Body fat is like the tip of the iceberg: The true size and hidden danger lie below the surface.
Take for example the average American: 198 pounds, 5 feet 9 inches tall.
Body Mass of 29, 40-inch waist.
Unlike money, you will not want to see your waist growing from year to year.
But that is what has happened over 42 years, the average American has added 24 pounds.1
Over the last 20 years, the average American has put on 15 pounds.
BMI has four ranges: underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. Unfortunately, these new statistics indicate that most Americans are trending toward the latter two categories.2
Not all fat is created equal.
The visible part is usually found around the hips, thighs, and belly.
The tip of the iceberg is called subcutaneous fat.
The invisible part of fat is found around organs, including the heart, liver, and intestines.
The bottom of the iceberg is called visceral fat.
This is a health endangering type of fat.
How does it affect our health?
Visceral Fat Is The Real Enemy
Fat inside the abdomen must be considered an independent organ.
Sounds exaggerated?
That is what I thought when I read it for the first time, but it makes perfect sense.
Unlike other fat deposits, visceral fat is metabolically very active.
It releases free fatty acids into the bloodstream.
How mean that the body tries to get rid of the fat but causes problems on a bigger scale.
Why is that?
It secretes messenger substances like a gland, which are called adipokines.
These play functional roles in the energy/metabolic status of the body, inflammation, and obesity.4
All kinds of diseases are linked to this, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer for instance.
How?
Cancer The chemicals and hormones released by visceral fat can encourage cancer cells to grow and spread.
Type 2 diabetes: The inflammation and hormones from visceral fat mess with insulin signaling, which can cause blood sugar levels to go up.
Chronic inflammation: It releases inflammatory chemicals that travel around the body, leading to ongoing, widespread inflammation.
Heart disease: It releases free fatty acids into the bloodstream, which can cause plaque to build up in the arteries. This raises blood pressure, triggers inflammation, and increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.
Remember when I said in the beginning that the visible part of fat is not as dangerous as the invisible part?
Still, often people carrying fat around the hips, waist, belly, and thighs tend to have elevated levels of visceral fat too.
There are exceptions, where people are slim on the outside, but carry visceral fat.
In that case using a tape measure is not the best way.
Your doctor can find that out with a scan.
Now it`s time to measure.
How To Measure Visceral Fat
See the graphic to understand where is the best place to measure.
Using a tape measure is the best way to monitor visceral fat at home. Measure your waistline at the level of your navel, not the narrowest part of your torso, and always measure in the same spot.
Official guidelines suggest that the bottom of the tape measure should be level with the top of your right hip bone, or ilium—where it intersects a vertical line dropped from the center of your armpit. Don't suck in your stomach or pull the tape too tight.
Waist Circumference
Waist Circumference (WC) is considered a reliable indicator of central adiposity and has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
A healthy waist circumference measurement should be:
At or below 40 inches for men
At or below 35 inches for women
Waist circumference is considered a reliable indicator of central adiposity and has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.7
The one limitation involved with the measurement of waist circumference is that it does not account for differences in height.
This may lead to potentially leading to over- or under-evaluation of risk for tall and short individuals.
Thus, an alternative is to measure the waist-to-height ratio.
Waist To Height Ratio
"When your waist circumference is nearly as large as your hips (or larger), your health risks are increased."8
Look at the two charts below for reference.
Just find your hip measurement in the left column of the chart, then move to the right until you find your waist measurement. The number at the top of that column is your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).
Source: see citation above
What about BMI?
BMI might be the most frequently used way of assessing your weight relative to your height.
While it can be used as a reference, it comes with weaknesses:
It does not measure
Muscle mass
Bone density
Overall body composition
Now you might say that neither Waist Circumference nor waist-to-height measurement do that.
You`re right.
But remember that the measurement of fat concentration in the abdominal area is more important than overall fat distribution.
How To Lower Visceral Fat
You are invited to a wedding, 10 weeks out from now.
And you have no intention to buy a new suit.
This means that you have to fit in your suit trousers.
Congrats.
You have a clear-cut goal and a timeline.
Let`s get to work.
The Vicious Cycle
First, we need to understand the cycle of many busy and high-achieving people like you are
See my graphic on how each four are linked.
1) Working long hours combined with a high-stress level often leads to low recovery - your sleep gets affected
2) Fatigue from insufficient recovery and low energy leave often end up in aches and pains - you do not move enough, let alone exercise
3) This often leads to eating a lot of processed food and overeating - poor nutrition
4) While more complex, your mental health is affected by the first 3 pillars.
This then leaves us with 4 pillars to focus on.
The goal is to take action now and move forward in small steps.
Before, tell me if you find yourself in these persistent thoughts.
We need to get rid of the most commonly heard excuses first
"I don't have time for this, I'm super busy"
Yes, we are all busy. That won`t change in the foreseeable future.
It takes less time than you think, so start now.
"I don`t have the energy."
Living more healthily, including exercising, sleeping 7-8 hours, taking frequent short breaks, and eating wholefood nutrient-dense foods all provide energy.
Start with one aspect: Set a daily goal of going for a walk before work.
"I tried this before, but I didn`t see results."
Most of the time this comes from a lack of consistency.
Also, many give up way too early.
Stick to healthy routines for 10-12 weeks first and then tell me you don`t see results.
"I`ll do it someday"
No, you won`t.
It`s a lie to believe that tomorrow you feel more ready, have more energy, more motivation.
Motivation is found in starting.
The 4 Pillars - How To Lose Weight
1) Nutrition
We want to make it as simple as possible.
How?
By building a reliable system of low-friction meal choices and portion control.
Preparation
To lose body fat, you need to burn more calories than you eat.
A few people get away with trial and error.
The rest is smart enough to calculate how many calories they need to eat in a day to lose weight.
Now subtract 500 calories.
This is your target goal.
Next up are macros: The goal is to eat enough protein to feel full and help your muscles recover.
Aim for 1,4 g for every kg of your body weight.
Now that you have those numbers, feed ChatGPT them.
Write down your favorite 10 protein sources, and do the same with veggies and fruits.
Instruct it that no meal should take more than 20-30 minutes to prepare.
Want to save more time?
Meal-prep: Reserve 1 hour per week to prepare food.
My favorite choice for that is an Air-Fryer because it does all the work.
Reliable quality every time.
Also
Track your meals. Use MyFitnesspal or other apps with a similar service.
Stick to that for a few weeks until you understand portion sizes.
Training
My advice is to start the day strong.
I said it before, but increasing your daily average steps is the best way to lay a strong health foundation.
Easy on the joints, can be sustained longer than cardio, and a ton of health benefits
The morning walk also helps you to wake up, sync with the circadian rhythm of daylight, let your brain think about the day ahead, or come up with ideas.
You do not need to walk 10000 steps, 7 k is enough to find the majority of health benefits.
Regardless of when you walk, during lunch, after work, or during a call - the result remains the same, aim for at least 7000 steps.
Then you want to start exercising.
Even though the Gym offers more options, you do. You have to go there if you prefer to train in your own place.
My rough estimate is that out of more than 20 years of training, I have only been working out in the Gym for 5-7 years. You can build the body you want outside a Gym.
Which means?
Start with bodyweight workouts, and buy simple stuff over time (dumbbells, pull-up bars, resistance bands).
And if you think you need hours every week, you are wrong.
Read my article on movement snacks.
As you advance in your training and may invest a bit more time, here`s the latest in science on strength training and a sample exercise plan.
Still not convinced you need strength training?
Read on to familiarize yourself with the 5 principles of strength training and understand what it can do for you.
In a nutshell: You need strength training to build muscle.
More muscle lets you burn more calories at rest and this is what we want to decrease visceral fat.
What about cardio?
Cardio burns more calories per session compared to strength training.
Strength training is needed to change body composition and sustain caloric burn.
Sample week
7k Monday to Friday
Strength training 3 times per week - start small, then work up to 30-45 minutes.
Cardio twice a week - start with walking, and work your way up.
Habits
Habits are what we do on autopilot.
We do them unconsciously. Some of them work in our favor, while others can cause health problems in the long run.
If you want to build a strong basis of habits, combine your future healthy habits with a task you do anyway.
I laid this out in last week`s Habit Stacking article.
For example: You need to clean your apartment.
Not exactly where we find the most pleasure.
But how about the latest episode of your podcast?
Combine the two. Cleaning from now on means you get to enjoy the latest podcast episode.
While most of us are stressed out of life, there are different aspects that we can focus on.
From changing
A) The causes of stress,
such as deadlines - negotiate with your boss or client (easier said than done)
work quantity - time management skills, delegation
interruptions - set clear boundaries, use focus times
B) Decreasing stress intensifiers
Convictions, values, beliefs
I have to be perfect - it`s ok to achieve 80%
I have to be independent - I can ask for help
I have to please everybody - it`s ok to disappoint
to
C) Stress Reactions
Being nervous, angry, worried...
Use relaxation techniques, such as Meditation, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, or Ice baths.
Feel free to take a deep dive into the topic of stress management.
4) Recovery
Sleep is a huge one, which people become more and more aware of.
The most basic advice is to get 7-8 hours of sleep.
Let us nod in agreement.
Science has proven that people who have a constant lack of sleep tend to be more overweight.
It is much harder to lose weight from a physical and mental standpoint if you are sleep-deprived.
Your body will want to hold on to the calories and you will lack the energy to focus on habits that enable weight loss.
Getting a good night's sleep starts during the day.
Besides the old faithful of including exercise and eating a clean and healthy diet, there are a few more aspects, such as
If you are sensitive to coffee, it's best to avoid consuming it after 3 pm.
Power naps should only be taken if they are part of your daily routine.
Cultivate a consistent sleep schedule by aiming to go to bed at the same time every day, including weekends.
Maintaining a cool temperature of around 65°F/18°C is ideal for the human body.
Ensure the bedroom is sufficiently dark, devoid of artificial light, and create a comfortable sleeping environment.
Again, if you want to learn more about the importance of high-quality sleep, read my article
Speaking of posture,
It was never more convenient than today to develop a poor posture.
Why?
Excessive screen time
Monotonous posture
Sedentary lifestyle
Lack of movement
Prolonged sitting
Poor ergonomics
Stress
Muscular imbalances are responsible for that.
Shortened muscles on the front and weakened muscles on the back make you walk around hunched over.
Left untreated, this will cause you pain in the future and it is also bad for our self-confidence.
I use a routine to help me stand straight, which I am sure will help you too.
Here it is.
Last but not least, sitting for prolonged hours might be one of the biggest threats to modern life's health.
How to compensate for it, you find here.
I tried my best to keep it short in this article, but I felt giving a more comprehensive overview of all aspects going into body composition and losing fat is better.
The most basic advice to lose weight will always be the same:
Eat less than you consume or burn more calories than you eat.
In reality, losing weight and keeping it off is simple in theory, challenging in reality.
Need help with that?
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat
https://www.pinnacle-pt.com/about/news/lifestyle-365-part-i-waist-to-hip-ratio
https://www.whyiexercise.com/waist-circumference.html
Lots of great information about visceral fat here. Thanks for the reminder to keep it low!
More important than "eat less, move more" is what exact food you eat, though. Simply removing calories but getting all of your protein from McDonald's burgers won't do it. Should probably also eat less factory-created foods.