The #1 Thing Stopping You From Losing Belly Fat - How To Lose It Effectively

Mark Hyman

May 10, 2024

Episode description

Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman

Carrying excess weight around your midsection can be frustrating, especially if you maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Yet, millions of people worldwide struggle with their weight,

It is crucial to understand that belly fat is more than just a layer under your clothes. It is an active endocrine organ that secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines throughout the body, contributing to our risk for chronic diseases.

It's important to recognize that this is not a reflection of personal failure. Our modern-day lifestyles are overloaded with stress, environmental toxins, and convenience foods that actively work against us. In today’s episode, we will explore visceral fat (a.k.a. belly fat), the factors that contribute to it, and how to address it using the principles of Functional Medicine effectively.

In this episode, I dive into:

Understanding belly fat and obesity (2:51)
The role of diet and lifestyle in the accumulation of belly fat (10:48)
The impact of sleep, alcohol, and stress on weight gain (19:14)
What are obesogens, and how do they make us gain weight? (21:44)
Health risks associated with visceral fat and belly fat (23:05)
Where does conventional medicine miss the mark? (24:14)
Functional medicine's approach to assessing and addressing visceral fat (26:38)
Dietary and lifestyle changes to reduce visceral fat (30:52)

Rupa University is hosting FREE classes and bootcamps for healthcare providers who want to learn more about Functional Medicine testing. Sign up at RupaUniversity.com.

Upgrade your cookware, appliances and more with Our Place. Head over to FromOurPlace.com and enter code HYMAN at checkout to receive 10% off site-wide.

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Reduce belly fat to prevent testosterone conversion to estrogen

In men, visceral fat contains an enzyme called aromatase that converts testosterone into estrogen, leading to low testosterone and its associated health issues.

#testosterone

#visceral-fat

Choose low-carb diet to reduce belly fat effectively

In one study, a low-carb, high-fat group lost significantly more visceral fat (18%) than a low-fat group (5%), even without restricting calories.

#low-carb

#visceral-fat

Reduce belly size to lower dementia risk

People with larger stomachs in their early 40s have nearly three times the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's when they reach their 70s.

#dementia

#obesity

Harness fiber to boost GLP-1 and curb overeating

Fiber promotes the creation of GLP-1 hormones, the same hormone in drugs like Ozempic, which helps you feel full and prevents overeating.

#fiber

#GLP1

Reduce calorie intake by choosing whole foods over ultra-processed options

A landmark NIH study found that people on an ultra-processed diet automatically ate 500 more calories per day than those on a whole-food diet, even when meals were matched for nutrients.

#processed-food

#whole-food

Reduce ultra-processed food intake to lower death risk

According to a global study, for every 10% of your diet that is ultra-processed food, your risk of death increases by 14%.

#mortality

#processed-food

Recognize belly fat as an active endocrine organ to combat inflammation

Belly fat is not just for storage; it's an active endocrine organ that secretes hormones and creates whole-body inflammation, driving aging and chronic disease.

#inflammation

#visceral-fat

Utilize cold therapy to brown visceral fat for better metabolism

Hormesis techniques like cold therapy can help 'brown' your white visceral fat, turning it into more metabolically active tissue that burns more calories.