If your waistline increases even though you haven’t radically changed your diet, it could be due to unexpected daily behaviors.
Visceral fat – the fatty mass that accumulates around internal organs – doesn’t just depend on meals.
Certain habits repeated in the afternoon strongly contribute to its storage, without arousing your suspicions. Here are five attitudes that it is better to identify and correct, according to dietitian Vanessa Bedjaï-Haddad.
Consume sugary drinks regularly in the afternoon
Drinking a soda, flavored coffee or sugary drink mid-afternoon may seem harmless. But in reality, these fast sugars significantly increase daily calorie intake. “This habit increases the intake of fast sugars and promotes abdominal storage.” confirms our expert.
Result: a liver which transforms excess sugar into fat, stored primarily around the waist. Even outside of meals, these liquid calories can promote the gain of visceral fat, especially since we consume them without associating them with a real feeling of satiety.
Sitting for several hours in a row
An afternoon spent sitting – at the desk, on the sofa or in front of the screens – noticeably slows down your metabolism. “Less activity means less energy expended, which decreases insulin sensitivity and encourages fat storage” adds Vanessa Bedjai-Haddad.
In the long term, this repeated sedentary lifestyle plays an important role in abdominal accumulation, regardless of your meals.
Skipping lunch or eating too light a meal
When breakfast is lacking in substance – or is simply forgotten – your body ends up reacting: cravings, reduced energy, and the temptation to compensate later.
“Often this leads to late snacking or high-calorie meals. This oscillation between restriction and excess promotes fat storage in the abdomen, because the body anticipates a lack by storing the nutrients ingested later. specifies the dietitian.
Snack on ultra-processed products
Between two appointments, a packet of biscuits, chips or a candy bar may seem practical.
“But these ultra-processed foods are often high in refined sugars, saturated fats and additives, which disrupt hunger and fullness signals. By creating a cycle of rapid hunger and impulsive consumption, they cause the body to store excess energy” recalls our expert. And this storage is frequently done around the abdominal belt.
Accumulating stress in the afternoon
A stressful afternoon, whether under pressure at work, with intrusive thoughts or deadlines, can have an unexpected impact on your figure.
“Chronic stress stimulates the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which promotes the storage of abdominal fat. Even without large food intake, this mechanism can encourage the accumulation of visceral fat.
assures the dietitian.
What are some simple adjustments to test?
To get out of this vicious circle, Vanessa Bedjai-Haddad recommends a few simple measures to put in place:
- Choose a balanced snack (fruit, nuts, yogurt, etc.) rather than sweets;
- Get up regularly, walk for a few minutes, avoid long periods of sitting;
- Structure your meals to avoid late-night cravings;
- Add a few minutes of deep breathing or relaxation breaks to reduce stress;
- Integrate light activity (walking, stretching, etc.) into your day to stimulate your metabolism.
These small, simple adjustments, easy to reproduce, can, over time, make a difference. They do not aim for perfection, but for newfound comfort, a better regulated metabolism and a stomach less subject to this visceral fat which is dangerous for health.