Visceral fat is everywhere on social media right now—but how much of what you're hearing is actually true?
In this episode of Girls Talk Healthy Aging, Alli and Shawna break down what visceral fat really is, why it matters for your health, and why women often notice changes in abdominal fat during perimenopause and after menopause.
Visceral fat is the fat stored deep inside the abdominal cavity around your organs. Unlike the subcutaneous fat you can pinch, visceral fat is more metabolically active and is associated with increased risk for conditions such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
But here's where social media can make things confusing: visceral fat isn't a completely different kind of fat that requires a special diet, supplement or workout to eliminate.
Alli and Shawna talk about:
- What visceral fat actually is—and how it's different from subcutaneous fat
- Why women tend to store fat differently from men
- How estrogen influences fat distribution throughout a woman's life
- Why the transition through perimenopause and menopause can lead to more abdominal and visceral fat
- Why the changes you see in your waistline aren't always simply about gaining weight
- Whether you can actually "target" visceral fat
- The role of calorie balance in reducing excess body fat
- Why resistance training and aerobic exercise both matter
- The importance of protein and preserving muscle during midlife
- How sleep and stress can influence body composition and metabolic health
- What we know—and don't know—about menopause hormone therapy and visceral fat
- The social media claims about belly fat that deserve a healthy dose of skepticism
Most importantly, Alli and Shawna cut through the "belly fat hacks" and bring the conversation back to what actually matters for healthy aging: strength training, movement, nutrition, adequate protein, sustainable habits, sleep, stress management and consistency.
Your body isn't broken because it changes during midlife. Your hormones, body composition and fat distribution change—and your approach to health and fitness may need to evolve with you.
No magic tricks. No fear-mongering. Just the science and practical strategies midlife women can actually use.
Listen in and share this episode with a woman who has been wondering what the heck is going on with her belly after 40!
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📧 Email: sapodcast23@gmail.com
Follow & Message Shawna on Instagram: @shawnakaminski
Grab Shawna's book 'Lose Your Menopause Belly' and other freebies here: https://shawnakworkouts.com
Follow & Message Alli on Facebook & Instagram: Alli Kerr and @allikerrfitness (respectively).
Train with Alli at The Pink Physique in person in Macon, Georgia or Online here: https://www.thepinkphysique.com
Sources (Evidence-Based)
- National Institutes of Health / NCBI menopause and physiology resources
- PubMed indexed studies:
· Sex differences in fat distribution PMC4326001
· Menopause and visceral fat meta-analysis PMID:31034807
· Estrogen and fat distribution 41598677
· Hormonal influence (testosterone/estrogen balance) PMC2866448
· Menopausal transition timing 35814604
