How to Naturally Reduce Visceral and Subcutaneous Abdominal Fat

Exercise

Step 1

Commit to at least five days per week of cardiovascular exercise, such as jogging, cycling, dance class or another format that gets your heart rate pumping and your breath coming faster.

Step 2

Make three of your five weekly cardio sessions vigorous, working at or greater than your lactate threshold -- the place where you feel quite breathless and uncomfortable. Do the other two sessions at a lower, more comfortable intensity. Aim to burn 400 calories in each session, regardless of the intensity. A study published in the November 2008 edition of "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" found that this combination of intensity lead to greater visceral and subcutaneous fat loss than performing all low-intensity exercise.

Step 3

Include three sessions of total-body strength training weekly along with the cardio exercise. A study published in the "Journal of Physiological Anthropology and Applied Human Science" published in 2003 determined that women lost more visceral and subcutaneous fat when performing both cardio and strength training each week. Do at least one set of an exercise for every major muscle group, including the hips, legs, abdominals, chest, back, arms and shoulders. Make each set contain eight to 12 repetitions and use resistance that makes you feel fatigued by the last one or two repetitions.

Diet

Step 1

Reduce your daily calorie intake below your burn rate. Create this calorie deficit to help you lose weight. You can't target your belly for weight loss, but when you lose weight all over, your belly is one of the places most likely to shrink, according to Harvard Health Publications. Aim for a 500-calorie deficit per day for a 1-pound-per-week loss.

Step 2

Include more whole grains and leafy greens. Fill up your plate half with plain, watery vegetables and reserve a quarter each for whole grains and lean protein. Whole-grain intake correlates with lower amounts of visceral belly fat, found a study published in a 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Eat leafy greens to fill you up with minimal calories.

Step 3

Lay off the added sugars, refined flours and saturated and trans fats. Consume fewer of these foods that provide lots of extra calories with minimal nutrition.

Lifestyle

Step 1

Reduce stress in your life. Take yoga and meditate to reduce the production of hormones, such as cortisol, which encourages the storage of belly fat. Delegate duties at work and at home to further de-stress.

Step 2

Sleep seven to nine hours per night. Too little sleep can raise your production of hunger hormones and cause stress.

Step 3

Stop smoking to reduce visceral fat. A study published in "The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine" in 2006 listed smoking as a risk factor for accumulation of visceral fat, causing an increase in incidences of metabolic syndrome -- a precursor to Type 2 diabetes.