“Subcutaneous fat” is the squishy fat between your skin and muscle that helps keep you warm, cushions you against shock, and stores extra calories. It is the fat that you can pinch easily from just about anywhere on your body.  “Visceral fat” stores calories too, but isn’t as pinchable because it is located primarily around your organs.  Too much visceral fat can be dangerous to your overall health. There’s no sure-fire way to tell visceral from subcutaneous fat short of an expensive CT scan, but you can get an idea of what your visceral fat level is by calculating your Waist-To-Hip Ratio (WHR).

Start by measuring your waist and then find the widest part of your hips (across your butt) and measure that circumference.  WHR = (Waist circumference) / (Hip circumference).  Healthy levels are as follows:  Men should have a WHR of less than 1, while women should have a WHR of less than 0.8.

Some tips for losing dangerous fat and maintaining a healthy lifestyle include: 

• Go beyond weight tracking. You can track your waist, hip and even neck circumference on various apps. Use this feature to see how your measurements change over time as you lose weight.
• Sweat for 30-60 minutes each day. Visceral fat responds well to regular endurance exercises, such as running, biking, rowing, swimming, that elevate your heart rate. As your body uses fat to fuel exercise, it’ll start using up your visceral stores.
• Eat a well-balanced diet. Eat a diet high in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean protein with calories set for gradual weight loss (e.g. about 1-2 pounds per week). Cut way back on added sugars and alcohol since these nutrients will more likely end up as visceral fat.
• Sleep more, stress less. It’s easier said than done, but in order to take care of your physical body, you have to take care of your mental state. Sleep loss and stress can sabotage your health and fitness goals, so learn more about getting a quality night's rest and use meditation or yoga to calm your mind. 

If you are looking to lose weight, it is always best to consult your physician before starting any program.  

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