3 BIG Stomach Fat Myths to Avoid
by Kevin DiDonato, MS, CSCS, CES
Fifty years ago, adding physical activity and changing your diet were all you needed to do to lose weight and keep it off.
However, flash forward to today, and the same formula for weight loss does not hold true.
In fact, today there are many other factors which contribute to weight gain, and why for millions of people worldwide, it is much harder for you (and them) to lose weight.
Chronic inflammation, which is low-level inflammation that is present in your body and could signal the start of many different disease processes, is on the rise and could be the leading cause for dysfunctional fat cells.
Dysfunctional fat cells, research suggests, could inhibit your fat cells' ability to secrete powerful hormones. These powerful hormones could be the key to helping you lose weight.
By not secreting these hormones, your body may have a harder time using stored fat, which could prevent you from having a lean and tone figure.
Today, we have debunked some of the common myths associated with your fat cells.
Myth #1: Your Fat Cells Are Just A Storage Unit - FALSE
People once thought of fat cells as pockets where fat from food goes - allowing for storage of fat to be used for energy later.
Now, however, research suggests that your fat cells are, in fact, alive and metabolically active.
Your fat cells, commonly known as white adipose tissue, could be the largest endocrine organ in your body.
Just like your thyroid and pancreas, your fat cells release many different hormones, which directly impact your weight loss success.
One hormone in particular, Adiponectin, could help you lose weight and keep it off.
However, research shows that being overweight could cause your fat cells to slow the secretion of Adiponectin and other key hormones, which could make it even harder for you to lose weight.
Chronic inflammation, which is low-level inflammation and is always present in your body, could cause your fat cells to become dysfunctional, therefore altering their ability to release powerful weight loss hormones.
Myth #2: Your Fat Cells Can Burn Off - FALSE
Your fat cells shrink but they do not burn off.
This means that during exercise, or cases of extreme fasting, your fat cells release stored fatty acids for use as calories (energy).
This could help to shrink the SIZE of the fat cells.
However, by overeating, there is an influx of calories which your body tends to store as fat.
And this could increase the size of your fat cells. However, when your fat cells are at full capacity, they send a signal to smaller, undeveloped fat cells, to divide and take on more fatty acids.
This could create more fat cells to store extra fatty acids.
Myth #3: What You Put in (and on) Your Body Can Slow Fat Loss - TRUE
There are a lot of factors involved when you are trying to lose weight now, than there were 50 years ago.
Exercise and diet do play a role in your body’s ability to burn stored fat; and this could enhance your fat cells' ability to secrete hormones, causing you to lose weight.
However, there are certain environmental factors which need to be considered when you are trying to lose weight.
Today, there are more hormones and antibiotics injected into livestock which, once eaten, could alter the hormone levels in your body.
Plus, there are also hundreds of chemicals that you are exposed to over the course of the day, which could also alter your hormone levels and lead to weight gain.
Certain chemicals act as endocrine blockers and potentially could alter your ability to gain lean mass by throwing your hormones out of whack.
This could increase the storage of fats from your blood, making it harder for you to lose unwanted belly fat.
Optimize Your Fat Burning Potential
Research suggests that your body could have toxic fat cells, which could limit your fat cells' ability to secrete powerful weight loss hormones.
Toxic fat cells could also increase your risk for developing heart disease, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.
However, by losing weight and altering your hormone levels, you could have the ability to transform your fat cells, making them happier and healthier for years to come.
However, flash forward to today, and the same formula for weight loss does not hold true.
In fact, today there are many other factors which contribute to weight gain, and why for millions of people worldwide, it is much harder for you (and them) to lose weight.
Chronic inflammation, which is low-level inflammation that is present in your body and could signal the start of many different disease processes, is on the rise and could be the leading cause for dysfunctional fat cells.
Dysfunctional fat cells, research suggests, could inhibit your fat cells' ability to secrete powerful hormones. These powerful hormones could be the key to helping you lose weight.
By not secreting these hormones, your body may have a harder time using stored fat, which could prevent you from having a lean and tone figure.
Today, we have debunked some of the common myths associated with your fat cells.
Myth #1: Your Fat Cells Are Just A Storage Unit - FALSE
People once thought of fat cells as pockets where fat from food goes - allowing for storage of fat to be used for energy later.
Now, however, research suggests that your fat cells are, in fact, alive and metabolically active.
Your fat cells, commonly known as white adipose tissue, could be the largest endocrine organ in your body.
Just like your thyroid and pancreas, your fat cells release many different hormones, which directly impact your weight loss success.
One hormone in particular, Adiponectin, could help you lose weight and keep it off.
However, research shows that being overweight could cause your fat cells to slow the secretion of Adiponectin and other key hormones, which could make it even harder for you to lose weight.
Chronic inflammation, which is low-level inflammation and is always present in your body, could cause your fat cells to become dysfunctional, therefore altering their ability to release powerful weight loss hormones.
Myth #2: Your Fat Cells Can Burn Off - FALSE
Your fat cells shrink but they do not burn off.
This means that during exercise, or cases of extreme fasting, your fat cells release stored fatty acids for use as calories (energy).
This could help to shrink the SIZE of the fat cells.
However, by overeating, there is an influx of calories which your body tends to store as fat.
And this could increase the size of your fat cells. However, when your fat cells are at full capacity, they send a signal to smaller, undeveloped fat cells, to divide and take on more fatty acids.
This could create more fat cells to store extra fatty acids.
Myth #3: What You Put in (and on) Your Body Can Slow Fat Loss - TRUE
There are a lot of factors involved when you are trying to lose weight now, than there were 50 years ago.
Exercise and diet do play a role in your body’s ability to burn stored fat; and this could enhance your fat cells' ability to secrete hormones, causing you to lose weight.
However, there are certain environmental factors which need to be considered when you are trying to lose weight.
Today, there are more hormones and antibiotics injected into livestock which, once eaten, could alter the hormone levels in your body.
Plus, there are also hundreds of chemicals that you are exposed to over the course of the day, which could also alter your hormone levels and lead to weight gain.
Certain chemicals act as endocrine blockers and potentially could alter your ability to gain lean mass by throwing your hormones out of whack.
This could increase the storage of fats from your blood, making it harder for you to lose unwanted belly fat.
Optimize Your Fat Burning Potential
Research suggests that your body could have toxic fat cells, which could limit your fat cells' ability to secrete powerful weight loss hormones.
Toxic fat cells could also increase your risk for developing heart disease, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.
However, by losing weight and altering your hormone levels, you could have the ability to transform your fat cells, making them happier and healthier for years to come.
