Subcutaneous fat: Do you have a lot? Expert shares best diet to shift the ‘stubborn’ fat

Dr Zoe Williams discusses visceral fat on This Morning

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Everyone has subcutaneous fat, and there are many factors which will impact on the amount of subcutaneous fat that you have, said Shadia Laaouti, Aesthetician at Forbici London, including genetics, diet, and lifestyle. She explained: “Subcutaneous fat is an important part of your body but storing too much of it could be damaging to your health, and result in health issues including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. For many, this type of visible fat can be problematic, with people looking to effectively and safely eliminate it to transform the body and enhance self-confidence.”

While stubborn fat can be hard to shift, there are some sure-fire ways to reduce your body fat levels quickly and effectively, said Shadia.

When it comes to diet, Shadia recommends a calorie deficit and what foods to eat.

Maintain a calorie deficit

One of the easiest ways to lose weight and fat on your whole body is when you are in a calorie deficit.

Shadia explained: “This means you are consuming less food than what your body is burning throughout the day. This doesn’t mean starving yourself or even counting calories, but simply ensuring you eat ‘clean’ is the simplest way to shed a few pounds. One thing to avoid when trying to lose fat is sugary and processed foods, not only are they high in calories but they are also proven to gravitate to your abdominal area and therefore making it harder to lose weight. Similarly, reducing your carbohydrate intake will be highly beneficial to losing belly fat, as well as fat in other areas of your body.

“I would recommend substituting refined carbs with healthy carb sources, such as wholegrains, beans, wholemeal bread or pasta, brown rice, and include more veg.”

Nutrition

Consuming a diet rich in protein is very beneficial for those with high levels of subcutaneous fat as it helps you to feel fuller for longer and can also reduce cravings for sugar laden and fatty foods, advised Shadia.

“Reducing your intake of carbohydrates could also help as research indicates that excess carbohydrate consumption can cause higher levels of both visceral and subcutaneous fat.

“There are also some foods which are known to help with fat burning like chilli, which can often be found in slimming products as it can help to stimulate metabolism, having a thermogenic effect and berries, which are rich in antioxidants and known to help burn fat. For example, blueberries regulate fat-burning and fat storage helping to reduce abdominal fat and raspberries are packed with dietary fibre that helps to improve bowel movement and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.”

Exercise

A combination of regular cardio and strength training is the method that is most likely to bring about the best weight loss and fat loss results, said Shadia.

“While cardio is often the go-to for weight and fat loss, strength training builds lean muscle that burns calories at a higher rate – even while you are resting.  Although you might burn fewer calories during a strength training workout, the muscle that you build is going to get you a higher ‘net expenditure’. This means that your body will continue to burn calories for 24-48 hours after you finish.

“Because of this, for fat loss, strength training workouts are recommended around three times a week for the optimum results.”

Targeted treatments

There’s a new generation of effective, safe, and non-invasive targeted treatments which can drastically help to eliminate stubborn fat from all areas of the body by combining multipolare Radiofrequency, LLLT Laser, and Vacuum suction, said Shadia.

“This combination creates intense heat on connective tissue, including fibrous tissue which helps increase collagen deposits and cellular metabolism for a significant localised reduction of volume and skin laxity, also helping to increase blood circulation and lymphatic drainage for effective fat reduction and improvement of general health.

“Known as T-shape, which is available at Forbici London, these targeted treatments are incredibly effective and painless with almost instantaneous results on various areas of the body.”

Sleep

Sleep is very important for many parts of your health, and diet – including weight.

Shadia explained: “It has been proven that people who do not get enough sleep tend to gain more weight, and also find it harder to shift it. You should try to get at least seven hours of sleep a night, but with this, try to make sure the quality of sleep is sufficient.

“Sleep deprivation increases demotivation, meaning you will be less engaged in sticking to a healthy diet, or participating in exercise. A good night’s sleep should be one of your main priorities if you are planning to lose weight and improve your general health.”

Stress

Without realising, stress can make you gain belly fat by triggering cortisol hormones.

Shadia said: “When your cortisol levels are running high your appetite will increase, meaning you will not only put on more weight, but it will also be harder to lose weight.

“To help reduce belly fat, it would be a good idea to engage in exercises/activities that relieve stress and promote calmness.”

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