How to Love Your Fat and Make It Work For You

People talk about losing fat all the time. I even talk about decreasing bodyfat on How to Box - but the ugly truth is that you can't get rid of your fat cells. You're stuck with the ones you have. They will gladly multiply if you fill them full enough, but they will never disappear or burn away. Accept the fact that you'll never have less than you have right now (unless you have them physically removed from your body...)

Hope that didn't discourage you - especially if you're trying to lose weight - but it's not all bad news. You can shrink your fat cells so you barely know they are there and you can even get them working for you in your weight loss efforts.

Contrary to what we've believed for a long time, fat cells (white adipose tissues) are not simply storage mechanisms that don't do anything. They actually release hormones (adipokines) that help regulate body weight.

Optimized Fat Cells

Are Your Fat Cells Toxic?

If your fat cells are working at their optimal level - they are releasing adiponectin and leptin. Adiponectin is the lean body hormone that causes your muscles to use more energy (and thus more calories.) Leptin signals the brain concerning bodyweight and appetite. More leptin = less appetite. For these hormones to be effective, your brain needs to be aware that they exist. Many believe that antioxidants are the key to ensuring inflammation that may be blocking these signals is taken care of so the brain can recognize and become highly sensitive to the presence of these hormones in the body.

How to Optimize Your Fat Cells

There are three things you can start doing right now to ensure your fat cells (no matter how many you have) are working for you and not against you:

1. Move more: Exercise, fidget, walk more...you get the picture. Even when you're sitting around, vibrate a leg, sway, tighten and release muscles - anything you can do to keep yourself from being totally sedentary. Studies show that people who constantly move/fidget have higher levels of adiponectin which is good.
2. Eat more anti-oxidant rich foods: There is a constant battle going on in your body against inflammation. Inflammation will block signals from reaching the brain including how much leptin is circulating. Researchers believe that antioxidants will help resensitize the brain to leptin meaning it then becomes effective in regulating appetite and weight. Blueberries, raspberries, green teas are all excellent sources of antioxidants.
3. Sleep More: Getting behind on your sleep will decrease the amount of leptin your fat cells produce. Decreased leptin = bad. So, this one should be easy. Take that nap you feel like taking. Go to bed earlier and get up later.