Dropping body fat is rarely about one magic fix. It usually comes down to how you eat, how you train, and how consistently you stick with both. But when it comes to health risks, not all fat behaves the same way. According to Dan Go, fitness coach with over 20 years of experience, the more concerning type isn’t the fat you can pinch. It’s the kind you can’t see.
Sharing insights on Instagram on February 9, Dan broke down why visceral fat deserves far more attention than it usually gets.
Visceral fat vs subcutaneous fat: Why the hidden fat is more harmful
Body fat broadly sits in two categories. Subcutaneous fat lives just beneath the skin. It’s the softer layer most people notice around the arms, thighs, or waist. Visceral fat, on the other hand, sits much deeper. As Dan describes it, it’s “the fat wrapped around your liver, pancreas, and intestines” that “pumps inflammatory compounds into your bloodstream” all day, every day.
That constant inflammatory activity is what makes it riskier from a metabolic and cardiovascular standpoint. “Too much visceral fat silently destroys your body and brain,” the fitness coach shared.
He added that individuals in the top quartile of visceral fat percentage face sharply elevated risks, including 10 times higher odds of hypertension and six times higher odds of diabetes. “Cardiovascular disease risk jumps 55%,” he noted. “Midlife belly fat predicts Alzheimer's markers 20 years before symptoms appear.”
Optimised Mediterranean diet for visceral fat loss: What makes it different
When it comes to reducing visceral fat, Dan says the approach doesn’t need to be extreme. In his post, he called his recommendation the “world's easiest diet”, claiming it can cut visceral fat by 14% even without visible weight loss. “It's not keto. It's not carnivore. And it's definitely not about counting calories,” he stated.
Instead, the fitness coach advocates for an Optimised Mediterranean Diet. Compared with a standard healthy diet and even the traditional Mediterranean model, he claims an optimised version rich in polyphenol-heavy foods “dropped the most visceral fat, by 14%.”
Key foods and nutrition habits that target visceral fat
According to Dan, following this dietary pattern involves a few non-negotiables:
- Zero alcohol
- Eliminating processed foods
- Prioritising protein at 0.7 to one gram per pound of body weight
- Focusing on fish and chicken
- Eating two cups of dark berries daily
- Replacing the second coffee with green tea
- Adding polyphenol-rich greens like spinach, kale, and arugula at every meal
- Including fermented foods and bone broth for gut health
The emphasis stays on anti-inflammatory, fibre-rich, and antioxidant-dense foods that support metabolic function while targeting visceral storage.
Time-restricted eating for visceral fat reduction
Beyond food choices, meal timing plays a major role. Dan highlights time-restricted eating as one of the most effective add-ons. This involves finishing the final meal of the day three to five hours before sleep.
“It’s not what you eat. It’s when you stop eating,” he noted. He explains the mechanism simply. “Time-restricted eating works because your body finally gets a break from constant digestion. Insulin drops. Fat burning starts.”
Exercise routine to support visceral fat loss
Diet alone isn’t the full picture. The fitness coach stresses pairing nutrition with structured movement. Strength training, daily walking, and occasional HIIT sessions help preserve muscle while body fat drops. This combination supports metabolic health rather than just scale weight.
How long it takes to reduce visceral fat
Results, he says, depend heavily on consistency. “It takes around 90 days of concentrated effort to see significant reductions,” stated Dan. “Not 90 days of ‘pretty good.’ Ninety days of solid execution.”
The takeaway from his framework is straightforward. Reducing visceral fat isn’t about crash diets or short bursts of motivation. It’s about steady nutrition, structured training, and habits that are sustainable enough to maintain well beyond those first 90 days.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
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