Targeting internal body fat
emmaedwards7528610
Posts: 38
Hi,
I'm a bit confused and I need some help. So I have already lost 10lb, putting me at a very healthy BMI of 23.1 (5'7" and 10st8lb) and size 10.
Outwardly I look quite lean, my arms, back and hips are slim and a little muscular, I have muscular legs and also have a boyish frame with not much boobs or bum! I do have a little belly fat but my waist measurement is less than 81cm (the danger level I believe).
However, when I went on the fat measurement scales at the gym, my body fat percentage is 32.5%!!! I was told that this is much too high for a women of my age (33) and I need to lose it for health.
I know that internal fat can gather around the internal organs and that it's very dangerous,however I don't know how to lose it. Through diet and exercise I seem to be 'slimming', but don't really want to lose much more weight as I start to lose it in my face and chest and don't look great.
Does anyone know how to target visceral internal fat?
I'm a bit confused and I need some help. So I have already lost 10lb, putting me at a very healthy BMI of 23.1 (5'7" and 10st8lb) and size 10.
Outwardly I look quite lean, my arms, back and hips are slim and a little muscular, I have muscular legs and also have a boyish frame with not much boobs or bum! I do have a little belly fat but my waist measurement is less than 81cm (the danger level I believe).
However, when I went on the fat measurement scales at the gym, my body fat percentage is 32.5%!!! I was told that this is much too high for a women of my age (33) and I need to lose it for health.
I know that internal fat can gather around the internal organs and that it's very dangerous,however I don't know how to lose it. Through diet and exercise I seem to be 'slimming', but don't really want to lose much more weight as I start to lose it in my face and chest and don't look great.
Does anyone know how to target visceral internal fat?
0
Replies
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You can't target certain parts, certainly you can't target places like midriff or hips, so I assume you can't target internal fat either. Just have you keep losing fat in general and your body will take it from where it takes it. From what I've heard those machines can be terribly inaccurate anyway.
Also, less than 81cm round your waist is danger level? Mine is 68cm. Where are you measuring your waist?
EDIT: Wait I think I misunderstood the waist measurement bit, I thought you meant less than 81cm was dangerous, not more than 81cm.0 -
Just to add those body fat measurement at gyms (normally electrical impedance) are notoriously inaccurate. So I would take that figure with a pinch of salt.0
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You can't target certain parts, certainly you can't target places like midriff or hips, so I assume you can't target internal fat either. Just have you keep losing fat in general and your body will take it from where it takes it. From what I've heard those machines can be terribly inaccurate anyway.
Also, less than 81cm round your waist is danger level? Mine is 68cm. Where are you measuring your waist?
EDIT: Wait I think I misunderstood the waist measurement bit, I thought you meant less than 81cm was dangerous, not more than 81cm.
wrong.
Cardio/ getting your heart and blood vessels to work properly will lower the fat in blood vessels and around your organs. how ever normal dieting will generally have the greatest affect on subcutaneous fats (fat between muscle and skin.)
and 31% is relatively high for a 33 year old, so i would suggest adding cardio into your routine (if your not already doing so) and cutting the calories. Bio-electric impedance scales are affected by hydration levels, so can be out by about 4%0 -
Thanks everyone. Yes I meant that I'd heard over 81cm is dangerous (and may higher risk of diabetes). I do some cardio, but not a whole heap as it makes me crave carbs and last time I went into training for a run I ended up putting on weight! Now I do dynamic yoga five times a week, cycle 30miles a week and occasional weights and dance classes.
I don't really diet but instead try and eat healthy, small frequent meals and no refined carbs or sugar and only complex carbs before 2pm.
I will up the cardio a bit and see if it makes a difference.0 -
you get a carb craving?
satisfy it with eating cardboard. now you will lose some weight adn be healthier!0 -
You can't target certain parts, certainly you can't target places like midriff or hips, so I assume you can't target internal fat either. Just have you keep losing fat in general and your body will take it from where it takes it. From what I've heard those machines can be terribly inaccurate anyway.
Also, less than 81cm round your waist is danger level? Mine is 68cm. Where are you measuring your waist?
EDIT: Wait I think I misunderstood the waist measurement bit, I thought you meant less than 81cm was dangerous, not more than 81cm.
wrong.
Cardio/ getting your heart and blood vessels to work properly will lower the fat in blood vessels and around your organs. how ever normal dieting will generally have the greatest affect on subcutaneous fats (fat between muscle and skin.)
and 31% is relatively high for a 33 year old, so i would suggest adding cardio into your routine (if your not already doing so) and cutting the calories. Bio-electric impedance scales are affected by hydration levels, so can be out by about 4%
Didn't know that, thanks.0 -
you get a carb craving?
satisfy it with eating cardboard. now you will lose some weight adn be healthier!
Dumb0 -
You can't target certain parts, certainly you can't target places like midriff or hips, so I assume you can't target internal fat either. Just have you keep losing fat in general and your body will take it from where it takes it. From what I've heard those machines can be terribly inaccurate anyway.
Also, less than 81cm round your waist is danger level? Mine is 68cm. Where are you measuring your waist?
EDIT: Wait I think I misunderstood the waist measurement bit, I thought you meant less than 81cm was dangerous, not more than 81cm.
wrong.
Cardio/ getting your heart and blood vessels to work properly will lower the fat in blood vessels and around your organs. how ever normal dieting will generally have the greatest affect on subcutaneous fats (fat between muscle and skin.)
and 31% is relatively high for a 33 year old, so i would suggest adding cardio into your routine (if your not already doing so) and cutting the calories. Bio-electric impedance scales are affected by hydration levels, so can be out by about 4%
Wrong.
Normal dieting works first on the visceral fat, that is why people lose quite a lot of weight before their external shape starts to change and if you lose weight, ie fat, you will lose visceral fat. No argument about cardio being good for you, but it has little regard for which type of fat deposits it may affect. Recent studies show with exercise alone it is virtually impossible to lose weight, calorie control without exercise will result in weight loss0 -
no, the first weight loss is water weight. water weight is the first thing to drop as it is easily manipulated with sodium intake. so thats why if you eat 'healthier' (less salt) your weight will drop.You can't target certain parts, certainly you can't target places like midriff or hips, so I assume you can't target internal fat either. Just have you keep losing fat in general and your body will take it from where it takes it. From what I've heard those machines can be terribly inaccurate anyway.
Also, less than 81cm round your waist is danger level? Mine is 68cm. Where are you measuring your waist?
EDIT: Wait I think I misunderstood the waist measurement bit, I thought you meant less than 81cm was dangerous, not more than 81cm.
wrong.
Cardio/ getting your heart and blood vessels to work properly will lower the fat in blood vessels and around your organs. how ever normal dieting will generally have the greatest affect on subcutaneous fats (fat between muscle and skin.)
and 31% is relatively high for a 33 year old, so i would suggest adding cardio into your routine (if your not already doing so) and cutting the calories. Bio-electric impedance scales are affected by hydration levels, so can be out by about 4%
Wrong.
Normal dieting works first on the visceral fat, that is why people lose quite a lot of weight before their external shape starts to change and if you lose weight, ie fat, you will lose visceral fat. No argument about cardio being good for you, but it has little regard for which type of fat deposits it may affect. Recent studies show with exercise alone it is virtually impossible to lose weight, calorie control without exercise will result in weight loss
OBVIOUSLY dieting will have some effect, but there are many studies saying that actually doing the cardio will lower your visceral fat even being caloric neutral.
i also cant believe how near stupid your last sentence was. such an obvious thing to say just trying to make yourself sound smart, it doesnt take a study to show that.0 -
also that post was meant in jest.you get a carb craving?
satisfy it with eating cardboard. now you will lose some weight adn be healthier!
Dumb
i was trying to say to get over your craving for carbs. then you get to your goal.
if you are going to go to the gym and sweat you balls off, you obviously cant be that motivated to not eat a shed load of carbs and jeopardise your goal.0 -
those scales can't tell the difference between fat and water. do a proper measurement and go from there.0
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also that post was meant in jest.you get a carb craving?
satisfy it with eating cardboard. now you will lose some weight adn be healthier!
Dumb
i was trying to say to get over your craving for carbs. then you get to your goal.
if you are going to go to the gym and sweat you balls off, you obviously cant be that motivated to not eat a shed load of carbs and jeopardise your goal.
I rarely eat carbs (and never sugar), but the only time I crave them is if I do loads of cardio.
As I said before, I'm not really looking to lose more external weight as I am happy with how my body looks. I'm just worried about visceral fat for the sake of my health... 31% is high yet I don't appear to be carrying much fat, my build is more muscular than anything, so just wanted to see if there was a way of losing that. Health is my only real goal, not looking thin.those scales can't tell the difference between fat and water. do a proper measurement and go from there.
Any idea where I can get a "proper" measurement, if those gym scales aren't accurate?0 -
those scales can't tell the difference between fat and water. do a proper measurement and go from there.
^ This. Those scales don't work and often give wildly inaccurate readings.
Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you shaped the way you want to be shaped? If yes, that's great. If not, perhaps some strength training to fill out areas with muscle through modest bulking and cutting cycles would help. You can't build breasts except through surgery but you can build a backside with squats.0 -
Don't you love gyms that use those hand-held devices that scare the ever-loving crap out of you with the inaccurate body fat readings so you pay for expensive gym services, like personal trainers, to reduce that extra super secret hidden body fat?
Yeah, me too.0 -
those scales can't tell the difference between fat and water. do a proper measurement and go from there.
^ This. Those scales don't work and often give wildly inaccurate readings.
Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you shaped the way you want to be shaped? If yes, that's great. If not, perhaps some strength training to fill out areas with muscle through modest bulking and cutting cycles would help. You can't build breasts except through surgery but you can build a backside with squats.
I'm a natural 'apple' shape so have to watch my belly (I know being an apple-shape raises risk of diabetes and heart disease), but other than that I am happy with my body shape. I do 1-2hours of Ashtanga (dynamic) yoga five times a week, and that seems to give me nice muscle definition without being 'bulky". I only ever seem to put fat on around my middle, but as I originally said, I have recently shed 10lb of that through diet. I have been thinner than this before, but I lose it off my face and chest and it doesn't really suit me.
It was just the idea of my internal organs being encased in fat that freaked me out! My dad had heart disease before he died, even though he was never outwardly overweight (or smoked or drank), and I know there is Type 2 diabetes in the family, so just really want to stay healthy. I know it's hard to spot-reduce fat.
Does anyone know if there is an accurate way of measuring internal body fat.0 -
I spot reduce visceral fat by doing liver and kidney exercises. Also, work your gall bladder, pyloric, and other sphincters.Hi,
I'm a bit confused and I need some help. So I have already lost 10lb, putting me at a very healthy BMI of 23.1 (5'7" and 10st8lb) and size 10.
Outwardly I look quite lean, my arms, back and hips are slim and a little muscular, I have muscular legs and also have a boyish frame with not much boobs or bum! I do have a little belly fat but my waist measurement is less than 81cm (the danger level I believe).
However, when I went on the fat measurement scales at the gym, my body fat percentage is 32.5%!!! I was told that this is much too high for a women of my age (33) and I need to lose it for health.
I know that internal fat can gather around the internal organs and that it's very dangerous,however I don't know how to lose it. Through diet and exercise I seem to be 'slimming', but don't really want to lose much more weight as I start to lose it in my face and chest and don't look great.
Does anyone know how to target visceral internal fat?
But seriously, I have a 'visceral fat' thing on my Omron scale and it has finally gone down from '8' to '6' after staying at '8' for quite some time, and my gut is finally starting to shrink even though there's not much squish remaining on the outside.
Also, those scales are inaccurate but if you get a good model they are also consistent. So whether or not the absolute number on it is correct, you can still tell whether you're making progress, so it's worthwhile to track your result over time on the same scale, as long as you understand that it's the change that matters.0 -
You would need access to a very hi tec piece of equipment called a bod pod.
In the UK they are mainly found in hospitals and Universities - and private medical centres I assume.
You can book a session, it isn't very expensive in some Unis - about £45 according to Google! Cheaper than I thought!0 -
those scales can't tell the difference between fat and water. do a proper measurement and go from there.
^ This. Those scales don't work and often give wildly inaccurate readings.
Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you shaped the way you want to be shaped? If yes, that's great. If not, perhaps some strength training to fill out areas with muscle through modest bulking and cutting cycles would help. You can't build breasts except through surgery but you can build a backside with squats.
I'm a natural 'apple' shape so have to watch my belly (I know being an apple-shape raises risk of diabetes and heart disease), but other than that I am happy with my body shape. I do 1-2hours of Ashtanga (dynamic) yoga five times a week, and that seems to give me nice muscle definition without being 'bulky". I only ever seem to put fat on around my middle, but as I originally said, I have recently shed 10lb of that through diet. I have been thinner than this before, but I lose it off my face and chest and it doesn't really suit me.
It was just the idea of my internal organs being encased in fat that freaked me out! My dad had heart disease before he died, even though he was never outwardly overweight (or smoked or drank), and I know there is Type 2 diabetes in the family, so just really want to stay healthy. I know it's hard to spot-reduce fat.
Does anyone know if there is an accurate way of measuring internal body fat.
If you are an "apple shape" then I'm guessing you have a way to go on losing body fat, and where that fat resides isn't going to matter much right now.
This is the problem with these threads without pictures and stats. Just keep losing weight.0 -
I have a scale that reads body fat (probably similar to the one at the gym) that said I was 33% body fat at 149 pounds. I lost 22 pounds (ticker shows 9, I lost most of it with weight watchers then started gaining, so I switched to MFP) and added strength training (along with the cardio I was doing). My scale still says 32-33% body fat (and it's a high-end model), but professional testing shows I went from 32% to 26%. I know that even if I hadn't exercised I still would have lost some fat, so I really can't rely on a scale for body fat. Go by how you look and measurements, or get an accurate fat measure professionally. You can get a body fat measurement through some gyms, but I did mine at the local hospital (I work there so they are offering things like the bodpod and other testing for free or reduced prices).0
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those scales can't tell the difference between fat and water. do a proper measurement and go from there.
^ This. Those scales don't work and often give wildly inaccurate readings.
Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you shaped the way you want to be shaped? If yes, that's great. If not, perhaps some strength training to fill out areas with muscle through modest bulking and cutting cycles would help. You can't build breasts except through surgery but you can build a backside with squats.
I'm a natural 'apple' shape so have to watch my belly (I know being an apple-shape raises risk of diabetes and heart disease), but other than that I am happy with my body shape. I do 1-2hours of Ashtanga (dynamic) yoga five times a week, and that seems to give me nice muscle definition without being 'bulky". I only ever seem to put fat on around my middle, but as I originally said, I have recently shed 10lb of that through diet. I have been thinner than this before, but I lose it off my face and chest and it doesn't really suit me.
It was just the idea of my internal organs being encased in fat that freaked me out! My dad had heart disease before he died, even though he was never outwardly overweight (or smoked or drank), and I know there is Type 2 diabetes in the family, so just really want to stay healthy. I know it's hard to spot-reduce fat.
Does anyone know if there is an accurate way of measuring internal body fat.
If you are an "apple shape" then I'm guessing you have a way to go on losing body fat, and where that fat resides isn't going to matter much right now.
This is the problem with these threads without pictures and stats. Just keep losing weight.
When I say apple shape, I don't mean literally, lol) I mean I'm prone to weight gain just around my middle opposed to being pear shaped or hourglass. There have been studies that say it is more dangerous to carry weight around your middle rather than your hips, as it puts you at higher risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Stat wise I am 5'7" and 10st7 (lost another pound since this thread started) I haven't got my tape-measure to hand but wear a UK size 10, and am approx 34"chest 30"waist.
I will try and lose a bit more weight, but it's just a shame you can't spot reduce, as I don't want to lose it from certain areas.0 -
How is cycling 30 miles a week not a lot of cardio?0
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I'm no Lance Armstrong, lol. I use my bike for transport mainly, so not racing bike or mountain biking/offroad. I reckon I do get a bit of cardio from it, but it's rarely a full-on sweaty workout (hills certainly get the heart-rate up). Cycling doesn't burn as many calories as you would think I'm afraid.0
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I'm no Lance Armstrong, lol. I use my bike for transport mainly, so not racing bike or mountain biking/offroad. I reckon I do get a bit of cardio from it, but it's rarely a full-on sweaty workout (hills certainly get the heart-rate up). Cycling doesn't burn as many calories as you would think I'm afraid.
A cardio exercise is not about burning calories or how much you sweat. It's about strengthening your cardiovascular system.0 -
How is cycling 30 miles a week not a lot of cardio?
180 pound person cycling 30 miles is burning somewhere around 1600 calories.
It's a great accomplishment if the starting point was nothing at all, but there are still a couple of notches left to get to "a lot of cardio".0 -
How is cycling 30 miles a week not a lot of cardio?
180 pound person cycling 30 miles is burning somewhere around 1600 calories.
It's a great accomplishment if the starting point was nothing at all, but there are still a couple of notches left to get to "a lot of cardio".
I guess I just want to understand what her definitions of "a lot of cardio" is, since she says she craves carbs after doing cardio.0 -
If it hasn't already been posted... this is a handy link to find out your body fat %age.
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bf/
Originally found in 'road map' post.0 -
The gold standard for body fat % measurement is the DEXA scan. Perhaps googling to find a location near you that does this might be of value. The scales or hand held devices are not in any way accurate. The amount of error, even using the same device on the same person for them is huge. The second best choice is the Bod Pod. Again, you may have some place near you where you can get tested. Both of these are better ways than pretty much anything else.0
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Wut? Explain how cardio lowers fat in blood. I'd love to hear the explanation.Cardio/ getting your heart and blood vessels to work properly will lower the fat in blood vessels and around your organs. how ever normal dieting will generally have the greatest affect on subcutaneous fats (fat between muscle and skin.)
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Practically all exercise along with a calorie deficit has an impact on visceral fat. One could do HIT with just weights and lose visceral fat.OBVIOUSLY dieting will have some effect, but there are many studies saying that actually doing the cardio will lower your visceral fat even being caloric neutral.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
How is cycling 30 miles a week not a lot of cardio?
180 pound person cycling 30 miles is burning somewhere around 1600 calories.
It's a great accomplishment if the starting point was nothing at all, but there are still a couple of notches left to get to "a lot of cardio".
But that's over a week's time, right?0
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