VISCERAL fat is the undercover belly fat that builds up around the internal organs. Present in slim-looking figures, as well as those who have a fuller frame, too much of the stuff can wreak havoc on your health. To help remove excess fat, follow four simple steps.

Visceral fat can act as a protective cushion for organs, but when the body stores too much of it, health complications can arise. To extend your chances of a healthy, long life, there are little changes that can reap great rewards.

If you’re keen to maintain a healthy weight, tone up or shed a few pounds, you’re in luck.

The steps needed to lower your total body fat also reduces the amount of visceral fat inside of the body.

Follow this simple four-step guide from Mayo Clinic to get fit and healthy.

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• How to lose visceral fat: Best diet to lose belly fat

1. Diet

Focus main meals on plant-based foods such as vegetables and whole grains.

To give you an idea of a delicious, health-boosting meal combine brown rice (whole grain) with lots of your favourite vegetables for a curry-based dish.

Another recipe could include grilled veg, such as asparagus, salad and oily fish (mackerel can be bought ready to eat from the packet in most supermarkets).

Feeling peckish? Snack on mouthwatering fruits such as passionfruit, kiwis and mangoes.

2. Beverages

Replace sugary drinks with refreshing glasses of water.

The NHS recommends people to drink between six to eight glasses of water each day.

Try fizzy water with a lime or lemon if you want the taste of water to have a bit of a twist.

If you must opt for hot beverages now and again, swap any usual teaspoons of sugar for an artificial sweetener instead.

3. Portion control

There’s no point eating all the healthy foods in the world if you’re overfilling your plate.

And that means refraining from going up for that second portion too – no matter if it’s a buffet (probably best to avoid those).

Consuming too many calories can add on unnecessary weight and can lead to other health complications, as well as an increase in visceral fat.

Generally, men are recommended by the NHS to have a daily calorie intake of 2,500 calories or less, and women are to have no more than 2,000 calories each day.

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• How to lose visceral fat: Increasing this bodily process could help

4. Physical activity

Yes, exercise is touted about time and time again – and for good reason too.

It takes an average of 10,000 steps a day to prevent any weight gain, but taking the stairs and walking to nearby shops can easily increase the number of steps you’re taking.

Moderate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, for a minimum of 150 minutes per week is recommended by the health body.

Strength training (using elasticated bands or weights) twice a week is also advisable.

As you get older, especially for those who have gone through the menopause, body fat naturally shifts towards the abdomen as the levels of the hormone oestrogen decreases.

Mature women have reduced muscle mass that decreases the rate at which the body burns calories.

This, in effect, really does make it harder to maintain a healthy body weight and so following these four simple steps can be really beneficial for reducing visceral fat.

Without minimising visceral fat, people are at an increased risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure (just to name a few).

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