Your Most Important Number

Reading time: about 4 minutes

Hey Brothers,

I’m Len. Welcome back to the LenDentonThrive Letter. 

If you’re 10 or more pounds overweight, here’s a serious question for you: What’s the most important number you need to stay focused on?

Hint… it’s not

… your blood pressure,

… your cholesterol,

… your personal best deadlift weight, 

…how many reps you can bench press,

… or even the amount of money in your bank account! (Remember, health is your first wealth!)

Nope, it’s none of those!

Your most important number is your Waist-to-Hip ratio (or WHR)!

I can almost hear a collective groan rising from the audience.

But stay with me on this because I’m going to show you why the smarter, not harder crowd will be focused right here!

What is Waist-to-Hip Ratio

The Waist-to-Hip ratio is a simple comparison of the circumference of your waist to the circumference of your hips. See Figure 1 below:

The WHR is a useful tool for two reasons:

First, It’s a simple measurement that anyone can do at home. You don’t need special tools or lab kits. And, because it’s easy, you can repeat it often as part of your ongoing tracking process.

Second, and most important, the WHR is a great way to measure visceral fat, or belly fat! It’s a more effective measure than BMI (Body Mass Index). 

And, let’s be clear - visceral fat is enemy #1 when it comes to your health and fitness! That’s because visceral fat is much more than a cosmetic concern. 

Visceral fat is an active and toxic agent within your body! It’s typically located near your important organs (liver, heart, and pancreas). And, visceral fat secretes harmful hormones that can increase your risks for chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers and dementia. Because of this, the continued presence of visceral fat over time leads to early death!  (See Figure 2)

The recommended range for WHR for men is 0.90 or less. According to UCLA Health, anything above a 0.90 signals an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes. Even more concerning, there is a 75% greater risk of dying from any cause in men with a WHR of 1.0 or more! 

Here’s a squick example of how to use the WHR.

Let’s say John took the following measurements:

Waist = 39 inches

Hips = 34 inches

John’s WHR calculation is: 39/34 = 1.147

John’s WHR is more than 1.0, meaning that he is at high risk of developing serious health issues, including a higher risk of death. John needs to consider taking some immediate actions to bring his WHR closer to the recommended 0.9 target. We’ll address how to do that next.

So, whether you’re 30 or 70, there are serious risks associated with visceral fat. Not only is this excess belly fat unattractive, it’s attacking your organs and metabolism every moment of the day!

What To Do About Visceral Fat 

Are you at or near a point where your WHR might be a concern? If so, then here is an action plan you can implement in your situation to get on the path to progress:

First, it’s a good idea to measure and track your WHR as part of your ongoing fitness dashboard. It’s easy to do, and the information it contains is vital to your ongoing health and fitness. I recommend that you check it monthly (on the same day of the month) and write it into your dashboard or fitness journal.

If your WHR is above 0.90, it’s time for action. I recommend three specific actions.

1 - Eat Smarter: give your nutrition and daily diet an upgrade. Check out this resource on how to convert food from being your worst enemy to being your secret weapon.  

2 - Move More: increase your activities to burn more calories. Check out this resource to learn how getting more steps in your day will improve your fitness without grueling workouts.

3 - Sleep Better: Yup! Sleep is a key ingredient in weight and fat loss! Check out this resource and this one to see how better sleep leads to better weight loss. (Trust me on this one, guys!) 

WHR For The Win

Your waist-hip ratio is a great tool to help you understand and manage the important role that visceral fat plays in your overall health and fitness. Add it to your fitness toolbox today!

Remember:

God loves you… He wants you to thrive…Let’s go! 

Thanks for reading this week!

Len