Subcutaneous fat is an energy reserve stored by the body in case of excessive calorie intake in a sedentary lifestyle. It collects in the abdomen, chest, and buttocks most of the time.
There is no increased health risk when a person has excess subcutaneous fat. However, this type of fat causes the muscles to remain hidden under the skin. So reducing subcutaneous fat is essential for fitness professionals and those who want to get a more toned figure.
To effectively get rid of subcutaneous fat, you must first understand the causes of its appearance and exclude them from the list of your daily habits. At the same time, training and sports, while accelerating fat burning, are not as practical as is often believed.
This article looks at what subcutaneous fat is and the best methods for removing fat under the skin.
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What is subcutaneous fat?
There are several types of body fat in the body: subcutaneous and visceral fat are the most important classes. Each type of fat is associated with a different health risk. Fortunately, subcutaneous fat is the least dangerous. (1.3)
Subcutaneous fat is the type of fat that accumulates under the skin. Subcutaneous fat is formed from the endocrine system, as the hormones leptin and resistin secrete it. (3)
Having a high percentage of subcutaneous body fat is associated with low levels of physical activity and the consumption of simple carbohydrates. Unlike visceral fat, subcutaneous fat is not related to classic obesity-related pathologies, such as heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease (CVA).
Some studies even suggest that subcutaneous fat may have a protective function. (7) When a person has a high percentage of subcutaneous fat, it is not noticeable with clothes on. However, it is noticeable in a bathing suit. For these reasons, it is said that removing subcutaneous fat is an aesthetic problem.
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Tips to eliminate subcutaneous fat
To eliminate subcutaneous fat, the most important thing is to change your eating habits. This will allow you to remove the fat under the skin quickly. It will also guarantee that your results are maintained over time. Here’s how to remove subcutaneous fat in 7 steps:
Limit the consumption of simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sugar and other refined carbohydrates. By consuming them, blood glucose levels increase and make fat-burning processes impossible; they also induce hormonal changes that promote this type of fat accumulation. Cutting back on sugar, honey, and sweet foods is the first step in eliminating subcutaneous fat.
- Eat more vegetables and foods with fiber.
Eating foods with plant fiber, such as vegetables and whole grains, lowers foods’ glycemic index. What does this mean? Carbohydrates will release your energy gradually and generate a response of moderate insulin levels. This allows a person to regulate energy, reduce appetite and not increase the percentage of subcutaneous fat due to excess food.
- Low-carb diet or intermittent fasting
The low-carbohydrate or low-carb diet and intermittent fasting are two dietary methods to eliminate subcutaneous fat.
The first is to reduce one food group – carbohydrates, to slightly lower than normal levels. Intermittent fasting is a method that involves reestricción of food hours a day. Both are based on the same thing: reducing blood glucose levels to induce autophagy; this allows the use of fats as a source of energy.
- Cardio, yes, but don’t overdo it.
Although cardio is an excellent method to eliminate subcutaneous fat, it should not be overstated with its intensity and duration. You can generate an opposite rebound effect if you are not prepared when you run at a very high speed or for very long periods.
For example, excessive running causes cortisol levels to increase, you feel very stressed, and your body will ask for sweet foods, throwing the results away. To eliminate the fat under the skin, do moderate sport and gradually increase your achievements.
- D former well
When it comes to shedding fat, good sleep is overestimated by many. Studies have shown that people who sleep 6 hours a day tend to have a higher percentage of fat than people who sleep 7-9 hours a day. (4)
If you want to eliminate subcutaneous fat, you must rest between 7-and 9 hours. Otherwise, the brain is likely to try to replenish the missing energy through food.
- Sprints + functional training
Practicing sprints or doing functional training at least three times a week is ideal for burning subcutaneous fat. These workouts help you burn significant amounts of calories and strengthen your muscles (which are under the skin). If you are a beginner in the sport, be sure to do them under the supervision of a coach.
- And most importantly, reduce your calories.
The central dogma to eliminate any body fat is to reduce your calories. Your daily calorie balance is positive; it will be doubtful that you will lose fat: subcutaneous, as visceral as any other type.
While you will be able to steer, cut down on Coke, sugar tea, and junk food – these are empty-calorie sources. They provide practically no nutrients, only energy. When the goal is to eliminate subcutaneous fat, these foods are your enemy. Replace them with foods with complex carbohydrates or fruits.
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Reduce the fat under the skin – An aesthetic problem
From a medical point of view, the presence of a relatively high amount of subcutaneous fat does not represent a significant health hazard (1). Eliminating the fat under the skin is probably not going to have additional benefits for your body.
Eliminating the fat under the skin is important for those who want a fit and toned body. When the body fat percentage is 20-25% in men and 25-35% in women, the muscles are not visible.
In contrast, visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of coronary events, heart attacks, and cardiovascular disease. If you are looking to improve your health, you should focus on eliminating visceral fat and not subcutaneous fat.
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Eliminate subcutaneous fat with a ketogenic diet?
The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb type of diet.
The basis of this method is that with low blood glucose levels, different types of body fat, including subcutaneous fat, can be used as a source of energy.
This method is effective in the short term. The results are even faster than other removing fat under the skin.
However, it can have long-term side effects, so it is not the most recommended by nutrition professionals. Consult a nutritionist or specialized nutritionist if you decide to use this strategy.
When eliminating subcutaneous fat, at 360.es nutrition, we prefer intermittent fasting methods or a low carb diet.
Exercises to burn subcutaneous fat
When burning subcutaneous fat, functional circuit training and HIIT are the best options.
These methods alternate functional exercises with cardiovascular exercises in the same training session. This allows the muscle glycogen stores to be used up and stimulates the body to burn fat.
Another effective method of eliminating subcutaneous fat is a muscle hypertrophy routine combined with 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercises at the end. This is the most traditional method of maintaining muscle mass and shedding body fat simultaneously.
Hormonal balance to reduce fat under the skin
Hormones and body fat are two elements that are closely related. The hormones leptin, insulin, testosterone, and cortisol are responsible for controlling hunger and athletic performance. (3)
These hormones are altered with high consumption of sugars. This reason causes insulin resistance.
Also, high levels of cortisol cause a person to eat more. In addition to reducing the effectiveness of the fat oxidation processes. (4) Just as low testosterone makes a man’s body less effective in exercise sessions.
To achieve a hormonal balance and eliminate subcutaneous fat, you must avoid stressful situations, be constant over time, the intensity of physical activity, and reduce the consumption of foods with excess sugar.
The best method to eliminate the fat under the skin and maintain it over time is to progressively increase the intensity of the exercises without reaching points that make you feel completely exhausted and supplement with a healthy diet.
ABSTRACT
Subcutaneous fat is the fat that accumulates under the skin.
The best strategy to reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat is to eliminate simple carbohydrates: sugars, honey, etc., and replace them with complex carbohydrates, vegetables, cereals, and pseudo-cereals.
Fat under the skin is a minor dangerous type of body fat. Removing the fat under the skin is an aesthetic problem.
Getting a good night’s sleep and regular cardio or functional exercises are essential habits for shedding subcutaneous fat.
