Losing weight is integral for one’s overall health – especially when it comes to certain types of fat. Belly fat, which scientists call visceral fat, isn’t what causes muffin top. Instead, it is found deep in the abdominal cavity, filling the spaces between internal organs. Studies have found the best type of exercise to burn unhealthy belly fat is aerobic exercise. How can aerobic exercise help to burn your belly fat?
Researchers from the Duke University Medical Centre have discovered the best type of exercise to cut levels of visceral fat.
The study lasted for a total of eight months and compared how much visceral fat was lost from aerobic exercise, resistance training or both.
Published in the American Journal of Physiology, lead author physiologist Dr Cris Slentz said: “Our study sought to identify the most effective form of exercise to get rid of that unhealthy fat.
“[If] you want to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the better choice because it burns more calories.”
The study revealed aerobic exercise burned 67 percent more calories than resistance training.
The aerobic group performed an equivalent of 12 miles of jogging per week at 80 percent maximum heart rate.
DON’T MISS
Does Pfizer vaccine cause blood clots? [INSIGHT]
Alcohol-related liver disease: Three signs [TIPS]
Bowel cancer: Narrow poo is a visual sign [ADVICE]
In a study published in the National Library of Medicine, ways to help lose visceral fat was investigated.
The study noted: “The mechanism by which this intervention may have promoted visceral fat loss most likely is the combined effects of energy restriction and aerobic exercise.
READ RELATED: China blasts 'untrue' report that reveals Beijing was slow to share early coronavirus data
“Other studies have shown that both reduced energy diets and aerobic exercise in particular have can dramatic effects on visceral fat reduction.
“One study found that there was a dose– response relationship between aerobic exercise and visceral fat reduction in subjects without metabolic-related disorders.
“Results of that study also indicated that the degree of visceral fat loss can be directly attributed to the amount of aerobic exercise.
“In the present study, we did not find a significant independent link between physical activity, strenuous or otherwise, and the degree of visceral fat loss.
“This could be due to limitations in the self-reported nature of the measure of physical activity or that the effect from energy restriction greatly overwhelmed the effect of exercise in this particular study.”
When investigating the effects of aerobic exercise on visceral fat the results showed that people who did aerobics for eight months lost about 2.5 square inches of belly fat, as measured on a CT scan.
This equates to around 1.5 times as much as people who did a combination of aerobic exercise and weightlifting, and about 20 times as much as those who only lifted weights.
Health experts have also found aerobic exercise is best for reducing liver fat, too much of which can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a leading cause of cirrhosis.
For an even better visceral fat loss, combine your aerobic exercising with a low-carb diet to help burn your belly fat.
Source: Daily Express
