Do You Know Your Fat?

This illustration depicts visceral fat, which can cause health issues in overweight people as well as those with a healthy weight.

Before anyone takes this headline the wrong way, it is grammatially correct. I’m asking if you know, or understand, the differences in the types of fats in your body? So let me explain.

First off, there are two types of fats that can accumulate in your body. Subcutaneous fat, which is the type of fat that lives under your skin, makes you “fluffy”, gives you bingo arms and love handles. Typically when you lose weight, this is the fat that you “lose” first. But you’re really not losing fat, you’re shrinking the fat cells. We are born with a certain number of fat cells and unless they are surgically removed, you will always have them. They expand and contract based on your weight.

Viceral fat is the more dangerous fat. It’s the fat that accumulates around your vital organs, causing them to not operate efficiently. It is considered “active fat” and reacts to hormone changes. Storing too much visceral fat can lead to glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, breast cancer and even Alzheimer’s. The stress hormone, cortisol, has been found to be a culprit in signiticantly increasing visceral fat. A Yale study from 2000 claims that, especially women who have “Greater exposure to life stress or psychological vulnerability to stress may explain their enhanced cortisol reactivity. In turn, their cortisol exposure may have led them to accumulate greater abdominal fat.” Cortisol is the stress, or “fight or flight” hormone. When stress causes cortisol to kick in, your body doesn’t know if you’re running from a tiger or running on a treadmill. Basic functions like digestion slow down, so energy can be sent to the essential organs, heart, lungs and muscles, so you can run for your life. This explains why high cardio activity isn’t always the best choice, especially for perimenopausal and menopausal women, because it can cause an increase in cortisol. When you secrete cortisol each time you face a stressor, it leads to chronically elevated stress levels. . When cortisol isn’t used, it turns to, you guessed it, glucose, whiich is stored as fat. Visceral fat can be prevalent in thin people as well. The condition, TOFI (Thin Outside/Fat Inside, or skinny-fat) can lead to the same health concerns in thin people.

Thankfully the solution is simple, but it takes work and habit change. Strength training is better than cardio for reducing stress. Resistance workouts, even with light weights, build muscle and help to increase metabolism, which burns fat. Follow a high protein diet, remove sugar and sweeteners from your diet and eat more healthy fats, so your body burns fat for fuel, rather than sugars, and fill up on fiber from vegetables. These are not necessarily “low calorie” foods, however they are the right foods for your body. They contain the nutrients your body needs and are the most bio-available, meaning, your body can use every part of what you consume, which is why calorie restriction isn’t always the answer to losing weight.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 1000 times, if you eat 100 calories of gummy bears, or an apple, which contains 100 calories, which do you think is more nutritious and ultimately more bio-available? The answer is obvious. Counting calories is outdated and deceptive. Think quality of of food, not quantity. Reduce stress levels, start a restorative exercise regimen, meditate to reduce stress levels, get outside, sleep 7 to 8 hours each night. Fill your plate with proteins, vegetables and healthy fats. You’ll feel full longer, have more sustained energy, increase metabolism and shrink fat cells. Know your fat, know yourself.