All About Fat Loss

Another of the topics I see regularly on the forums is from people who really don't understand the principles of Weight loss (more properly known as FAT Loss). There is often this focus of 1200 Calories being a magic number with little to no attention being given to the quality of food being eaten along with the entire lifestyle of choices that lead to an individual carrying additional weight. As well, many people seem overly focused on the number on the scale as their only goal, rather than an overall healthy body composition.

With that in mind, the following article below should help clarify a better understanding of what body fat is, what it's all about, and steps that can be taken to shed some of it for a leaner physique.

Cheers!

All About Fat Loss by Ryan Andrews (Published: August 9th, 2010)

We store fat in adipose tissue in our bodies — mostly under the skin (subcutaneous) or in the body cavity (visceral), with a small amount in our muscles (intramuscular). Body fat is an energy storage depot. When the substances providing energy become sparse in your bloodstream, the body detects this and calls on fat reserves for backup.

Fats are stored as triglycerides in fat cells and are released via the activity of an enzyme known as hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). This allows fatty acids to enter the blood, where they circulate bound to a protein called albumin and enter muscles to be “burned.” “Burning” of fat is also known as beta-oxidation.

Why is fat loss so important? - As a group, people in most industrialized societies are likely to be over-fat. This isn’t just a cosmetic problem. Excess body fat can negatively affect nearly every facet of life, including:
- Decreased mobility
- Poorer emotional health and self-esteem
- Increased risk of organ failure
- Poorer circulatory health
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Increased risk of stress fractures
- Increased risk of strokes
- Increased risk of cancers
- Decreased sexual and reproductive health

Bottom line: Carrying a lot of excessive body fat makes health, body composition, and athletic performance worse.

But here’s the problem — collectively, we’re not very good at LOSING fat either.

Even modern advancements in obesity treatment (e.g., bariatric surgery, medication, etc) have a success rate of less than 10% for permanent weight reduction/management. About 95% of those who are overweight go on repeated diets, only to gain most or all of the weight back within one year. Nearly 70% of the United States is overweight or obese. The percentage of 12 to 17 year olds who are overweight has doubled since 1980.

We need a better solution. Knowing how fat loss works may be helpful.

What you should know:

Fat cells are a major storage site for body fat, and are in a continuous state of turnover. Fat metabolism is regulated independently by nutritional, metabolic, and hormonal factors; the net effect determines levels of circulating fatty acids and the extent of body fat.

Fatty acid release and use requires lower insulin levels and an increase of the hormones glucagon, cortisol, epinephrine, and growth hormone. These “anti-insulin” hormones activate HSL. The other major hormone that influences fat metabolism is thyroxine (thyroid hormone).

After a large feeding, glycogen is synthesized until stores are replenished. If high blood sugar persists, glucose is converted to fatty acids. Amino acids can also be converted to fatty acids. The enzyme necessary for cells to accept triglycerides is lipoprotein lipase. In the un-fed state, insulin concentrations fall, and the anti-insulin hormones increase. This accelerates fat use.

When we decrease our caloric intake significantly, the body preserves fat stores very efficiently. Since insulin is low, thyroid hormone production is decreased. With this, resting metabolism is lowered. This can take place within 24 hours of starting an extreme diet. The body’s response to calorie deprivation makes rebound weight gain all but definite once the diet is discarded. Muscle is usually lost, so the body usually becomes fatter.

Fat loss is a complex problem. With our focus on specific nutrients, intense nutrition counseling, dieting and processed food consumption over the past 30 years, body fat levels have also increased. In other words, more information, more dieting, more junk food has given us more fat.

While some of this may seem counter-intuitive, it illustrates the importance of body awareness (hunger/satiety cues), avoidance of processed foods, regular physical activity and influential food advertising.

Recommendations To maintain a low body fat and/or lower body fat:
- Exercise at least 5 hours per week
- Eat whole/unprocessed foods at regular intervals, while being aware of physical hunger/fullness cues
- Sleep 7-9 hours per night
- Don’t engage in extreme diets
- Stay consistent with your habits
- Incorporate non-exercise physical activity
- Ignore food advertising

Factors associated with lower levels of body fat include:
- Nuts
- Green tea
- Low energy-density foods
- Dietary protein
- Avoiding refined carbohydrates
- Adequate hydration
- Dietary fibre
- Fruits and vegetables
- Regular exercise
- Adequate sleep
- A supportive social network

While cortisol can break down muscle tissue, it can also break down body fat. If you increase physical activity and nutritious food intake, metabolism will increase.

Blaming weight gain on calories is like blaming wars on guns. The diet is not the cause of excessive body fat levels. Rather, it’s the entire lifestyle.

Severe calorie deprivation also inhibits the production of serotonin, a brain chemical needed to control appetite and maintain harmony with food.

References
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Murray RK, Granner DK, Mayes PA, Rodwell VW, eds. Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry. 26th ed. McGraw Hill. 2003.

Barnard ND, et al. Nutrition Guide for Clinicians. 1st ed. PCRM. 2007.

Howley ET & Franks BD, eds. Health Fitness Instructor’s Handbook, 4th ed. Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL. 2003.

Bullo M, et al. Inflammation, obesity and comorbidities: the role of diet. Public Health Nutr 2007;10:1164-1172.

Garcia OP, et al. Impact of micronutrient deficiencies on obesity. Nutr Rev 2009;67:559-572.

Anderson AS & Caswell S. Obesity management – an opportunity for cancer prevention. Surgeon 2009;7:282-285.

Dennis EA, et al. Beverage consumption and adults weight management: A review. Eat Behav 2009;10:237-246.