The battle with the bulge is a never-ending battle for many men and women, even kids. Like every tough fight, the ordeal is frustrating and exasperating for some men and women that they land up depressed. The good news is you can eliminate excess body fat with a healthy approach and lifestyle. But, before knowing how to knock off those extra pounds from your body safely, it is important for you to be aware about the types of body fat present in people. Today’s post will delve deep into them and so without much further ado, let’s get to know them here.
Why is too much of body fat bad for you?
The collection of too much of body fat is harmful for your health. Its accumulation anywhere in your body, especially in this mid-section is dangerous. The distribution of body fat, unfortunately, isn’t in our hands and there are four factors, namely, genes, sex, age and hormone levels in our bodies that influence it.
Types of body fat
Many of us are not aware of the fact that there are four types of body fat. Each of them is located in different parts of our bodies. All of them are not the same and function in a similar way. Let us look at them one by one below-
1. Subcutaneous Fat
This type of body fat settles on the top of your muscle, under the skin. 90 percent of the fat in our bodies is subcutaneous in nature. It is the combination of white, brown and beige fat cells. This kind of fat can easily be pinched or squeezed in the belly, arms, thighs or the buttocks. Subcutaneous fat is some volumes in the body is healthy and considered normal. However, too much of subcutaneous fat creates a hormonal imbalance along with body sensitivity.
2. Visceral Fat
Visceral fat is the most dangerous of all the types of fat your body accumulates. It resides in the abdominal region and surrounds the heart, kidneys, intestines and others. It is popularly known as belly fat. Large amounts of visceral fat in your mid-section leads to an enhanced risk of heart disease, diabetes, artery disease, stroke and some types of cancers. You cannot touch but only feel this type of fat as it resides deep down inside your body.
3. Brown Fat
This type of fat is present in babies mostly. Again, adults have this type of fat in small amounts predominantly in their chest and shoulder region. It is a special type of fat that aids in the body to stay warm by burning energy. Research has revealed cold temperatures activate brown fat and help you to burn more calories in the body.
4. Essential Fat
As the name says, this type of fat is needed for a healthy body and life. It is found in the bone marrow, brain, membranes and nerves. It protects the organs. It regulates hormones and controls the absorption of vitamins, fertility and temperature regulation. According to the American Council on Exercise, women are considered to be healthy if 10 to 13 percent of their body’s composition is derived from essential fat while for males, the levels of body fat should be two to five percent.
Body Fat and Cellulite -Are They The Same?
If you are confused about body fat and cellulite- you should know the latter isn’t just fat. It is the result of the accumulation of subcutaneous fat along with fascia breakdown, that is the connective tissue situated under the surface of the skin that keeps it smooth. It also keeps your internal organs in place.
Essentially, fascia is like a web of collagen and elastic fibers that stretch and bend with the muscle. When there is a breakdown in fascia, mostly in women, the muscle pushes the subcutaneous fat up and down through the fascia’s weak spots leading to bumps and lumps that you typically associate with cellulite.
You can bear cellulite with multiple therapies to instantly and temporarily mask cellulite. However, any long-term treatment should have the three following factors to be effective-
- It should assist the production of collagen
- It should boost circulation
- It should target fat cells located beneath the surface of the skin.
If you have too much of body fat, embrace a lifestyle with sufficient hydration, sleep, a balanced diet and exercise. Stay away from junk food and sugary drinks. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables and stick to a healthy routine. Overtime, you will notice changes in your body and the extra fat gradually melting away with success!
