The Good and Bad of All Body Fat Types
Let’s clear the air here: not all fat is bad. As we’re about to uncover, there are more types of fat than you’re probably aware of. Fat isn’t necessarily something to be avoided; it gives your body energy stores to use when you’re not eating enough or enduring something strenuous. Fat protects our organs and helps release hormones to continue feeling our best. Fat only becomes a problem when there’s too much of it, either inside you or outside. Even the ‘good’ fats we touch on in this article can become problematic in extreme quantities. In essence, everything comes down to balance!
Different Types of Body Fat
Time to talk about the different types of body fat! Yes, there are more than one or two types of fat floating around inside you.
1 . Brown Adipose Tissue (Brown Fat)
We will start this list of fat types with what many perceive to be ‘good’ fat. Brown fat helps keep your body warm and likes to reside in your neck and chest. It feeds on your white fat (more on that later), which technically makes it something of a weight loss enthusiast’s best friend. To keep your fat brown stores in good shape, maintain a healthy diet, and don’t skimp on the vitamins!
2 . Beige Fat
The stepchild of brown and white fat is a beige fat. A combination of healthy brown fats and less-healthy white fats, beige fat is surprisingly understudied. It starts as white fat along the spine and in certain parts of the back. When someone participates in strenuous exercise, the hormone irisin is released. This ‘browns’ the fat and turns it into a combination of both brown and white. Want more of it? Work out at least three times a week!
3 . White Fat
White fat is the type of fat you picture when you worry about the decision of having fries or a salad with lunch. It is the one responsible for storing energy reserves. It comes around from having a calorie surplus and is burned when you eat fewer calories than your body needs. White fat is not bad fat! It would help if you had at least a bit of it to regulate your metabolism. The problem arises when you have too much white fat. An excess amount slows your metabolism and allows your body to pile on more fat.
4 . Subcutaneous Fat
Subcutaneous fat is an easy fat type to remember if you think about the word. ‘Sub’ means underneath, and subcutaneous fat is the fat right underneath your skin. If you’ve ever had a body fat percentage index taken, you’re familiar with them pinching this fat. It regulates estrogen hormones, so you need a bit of it; subcutaneous fat is only problematic when it starts piling up around the belly. This squishiness indicates an unhealthy overall body that a weight-loss specialist can address.
5 . Visceral Fat
Visceral fat is the most dangerous kind of fat, mostly because you often cannot see it. You need a bit of it to protect your organs, but it wraps around those organs if left unchecked. This wrapping effect can rapidly increase your chances of severe diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Since visceral fat isn’t always visible, it’s essential to have a healthcare professional or weight-loss specialist evaluate how much you have.
What To Do About Body Fat
Not all fat is unhealthy, but too much of one type is cause for alarm. A high body fat percentage is an indicator of an unhealthy lifestyle. Over time, this unhealthy lifestyle will balloon into medical issues. You don’t want this to happen, so don’t hesitate to talk to a specialist if you fear you’re suffering from an excess of any body fat. We’re always here to help!
For more common weight loss and other related tips, please contact Advanced Medical Weight Loss.
