As it accumulates in your abdomen, it pushes your abdominal wall outwards, which gives the appearance of having a gut. And while the fat itself isn't actually hard per se, the tissues that make up your abdomen are, which is why your beer belly feels rigid to the touch.
Visceral fat pushes your abdominal wall outwards. Though the fat itself is not hard, the tissues that make up your abdomen are, which is why your belly feels rigid when you poke it. The hard belly is caused by the build-up of visceral fat, a soft belly is caused by subcutaneous fat, which is located near to your skin.
That hardness is due to an abundance of fat deep in the abdominal cavity around the internal organs, otherwise known as visceral fat.
Visceral fat triggers production of hormones and inflammatory substances, which can increase the risk of chronic diseases. Hard fat is linked to insulin resistance, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other several health issues.
With age (predominately during middle age), hormone levels drop in both women and men. We hear a lot about menopause in women, but men also have a drop in hormones during this time, and this tends to lead to growth of the fat cells in the abdomen.
Due to their tendency of accumulating abdominal visceral fat (Grauer et al., 1984), men are more likely to develop an apple-shaped body. The excessive accumulation of abdominal visceral fat is also known as android obesity.
Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet includes lean proteins, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables. Try to limit trans fats, refined sugars, sodium and processed foods. Low-carb diets such as the ketogenic (keto) diet can help reduce visceral fat by training your body to burn fat as fuel rather than carbs.
Visceral fat
This means you're likely to notice weight loss in your abdominal area first. Too much visceral fat can make your belly protrude. If your belly is hard and not squishy, it's likely due to an excess of visceral fat. This can increase your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
People who regularly eat and drink more calories than they burn each day are more likely to gain extra weight, including belly fat. Getting older also makes a difference. People lose muscle as they age. And the problem is worse for those who are not physically active.
However, if you experience a feeling of tightness in a your stomach, it may not be the result of healthy intentions. A “rock hard” stomach may be the result of digestive or hormonal issues, and there are several symptoms to be aware of if you're questioning the tightness in your abdominals.
The culprit is calories; if you take in more calories with food and drink than you burn up with exercise, you'll store the excess energy in fat cells. And unfortunately for men, their abdominal fat cells seem to enlarge more readily than the abdominal fat cells in women.
Exercise: Vigorous exercise trims all your fat, including visceral fat. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 days a week. Walking counts, as long as it's brisk enough that you work up a sweat and breathe harder, with your heart rate faster than usual.
Firm fat (also known as visceral fat) is different from the three other types, as it lives below the muscles, surrounding the internal organs in your abdomen. Since it's located behind a thick muscle wall, this type of fat feels firm, not soft or pinchable.
As per a study, almost 90 percent of body fat in most people is soft and the remaining 10 percent if hard fat. This type of fat is located just below your skin and keeps you warm and is a source of energy for your body. They are not as harmful as hard belly fat and are considerably easy to lose.
The first body type is the ADRENAL and the adrenal belly, which is caused by increased levels of cortisol. When going through stressful periods, the production of cortisol increases, and this, in turn, increases the accumulation of fat around the waist, leading to a saggy abdomen.
Obesity: Sometimes, obesity can cause fat deposits to hang down from the abdomen, causing a large abdominal pannus. Weight loss: If a person loses a lot of weight rapidly, such as from bariatric surgery, they may have an excess of skin that hangs from the stomach.
As mentioned earlier, the buildup of visceral fat in the abdominal region is caused by several different factors: Unhealthy diet: Some foods are more likely than others to cause a beer belly. These foods are typically very high in sugar, carbs, and saturated fat.
As you age, having a more sedentary lifestyle, changes in hormones and a natural loss of muscle mass makes it more likely that your waistband will expand. To lose belly fat, it's key to combine physical activity and a lower calorie diet that's focused on unprocessed foods.