The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 59% of U.S. adults carry around "abdominal obesity." In other words, belly fat — the kind that's found in the spaces between organs such as the stomach, liver, and kidneys.

Excess belly fat is particularly bad for your health because it is biologically active, secreting hormones and other molecules that impact many organ systems.

Studies show that among women, those with the biggest waists have more than twice the risk of heart disease than those with healthy waist circumferences (less than half your height at the belly button, as you suck in).

Belly fat is associated with higher blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and triglyceride levels, and lower levels of good HDL cholesterol.

If you're working to reestablish a healthy weight — and waist circumference — a plant-based, Mediterranean-style diet, intermittent fasting, and at least 300 minutes of exercise weekly are essential.

These four steps can help banish the bulge as well:

• Aim for six to eight hours of restful sleep. More — or less — than that promotes weight gain.

• Actively manage your stress response. Stress hormones promote weight gain and self-soothing with unhealthy food is common. Meditation, exercise, yoga, and talk therapy are stress-relief techniques that help.

• Enjoy strength-training exercise. One study showed that 20 minutes a day reduced the additional belly fat in guys — and women benefit too. Using your own body weight and stretchy bands are effective.

• Add high-intensity interval training to your aerobics; multiple 30-second bursts of intense activity burn belly fat effectively.