Not all body fat is the same. The fat you can pinch under your skin, also called the subcutaneous fat, isn’t the main threat to your health. The deeper fat that wraps around your organs, which is called visceral fat, is what drives most metabolic diseases. It is the type of fat that impacts your health the most.

Visceral fat sits behind your abdominal wall and surrounds your liver, pancreas, and intestines. It’s sometimes called “hidden belly fat” because you can’t always see it, even if your body weight looks normal.

Why it matters

Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2025) showed that:

• People with more visceral fat had higher risk for metabolic syndrome—a cluster of problems including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and unhealthy cholesterol.
• When people lost weight through exercise or diet, those who lost more visceral fat (not just total weight) saw greater improvements in their health markers.
• In short: it’s not just how much weight you lose—it’s where you lose it from that matters.

The good news: visceral fat responds quickly to consistent effort! Woo! Now it is time for you to put some practical tools and yes even discipline into place. Here are the most effective strategies to lose visceral fat:

1. Regular physical activity: especially brisk walking, interval training, and resistance training. Done underestimate the power of walking folks!
2. Nutrition for fat loss: eat fewer processed carbs and sugars, emphasize lean protein, whole foods, and vegetables. What's on your plate determines more than you know.
3. Better sleep and stress management: chronic stress increases cortisol, which promotes visceral fat storage. Focus on getting at least 7 hours of sleep. We understand life is busy, but at what cost to your health? Keep your sleep in check!
4. Limit alcohol intake: I know I know. Many people dislike hearing this. But it is true, especially for beer and spirits. They tend to raise visceral fat the most in comparison to other adult beverages.
   

You don’t need an MRI machine. So, here is a decent and reliable indicator for individuals to follow:

• Men: keep under 40 inches (102 cm)
• Women: keep under 35 inches (88 cm)

As your waistline drops, your visceral fat almost certainly is too!

Friends, losing 5–10% of your body weight can reduce visceral fat by 20–30%! That is huge! That single change can lower your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Often more than medications can.

Focus less on the scale and more on fat around the organs.

That’s where real health transformation begins.

Your friend in fitness,

Alexander

To read the full comprehensive study, click here