Visceral fat, unlike subcutaneous fat, cannot be seen as it accumulates deep within the abdominal cavity, surrounding vital organs such as the liver, heart, and intestines.
While subcutaneous fat can sit just beneath the skin, visceral fat poses a more significant risk to your health if present in excessive amounts. Its accumulation has been linked to several chronic conditions and diseases, including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers, and cardiovascular issues.
Identifying whether you have a high level of visceral fat typically requires a CT or MRI scan, but a simple at-home assessment can provide a general estimate. By measuring your waist circumference with a tape measure, a circumference exceeding 88 cm. in women or 102 cm. in men may indicate excess belly fat that should be addressed promptly.
Celebrity fitness trainer and author Thomas DeLauer emphasizes the most effective exercise for targeting belly fat. While weight training offers numerous benefits, research indicates that it has no direct impact on reducing belly fat, according to a review of 35 scientific studies.
Only aerobic exercise showed a moderate effect on belly fat reduction. However, DeLauer highlights that high–intensity aerobic exercises, specifically, have been found to be more effective.
So, how can you incorporate these exercises into your routine to burn belly fat?
DeLauer suggests utilizing high–intensity interval training (HIIT). This doesn’t require sprinting at maximum capacity for extended periods, as that may not be feasible for most individuals.
Instead, the approach involves running at maximum speed for around 30-40 seconds, followed by walking until you catch your breath. This cycle should be repeated several times. Even just 15-20 minutes of this type of workout is sufficient.
DeLauer explains that the main goal is to raise your heart rate to 80%-90%, rest for a minute or two, and then do the exercise again. These fluctuations in intensity are key to burning belly fat.
Since these exercises are focused but short in duration, they can be integrated into days when you train with weights or used as a complementary workout on rest days. Aim for 15-20 minutes per session, as mentioned earlier, to achieve notable results.