I don’t think I’ll be shocking you off your chair this morning if I say that excess body fat is generally not a good thing.

But in terms of your health, not all body fat is created equal!

What matters more is the type of fat you’re carrying and where it’s located.

Here’s what I mean:

Fat types and areas of accumulation

Your body has two types of fat—subcutaneous and visceral.

Subcutaneous fat is the fat that is just under your skin—it’s what you are grabbing when you “pinch an inch” in your waist.

Visceral fat, on the other hand, is located deep in your abdomen and surrounds your internal organs.

While an excess of either does not represent a picture of great health, visceral fat is FAR more dangerous because it is associated with chronic inflammation, it increases insulin resistance (thereby raising your risk of Type 2 diabetes), and is linked to heart disease, dementia, depression, anxiety, and various cancers. 

In addition, where you carry your fat also influences your overall risk of disease.

People who carry their fat more in their hips and thighs (a pear shape) are at lower overall disease risk than people with an “apple shape,” with most of their fat in the abdominal area.

So where do you stand in terms of fat?

The Body Mass Index (BMI) has been used by much of the medical and fitness industries as the go-to measure to assess someone’s bodyweight and fat levels.

The BMI looks at someone's specific height and weight as an indicator of whether they just are carrying some excess fat or are truly obese.

But the BMI is not foolproof because certain people may have a larger percentage of muscle which can drive up their weight (because muscle weighs more than fat) and as a result, they may have a BMI that classifies them as overweight when that’s not truly the case.

A far more accurate picture

Now, what can give a far more accurate picture of your build is your Percent Body Fat (the percentage of total body fat compared to body weight) and your Visceral Fat Level (the estimated amount of fat surrounding your internal organs).

Since fat (and not necessarily total weight) is really the true health issue, the Percent Body Fat and Visceral Fat Level will let you know where you stand, while at the same time you won’t be “penalized” for having a good amount of lean muscle mass.

Specialized machines like the InBody can measure PBF and Visceral Fat—you can find this machine in some doctors’ offices or health clubs. 

If you can’t locate a machine, you can estimate both measures at home.

Here is a tool for calculating PBF—just be sure to have a tape measure handy:

Fitmatic Body: Body Fat & Composition Calculator

Ideal PBF ranges for women and men are:

Women		Men
Athletes	14 – 20%	Athletes	6 – 13%
Fit	21 – 24%	Fit	14 – 17%
Acceptable	25 – 31%	Acceptable	18 – 24%
Obesity	> 32%	Obesity	> 25%

 As far as visceral fat goes, measure your natural waist (where you “crease” when you bend to the side) and your hips (at their fullest point) and divide the waist number by the hip number. 

Any result greater than 1.0 for a man or .85 for a woman suggests excess visceral fat. 

So for example, if you’re a woman and your waist is 27 inches and your hips at their fullest point are 35 inches, your visceral fat ratio is 27/35 or .77, which is in the acceptable range.

On the other hand, if as a woman your waist is 27 inches and your hips are 30 inches, your visceral fat ratio is 27/30 or .9, which indicates too much visceral fat.

You CAN win the battle over blubber

If you have come to the realization that you are carrying around too much blubber, never fear because I can help you change that!

Here are some ways you can help win the battle over blubber and attain a healthier body fat percentage.

Have the right diet and sound digestion

Refined carbs and bad fats are leading factors behind not only our blossoming blubber but also our ever-increasing rates of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer!

So the more you can avoid refined foods and unsaturated fats in general and instead rely on nutritious REAL foods (like fruits in moderation, vegetables, meats, poultry, fish, good fats—like butter and coconut oil—eggs, dairy and legumes), the greater your chances of living the rest of your days free of pain, disease and excess fat.

And sound digestion is a MUST!  If you are not digesting your foods effectively, you are not getting nourished like you should, which will increase your hunger (and the scale number too). 

My Want to Lose Weight? Stop Dieting! program will guide you on how to enjoy delicious, good-for-you foods, and show you how to create meals that are easier for your system to tackle!

When you have a diet of real foods and tip-top digestion, losing excess weight is easy—in many cases, it will practically drop off of you effortlessly!

Plus you’ll get a recipe book full of tasty culinary creations! 

Move it

There’s no way around it—if you want a chance at a healthy body weight and to minimize your risk of all kinds of diseases, you simply MUST move.

So get your doctor’s OK and get going!

Note that Want to Lose Weight? Stop Dieting! also gives you excellent advice on choosing the exercise activity that is right for you, overcoming negative feelings about exercise, and keeping your motivation high!

Get enough Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Studies have shown that people who maintain a rich supply of Omega-3 EFAs have lower blood triglyceride (fat) levels and remain free of cardiovascular disease and other degenerative conditions far longer than those with lower Omega-3 levels.

Since our typical diets are grossly lacking in these important nutrients, supplementing with a quality Omega-3 fish oil like VitalMega-3 can help ensure you have a health-supporting supply of these natural anti-inflammatories. 

De-stress

Most people don’t realize this, but chronic stress and overproduction of cortisol can deplete lean muscle and make your body hold on to fat in the belly region. It also enlarges your fat cells, allowing them to store more fat!

Do what you need to do (regular exercise is great) to reduce stress in your life.

Get enough sleep

Proper sleep increases levels of immune system chemicals that help reduce fat-causing inflammation in your body.

The average person requires between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.  So if you’re getting fewer than that, it’s time to turn in earlier and get some decent rest.

Note that ashwagandha has been shown to be very helpful in encouraging deep, restful sleep for centuries.  Check out our Ashwa Blend Gummies if this is an issue for you.

You are now an expert in body fat and have some great strategies to help your body achieve a more healthful level.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia