First, a refresher: visceral fat is the internal fat we can’t see or feel. It’s located deep inside the belly and basically acts as a cushion for all of our vital organs. Much like your run-of-the-mill body fat (which we all have, btw) a little is no biggie, but when you develop a lot of the stuff it can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and obesity.
This week, a study released in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found a way to fast track this specific type of fat loss. And, surprisingly, it’s pretty straightforward:
Exercise.
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Participants were assigned to take medication or workout (be it weight lifting, resistance training or cardio) regularly over a period of six months. Some even tried both. At the end of the experiment, the scientists found that exercise was far more efficient than the other methods at reducing visceral fat levels.
“Just because you don’t see lots of pounds come off with exercise doesn’t mean you aren’t making major strides in reducing your visceral fat,” Dr Ian J. Neeland, a cardiologist and the study’s lead author told Mind Body Green.
Bottom line? If you’ve been on the #healthlyf bandwagon for a while now and are yet to see any visible differences, stick with it. Remember: it takes time to create lasting change – especially when you’re working from the inside out.
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