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The High Performance Journal - August 5th, 2025

My client Jay looked normal by most accounts. Sure, he was slightly overweight, but he could hide it well in his clothes.

Everyone (even him) thought he was healthy, but when he did his DEXA scan, the technician went quiet.

"You have over 4 pounds of fat strangling your organs."

When we checked his blood work, we found out he was pre-diabetic, and his visceral fat was killing him silently.

That's when he realized the fat you can't see is the fat that ends up killing you.

Fast forward 90 days.

We used a protocol to remove 60% of visceral fat from his body. His doctor said he added 20 years to his life.

And it's the same protocol I've used to get my body to near-zero levels of visceral fat:

So if you want to lose this dangerous fat off your body once and for all, keep reading.

You ready? Let's go 🔥

If I Had 5 Lbs Of Visceral Fat To Lose, Here’s Exactly What I’d Do (Step-by-Step)

Visceral fat is the most dangerous fat in the body.

It surrounds your internal organs in the abdomen, producing hormones and inflammatory substances that increase your risk of:

• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Various types of cancer

If you want to check how much visceral fat you have on your body, the best way is to get a DEXA scan or a CT scan.

The next best way to track visceral fat is to measure your waistline:

• For guys, a waistline of 40 inches or more indicates unhealthy levels
• For ladies, a waistline of 35 inches or more indicates unhealthy levels

Something you need to know is that not all fat is created equal.

Subcutaneous fat is benign, while visceral fat is metabolically active, being strongly linked to chronic health problems, making it more dangerous to your overall health.

Getting rid of it is not about what you do once, but about creating systems so you can eliminate and make sure it never comes back.

Step 1 - Engineer Your Fat Loss Environment 

Visceral fat, not weight, is the strongest predictor of metabolic disease
— J. American College of Cardiology, 2006

— David Sinclair (@davidasinclair) July 27, 2025

We all know that to lose fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit. That's a given.

What most people don't understand is that your hormones have a tremendous effect on your ability to lose visceral fat and keep it off.

The first thing we did with Jay was eliminate the things that would attract visceral fat to his body like a magnet:

• No alcohol
• Limit sugars
• Avoid most hyper-processed foods

Instead of thinking that you need to add things to your systems, you need to remove things to improve system performance.

There were two other counterintuitive things we did with his diet, but I'll discuss them later in the article.

Step 2 - The 3 Types of Exercise

Some say fat loss is 80% diet. I disagree.

The right workouts are essential for supporting a healthy metabolism and improving your odds of losing visceral fat.

First, we added strength training three times a week, with rest days in between. Each session focused on either increasing reps or improving strength in key lifts.

This helped preserve muscle, and by the end of 90 days, Jay lost nearly 30 pounds of fat and gained 3 pounds of lean mass, increasing his basal metabolic rate:

Second, we used incline walking with an under-the-desk treadmill. We set a step target between 7,000 and 15,000 per day, which I’ve found to be a sweet spot for fat loss.

Third, we added one weekly HIIT session on his stationary bike. High-intensity interval training consistently outperforms long, steady-state cardio for reducing belly fat.

Step 3 - The Green Mediterranean Diet

This type of diet emphasizes more veggies and fish while eliminating processed meats.

We also ate a modified low-carb diet, getting 100-125 grams of carbs per day while emphasizing polyphenol intake in his diet in the form of berries and apples.

But why? The Green Mediterranean Diet has been shown to reduce visceral fat 2x as much as the standard Mediterranean diet.

This is because of its ability to reduce inflammation and improve gut health.

Step 4 - The Circadian Nutrition Protocol

Science is showing it’s not just what you eat, but when you eat it.

Jay’s high-stress job and habit of skipping breakfast led to late-night binges and poor sleep.

We introduced a ridiculously simple Circadian Nutrition Protocol (explained in the video above):

1. Stop eating 4 hours before bed
2. Eat a high-protein (30+ grams), nutrient-dense breakfast within an hour of waking
3. Place lunch between the two meals

The results were powerful. Jay dropped 30 pounds and 10% body fat. He felt full most of the time, had steady energy, and his sleep dramatically improved.

Step 5 - Making One Slight (But Effective) Change To Sleep

I've been drinking a special sleep tea 2 hours before bed and it's changed my life:

It contains chamomile, glycine, and sea salt.

The chamomile relaxes me while the glycine improves sleep quality.

The sea salt helps me absorb water so I don't wake up to go pee at night.

— Dan Go (@FitFounder) March 16, 2025

This is the part most people gloss over, which is a shame because it’s the key that can unlock everything, especially if you're sleep-deprived.

Jay was crushing it professionally, but his sleep habits were holding him back. He was getting just 6 hours a night. Quality wasn’t the issue. Quantity was.

So we ran a challenge to stick to this simple wind-down routine:

• Bluelight blockers
• Hot shower
• Sleep tea (image above)
• One extra hour of sleep per night.

The results? Life-changing.

Over 90 days, that’s 90 extra hours of real recovery. His energy shot up. Mood improved. And the usual culprits of stress, hunger, and cravings were easier to deal with.

The Final Word

Most people carry hidden visceral fat without even knowing it.

If you're unsure, start by checking your waistline using the measurements above.

For anyone over 40, I recommend getting a DEXA scan once a year. It tracks fat, lean mass, bone density, and visceral fat. You might be surprised by the results.

If you’re dealing with excess visceral fat, you now have a proven step-by-step plan. It worked for Jay, and it’s worked for many of my coaching clients, too.

Onward and upward. 🚀

- Dan

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:

1. The Lean Body 90 System: When you’re ready to get in great shape, Lean Body 90 is the obvious choice. You can get in great shape and reach your fitness goals in just 90 minutes a week. Lose weight and build muscle even without hours in the gym or highly restrictive diets. Join 1000+ students here.

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Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.

References

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