Metabolic and Mental Health
Here’s How to Melt Visceral Fat, Enhance Mood, and Lower Health Risks in Three Steps.
I present a three-pronged practical and holistic approach to sustainable health and well-being with healthy lifestyle habits.
Purpose of the Article
As I see health as a psychosomatic process, this article focuses on the physical and psychological aspects of healthy weight management, mood enhancement, and disease prevention.
Without seeing the big picture, understanding the details can be difficult. Therefore, I offer a three-pronged approach to looking at the fat loss process from a broader perspective.
As the scope of this article is broad, my goal is to clarify these three objectives using my experience as a big picture for readers. To make the piece practical and digestible, I only focus on the essential items and link my previous articles to those who are interested in details.
Through experience, I learned that by sustainably reducing visceral fat, we could lower disease risks and improve our physical and mental health.
This article aims to show a broad perspective on healthy weight management, mood enhancement, and disease risk reduction from a psychosomatic angle.
I focus on practical strategies, including smaller components that can make a ripple effect when combined methodically and persistently.
First, let me highlight key points on why accumulated visceral fat matters and how it impacts our physical and mental health.
Excess visceral fat is a risk factor for metabolic and mental health.
The human body needs fat to survive and thrive. An adequate amount of fat is essential for various bodily functions. However, excessive fat, like anything else, is a risk factor for our physical and mental health.
As mentioned in this paper, “Overwhelming excessive consumption of carbohydrates and decreasing physical activity among the world population lead to a dramatic increase in incidence and mortality related to cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes mellitus type 2.”
Excess visceral fat is a risk factor for metabolic and mental disorders. The literature indicates conditions such as type II diabetes, fatty liver, heart disease, stroke, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases (such as dementia).
Some people might lose visceral fat for aesthetic purposes, which is nothing wrong with it. However, many people strive to reduce the risks of metabolic and mental health disorders. I see the sustainable fat-burning process as a disease-prevention approach.
During this process, we address multiple risks, such as reducing obesity, chronic stress, chronic inflammation, and removing toxins from the body.
While undertaking the fat loss process, we must ensure our protocol does not cause nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances. I introduced Seven Mistakes to Avoid When Losing Fat.
I cover these points under three categories below.
1 — Switch from Glucose to Fat Burning Metabolism.
Switching from glucose to fat-burning metabolism is also known as making the body ‘fat adapted’. From my experience, the easiest and most sustainable way to lose visceral fat is to make the body fat adapted.
A fat-adapted body can effortlessly utilize the stored fat in the absence of food. So even if we don’t eat food, the body can produce energy from the fat stores. While we gain energy, our visceral fat start diminishing.
Even though fasting is not for everyone, most of us perform fasting daily and unknowingly to some extent. For example, every healthy adult sleeping around eight hours will refrain from food.
So my point is during the fasting window after the body consumes the glycogen stores, it can tap into stored fat as an energy source. However, emptying glycogen stores requires certain conditions.
One of them is reducing the consumption of refined carbohydrates, and the other is increasing exercise. So diet and exercise are two factors in reducing glycogen stores. Time-restricted eating can expedite the process.
The body becomes fat-adapted when it switches from a sugar-burning to a fat-burning metabolism.
A fat-adapted body might have a faster metabolism as the body does not sense starvation. Sluggish metabolism is the primary cause of fat accumulation.
A healthy metabolism requires nutrient-dense food, exercise, and rest. Due to hormonal effects, macronutrients like proteins and healthy fats can improve metabolic health more than refined carbs. Thus I replaced carbs with healthy fats.
For example, fat and proteins have less impact on insulin secretion than carbs. Fat and protein also create satiety and might prevent overeating. In addition, fat contributes to leptin sensitivity.
Eating nutrient-dense foods, including essential amino acids, fats, minerals, and vitamins in a specific window, can contribute to losing fat sustainably as the body does not go into starvation mode.
Therefore, ketogenic diets with time-restricted eating are viable options for losing visceral fat by keeping lean muscles. They tick many health boxes.
In addition, a fat-adapted body generates ketones as alternative energy for the brain and other organs. Thus, it can contribute to reducing inflammation and enhancing mood.
As fat adaption is a comprehensive topic, I published many articles covering various aspects. You might check the following articles for details.
Three Tips to Eliminate Insulin Resistance and Shrink Waistline
Reduce Abdominal Fat and Increase Lean Muscles with Two Practical Steps
Defeat Metabolic Syndrome and Slim Down Waistline with Three Tips
In a collection titled Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories, I provided numerous case studies of people who sustainably melted visceral fat, improved mood, and reduced the risks of metabolic and mental health conditions.
2 — Increase the Capacity and Functionality of the Brain.
The brain might look like another organ but it serves as a control center for the body. Thus the brain plays a critical role in losing fat, lowering the risks of diseases, and enhancing mood.
Sometimes we use the brain and mind interchangeably, but they are different. The brain is a biological construct, and the mind is a psychological entity.
A healthy brain can cause a healthy mind.
Metabolism and metabolic diseases are also associated with the mind. Everything we do starts with a thought. So, our thoughts, coupled with our feelings, can affect our eating, exercise, sleep, and rest.
The brain needs essential nutrients and energy. Nutritional deficiencies adversely affect brain functions that relate to our neurotransmitters and hormones. While glucose is the main energy for the brain, supplementing with ketones can improve its function.
The brain also needs movement, sleep, and rest. Sedentary life, sleep deprivation, and stressful situations can damage brain functions in addition to balancing neurotransmitters and hormones.
The following healthy habits can empower the brain to contribute to fat loss.
1 — Provide adequate energy.
2 — Move the body to nourish the brain.
3 — Allow the brain to rest via restorative sleep, breaks, and joyful activities.
4 — Strengthen the brain with mindfulness practices such as meditation.
5 — Increase BDNF (brain-derived neuro factors) to keep the brain healthy.
In addition to nutrition and movement, sleep is critical for the brain to function. To sleep well, we must be aware of the biological clocks. Circadian rhythm manages to sleep and wakefulness.
I explained this interesting scientific development in an article titled The Importance of Biological Rhythms & Psychological Aspects in Fat Loss Journey.
A sleep-deprived body cannot tap into fat stores due to stress hormones such as cortisol. In addition, stress hormones can also imbalance metabolic hormones like insulin and leptin.
In addition, we need to give the brain the joy it needs to balance neurotransmitters and hormones. However, while producing joy, we need Awareness of Punishment Pathways in the Brain for Mental Health.
3 — Manage Thoughts and Emotions Methodically.
This section encapsulates the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. This part is the more significant part of the metaphorical iceberg in human metabolism.
Unfortunately, the emotional aspect of health is undermined; therefore, most of our chronic health conditions are related to this domain. Emotional traumas are the root causes of severe health situations.
As physical discomfort is easy to detect, healthcare professionals often focus on them and successfully fix issues. However, emotional problems are not tangible, like biological issues.
No specific blood tests or radiology scans for emotional issues leading to mental health disorders exist yet. We use subjective measures to identify mental health issues.
Fortunately, holistic healthcare professionals combine physical and mental signs to diagnose and treat diseases.
Our thoughts and emotions play a critical role in our metabolism. One of the root causes of obesity is emotional eating to numb unpleasant feelings.
We need to understand the function of the primitive brain. For example, the old brain fabricates constant worries for the sake of survival if not challenged. It cannot distinguish between real and perceived risks.
I explained this situation in an article. titled I See Anxiety and Fear as Friends Rather Than Enemies. Furthermore, I covered fear and anxiety separately for details.
The Paradox of Fear: How to Deal with This Essential Yet Toxic Emotion
A Shift from Anxious to Confident and Calm Mind in Two Steps
Stress, anxiety, and fear adversely affect metabolism through our hormones and even genes.
Therefore, we need to improve our emotional self-defense. One of the practical ways is to set clear boundaries, as I explained in an article titled What Would Happen When We Set Healthy Boundaries for Emotional Maturity?
I also documented a case study: Ariana’s Happiness Tripled After Solving Three Mental Health Issues.
Overambition and perfection are two well-known emotional problems affecting our health. However, in my opinion, perfection is not attainable. Thus, it is unnecessary and a joy killer.
Therefore, I refrain from perfection, as explained in an article titled Why I Find Perfection in Imperfection.
Emotional intelligence, mastery, and maturity are critical for tightly connected physical and mental health.
We can regulate our emotions better and improve our relationships by improving our cognitive flexibility. I explained these two critical points in an article titled Increase Cognitive Flexibility and Emotional Maturity with Five Habits.
From my experience, working in a flow state is also essential to regulating our emotions and preventing chronic stress leading to chronic inflammation.
In short, emotional issues can cause chronic stress and chronic inflammation, contributing to fat gain and mental health problems affecting our mood.
By addressing emotional issues by managing them efficiently and timely, we can enhance our emotional and mental health contributing to metabolic health with better hormonal balance.
One of the critical points for managing emotions is recognizing, accepting, and expressing them appropriately and timely. By mindfully observing our thoughts and feelings, we can regulate our emotions.
Self-love and self-compassion are essential for physical and mental health. With self-love and compassion for others, we can attract loving people into our lives. We also need to learn to slow down.
Conclusions and Takeaways
Visceral fat looks like a minor metabolic construct from the outside. However, it can cause severe health conditions affecting our quality of life when it passes the threshold.
Fat loss is not just a physical activity. It is also mental and emotional activity. So even though nutrition, movement, exercise, sleep, and rest are critical for losing fat, we must also improve our mental and emotional capabilities to sustain it.
Even if we run ten miles every day, if we keep overeating to numb our emotions, the fat loss will not happen sustainably.
When we make our bodies fat-adapted, we might also improve our mental and emotional profiles. Therefore, moving from a glucose-dependent metabolism to a fat-burning one is a viable solution for sustainable fat loss and healthy weight management.
Fat loss is not as complex and challenging as it sounds on the Internet and in the press. With awareness, knowledge of principles and processes, a methodical approach, persistence, and support from others, it is possible to achieve this goal.
In my fat loss journey, I always focus on principles by leveraging and customizing processes and procedures from proven sources, as I explained in a recent article titled Here Is How I Accelerated Fat Burning with Customizable Principles and Healthy Lifestyle Habits.
I aim to increase the hormonal intelligence of my readers and write about neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, glutamate, and histamine.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
Petechiae, ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.
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Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
As part of my creative non-fiction writing goals, I’d like to share a few stories that might warm our hearts with a bit of humor into weighty topics.
Sample Humorous Stories
Finally, After Burning Her House, Georgia Found Enlightenment
Hilarious Tips to Prevent Brain Atrophy and Keep the Gray Matter Giggling
8 Psychological Points I Had to Unlearn and Relearn the Opposite
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