausal women who experience higher levels of subcutaneous tummy fat.

This is frequently referred to as a hormonal belly. In contrast, if you are postmenopausal, you will have more visceral fat.

As visceral belly fat increases with age, it can risk your metabolism.

As a woman, you are on the safer side of a visceral fat tummy, but not entirely safe.

This is where the apples and pears analogy comes into play.

You can see men growing into apple shapes.

They become round thanks to visceral belly fat.

Women are more likely to develop a pear-shaped body due to being more prone to storing fat in the lower belly.

Why Excess Belly Fat May Harm Health

Belly fat is necessary for good health, but like everything in life, it is in moderation.

Visceral fat is the type of stomach fat significantly linked to health concerns.

The hormones, substances, and inflammatory proteins produced by the harmful tank fats can harm your health with high blood pressure, inflammation, and blood fat levels.

Taking care of your health is the most critical thing for you to be happy and enjoy life to your fullest.

Let’s look at other ways fats can be a health problem.

Visceral Fat and Your Liver 

When you consume a poor diet with a good amount of calories and do not do enough physical activity, these calories are stored as excess abdominal fat.

Most fats are stored under the skin, and you can feel them.

These visible fats are called subcutaneous fat, and those that are not visible are called visceral fat.

Your portal vein carries blood from your gastrointestinal tract to your liver for processing, and visceral fat storage is in the same space.

The fatty acids, proteins, and other harmful elements that your visceral fat transfers place your gastrointestinal in immediate danger if visceral fat is in excess.

The effect of visceral fat on your health can cause inflammation in your liver and increase in higher amounts of liver fat.

Higher amounts of liver fat can dangerously increase your risk of developing conditions such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

When you take an excessive amount of saturated fat but do not do a good amount of physical activity, it causes metabolic syndrome and is stored in the liver, veins, and stomach.

Saturated fat is healthy fat when it has a limit.

Total Belly Fat and Disease Risk

As previously stated, subcutaneous gut fat isn’t as dangerous as its visceral counterpart. But it still has its health hazards.

A high amount of excess fat is dangerous, even if it is primarily subcutaneous.

If you are working to reduce your overall body fat percentage, you can live a healthier life by protecting your liver and other precious organs.

With total saturated fats comes waist circumference, which is strongly linked to disease risks and is contributed by both stomach fat types.

Suppose you work to maintain and reduce a healthy waist circumference through lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise.

In that case, you will be helping yourself improve on many health fronts.

Diabetes prevention and heart health are two of the most essential health benefits you will give yourself by reducing total body fat.

Effective Ways to Lose Belly Fat 

Losing abdominal obesity is one of the most important decisions you will make in life, and it’s all about diet, exercise, and healthy living.

Aerobic exercise and strength training will also engage that abdominal muscle to lose belly fat safely and sustainably without starving yourself.

If you follow these tips regularly, then you could avoid the liposuction fat loss process.

Just remember that your age, sex, genetics, and other factors also play a significant role in fat accumulation.

It’s not just about exercise and dieting.

Below, you will find easily sustainable ways to live a healthy life and reduce total fat.

• Cut out sugary beverages – We all love to have a sparkly, sugary drink now and then. But these drinks are bad for your teeth, skin, and gut fat. Water is an incredible source for losing unwanted fat and provides many health benefits. Swap the cola for 8 glasses of water; you will be on your way to a flatter tummy in no time. The primary cause for concern with sugary beverages is that they will increase fat accumulation in your waist circumference.
• Get moving – Exercise and increased physical activity are excellent sources of reducing your abdomen fat. Working out, running, jumping, aerobics, and cardio exercises are all highly beneficial to reducing all lower abdomen fat types and will show fast results.
• Increase your fiber intake – If you start following a high-fiber diet, you will likely have fewer fat cells. Soluble fiber doesn’t only help to lose the bulge but will also prevent fat from accumulating again. This applies if fiber is actively incorporated into your diet.
• Cut back on processed food – Many studies prove that ultra-processed foods are dangerous to your overall health and fat accumulation. If you cancel processed food such as snack foods, sweets, and refined grains out of your diet, you will immediately start to lose lower belly fat. 
• Limit alcohol use – We’re not saying you should swap your Margarita for a glass of water. But alcohol harms your overall health if you consider that it contributes to your overall fat accumulation and both types of belly fat. Drinking less alcohol will be a health benefit in many ways, not only for losing weight.
• Don’t skimp on sleep – Sleep will bring you peace and reduce fat accumulation. Poor sleeping patterns and sleep quality are widely known as a contributor to vascular gut fat. You should strive for improved sleep quality not just tonight but every night.
• Increase protein intake – Protein can significantly assist you with losing tummy fat. Recent studies proved that you can lose up to 10% more belly fat when adding more protein to your diet.
• Fill up on whole foods – If you want a great chance at losing lower fat and weight overall, incorporate whole foods into your diet. As we know, Ultra-processed foods hugely negatively affect health and fat accumulation.

With so many factors involved with weight loss and all of us living different lifestyles, the best decision you can make is to see a registered dietitian to help you choose an appropriate diet plan that will focus specifically on losing belly fat. 

Lose Them Both

Both types of fat can contribute to an unhealthy life and cause you to be more prone to chronic illnesses, tiredness, and liver damage.

Taking care of your stomach allows you to live a happier and healthier life while looking your best.

Check out our related articles for more information.

With most dietary plans, ultra-processed foods are usually removed.

Remember that exercise, an active and healthy lifestyle, and a healthy diet are all vital factors for you to consider when shaking stubborn gut fat.

By adding any of these changes to your lifestyle, you will be thanking yourself, and your scale will be thanking you.