Avoid these foods to protect your health

Eating a well-balanced and healthy diet is important for your overall health

Visceral fat is the belly fat deposited between your abdominal organs. The problem with this type of fat is that too much around your organs can interfere with how your liver functions. This can lead to insulin resistance (the beginning of diabetes), high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and a higher risk for developing heart disease and obesity.

So, what can you do? Eating a well-balanced and healthy diet is important for your overall health since the lowest rate of visceral fat is found among those who eat a healthy diet. It is vital, therefore, to know about which foods to avoid to protect your health.

Here are a few foods to avoid:

Baked Goods

Commercially prepared baked goods such as cakes, croissants and biscuits usually contain large amounts of trans fats. Trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oil, are health-harming fats that harden at room temperature. By avoiding baked goods that contain these fats, you will decrease your calorie consumption as well as protect your overall health. In addition to containing harmful trans fats, baked goods usually contain excessive amounts of sugars, fats and other additives.

Snack Items

When you feel the urge to snack, avoid snack items that can add empty or excessive calories. These include fat-laden products like crisps, bars and fried foods. Many of these contain harmful trans fats. Other snack items that are high in calories and fat include many fast and prepackaged foods.

Processed Meats

Processed meats include red meat by-products such as salami, bacon, ham, deli cuts and sausage varieties. Many of these foods are high in saturated fats, calories and other additives. So itís best to avoid them if possible.

Lifestyle changes will also help promote usage of visceral fat and lower your risk factors for developing heart disease. Here are a few steps to help you on your way:

Step 1

Get your diet in check. Your nutrition plan should seek to avoid trans fats and sugars, while being high in vegetables, fruits and lean meats. Try to eat some complex carbohydrates such as beans, lentils and sprouted grains for energy and fibre.

Step 2

Exercise at least 60 minutes per day, which helps you lose and manage your weight. A weight loss of 5-10% of your total body weight can help reduce visceral fat stores. The only way to reduce visceral fat stores is to burn more calories than you consume. Engage in physical activity such as circuit training, brisk walking, biking and any activity that gets your heart rate up and you moving for an hour.

Step 3

Stop practicing unhealthy lifestyle habits. Stop smoking, drinking, being inactive, and eating sugar-laden, processed foods.

Choosing healthier lifestyle choices will improve your quality of life and will show up in inches lost on your waistline!