I don’t think I’ll be shocking you 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 main 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” around 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 of greater concern because higher levels are associated with chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and an increased risk of conditions including Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

In addition, where you carry your fat can influence your overall health risk.

People who carry more of their fat in their hips and thighs (a “pear shape”) generally have a lower health risk than people with an “apple shape,” where more fat is concentrated around the abdomen.

So where do you stand in terms of fat?

The Body Mass Index (BMI) has long been used by the medical and fitness industries as a quick way to assess someone’s weight in relation to their height.

But BMI is not foolproof because it does not distinguish between fat and lean muscle mass.

For example, someone with a larger amount of muscle may weigh more and have a BMI that classifies them as overweight even though they do not have excess body fat.

A more complete picture

Another way to get a better picture of your body composition is to look at your Percent Body Fat (PBF)—the percentage of your total body weight that comes from fat—as well as the amount of fat you carry around your abdomen.

Since body fat, and not necessarily total weight alone, is what we’re interested in here, these measurements can provide useful information without “penalizing” you for having a healthy amount of lean muscle mass.

Specialized body composition machines like the InBody can estimate PBF and visceral fat. You can find these machines in some doctors’ offices, health clubs and fitness centers.

You can also estimate some of these measures at home.

PBF

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

Fitmatic Body: Body Fat & Composition Calculator

General PBF ranges for women and men are:

 

Keep in mind that body fat percentages are estimates and appropriate levels can vary somewhat depending on factors such as age and individual health.

Abdominal fat distribution

Although you cannot directly measure visceral fat at home with a tape measure, your waist-to-hip ratio can give you an idea of how much fat you carry around your abdomen and whether your fat distribution may be associated with greater health risk.

Measure your natural waist (where you “crease” when you bend to the side) and your hips (at their fullest point), then divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement.

A waist-to-hip ratio above 1.0 for a man or .85 for a woman is generally associated with greater health risk.

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 waist-to-hip ratio is 27/35, or .77.

On the other hand, if your waist is 27 inches and your hips are 30 inches, your ratio is 27/30, or .90, indicating that you carry a greater proportion of fat around your abdomen.

You CAN win the battle of the bulge

Now that you have a better idea of where you stand, here are some highly effective ways to help reduce excess body fat and support better health:

Start with the right diet

Having a healthy, fat-reducing diet does not have to be difficult! It really boils down to a few simple principles:

“If man made it, don’t eat it.”

That was the motto of the late, great fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne, and it’s a clever way of saying to avoid processed and fast foods as much as possible and stick to wholesome, real foods.

Now, don’t despair if your diet is less-than-stellar or downright abysmal! There is hope for you!

Start with small steps—choose water over soda, opt for a salad or vegetable as a side dish instead of fries, reach for an apple or carrot sticks instead of chips for a snack, or make scrambled eggs instead of grabbing a donut or sugary cereal for breakfast.

Tiny steps in the right direction will eventually make a big difference!

Choose your fats wisely

People mistakenly think they need to avoid fat to lose fat.

Not so. Your body needs healthy fats for many important functions, including hormone production and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. What matters is choosing your fats wisely.

Instead of relying on highly processed foods and fats, choose wholesome fat sources like real butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, lard and beef tallow. Real olive oil is another excellent choice—just avoid using it for very high-temperature cooking.

And read labels closely! Many products marketed as containing olive or avocado oil may also contain other oils, so it pays to know what you’re actually buying.

Get regular exercise

Work in some form of a workout, and don’t allow yourself to make excuses.

A workout can take many forms—a brisk walk, running, free weights, dancing, martial arts, yoga, sports like tennis or basketball, golfing (without a cart!), Pilates—you name it.

The important thing is to find ways to move your body regularly and stick with them.

And remember, I’m not sitting in my office on my backside while I tell you to exercise. My history of 35 years of running and 24 years of martial arts speaks for itself!

Look at other factors too!

There are other factors that can make maintaining a healthy body composition more difficult, including low thyroid function and chronically elevated cortisol.

Here’s what you should know:

Get your thyroid tested

In addition to symptoms such as low energy, hair loss and brittle hair and nails, weight gain can also occur with an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

If you suspect you may have thyroid issues, see your doctor and ask about thyroid testing.

TSH is commonly used as an initial thyroid test, but it does not always provide the entire picture. Depending on your symptoms and circumstances, additional testing may be warranted. Free T4 and Free T3 can provide additional information about thyroid hormone levels, and thyroid antibody testing can help identify autoimmune thyroid conditions.

The important thing is not to ignore persistent symptoms simply because one number appears to fall within a reference range.

Help manage cortisol levels

Cortisol is an essential hormone that helps your body respond to stress, but chronically elevated cortisol can contribute to changes in appetite, metabolism and fat distribution—especially around the abdomen.

Here are some ways to help support a healthy stress response:

Reduce stress

Do whatever you can to reduce your stress load.

Regular exercise is a wonderful natural stress reducer, but you can also try meditation, therapy, acupuncture (my go-to during stressful times), prayer, relaxing essential oils like lavender, or even adopting a pet if you’re an animal lover.

Find what helps you unwind and make it a regular part of your life.

Make sure your nutrient bases are covered

Good nutrition provides your body with the nutrients it needs to support normal energy production, hormone function and its response to everyday stress.

In addition to eating a nutritious whole-food diet like I mentioned above, a multivitamin and mineral formula like Super Core can help fill nutritional gaps and provide essential vitamins, minerals and other health-supporting nutrients.

Super Core also contains ingredients that provide antioxidant and nutritional support, making it an easy way to help cover your nutritional bases each day.

Try ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to help the body adapt to stress, and modern research suggests that it may help support a healthy stress response, including healthy cortisol levels, as well as promote restful sleep.

Our very own Ashwa Blend Gummies are a convenient and delicious way to put the benefits of ashwagandha to work for you!

One important note: Ashwagandha may affect thyroid function, so if you take thyroid medication, talk with your doctor before adding an ashwagandha supplement to your routine.

Now you know a whole lot more about body fat than you did a few minutes ago—and, more importantly, you have some practical strategies to help your body achieve a healthier level.

Small, consistent changes add up. So start where you are, make improvements you can stick with, and give your body the healthy support it deserves.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia