A few years ago I was spending almost $500 a month on fitness.
I had a personal trainer. I was going to CrossFit and spin classes. From the outside, it looked like I was doing everything right.

Then I got a DEXA scan. My body fat came back at 46.5%.
That result shocked me. Not because I thought I was lean — but because I realized something important:
​Trying hard isn’t the same as having the right system.

This is incredibly common for people with desk jobs.
You might work out a few times a week, but still spend most of the day sitting. You might eat foods that seem “healthy,” but without a clear framework for nutrition, protein, movement, and strength training working together, nothing really changes.
​
And over time, body fat slowly creeps up. The part that concerned me most when I started learning more about body composition was visceral fat.

Not all fat is the same.

Some fat sits under the skin — this is what most people think about when trying to lose weight. But visceral fat sits deeper in the abdomen and surrounds organs like the liver and pancreas.

Higher levels of visceral fat are linked to increased risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

This matters even more for South Asians. Research shows we tend to develop metabolic issues at lower BMI levels, and often carry more visceral fat even when weight appears “normal.”

In other words, the typical advice of “as long as you’re not overweight, you’re fine” doesn’t always apply to our population.

For me, this is when fat loss stopped being just about aesthetics. It became about long-term health and longevity.
And the solution usually isn’t just working out harder or trying another diet. Most people are already putting in effort.
​
What’s often missing is a clear strategy and structure.

Once I understood that, everything about my approach to health changed. And now it’s something I care deeply about helping other people figure out too.
​
- Sanjana

PS — If you’ve ever wondered what your own body composition or metabolic health actually looks like (beyond just the number on the scale), this is exactly the kind of thing I help clients understand and improve.

I currently have room to take on a couple more 1:1 coaching clients starting in March. If you'd like help building a structured plan for fat loss and long-term metabolic health, you can book a strategy call here.