Noticeable to our view fatty deposits, those that defiantly stick out on the abdomen, are busted with cellulite on the hips, are gathered by wrinkles at the waist - like a visible part of the iceberg. And there is still hidden under the water column, or rather - inside our body. But in general, many of us have too much fat, so that experts seriously talk about the epidemic of obesity that swept whole nations. For example, in the US, excess fat reserves have about 2/3 of adults. Almost 20% of the inhabitants are burdened by the UK. According to estimates of domestic specialists, the diagnosis of "obesity" can be placed 25-30% of Russians. And what to do with all this fat ?!
gold reserve
So experts call functional fat, or the upper layer of subcutaneous fat. As a rule, it is distributed evenly over the surface of the body, serving as a heat-insulating lining between the skin and muscle tissue. It is he, being the most "fusible", first leaves when trying to lose weight, but also immediately returns, as soon as we stop limiting ourselves to eating.
Modern scientists consider subcutaneous fat as one of the endocrine organs. Here, female sex hormones are produced and stored to preserve our beauty and health after the onset of menopause. But its main function is to provide us with energy substances. Therefore, a zealous female organism, disregarding the fact that the figure can blur in all directions, assiduously stores it under the skin: "Suddenly a pregnancy, and we are not ready with a mistress ?!" While the fat tissue does not accumulate in sufficient quantity (about 15% of body weight), the menstrual function will not work properly and conception is under big question. For example, too subtle Mile Jovovich, who turned to doctors about infertility, experts just advised to "eat" a few pounds. Now the Hollywood star is nursing her daughter.
Try to assess your own subcutaneous fat reserve, which is quite easy. It is normal, if you can tear the skin on its side above the hip and over the biceps free-hanging hand, but the resulting fold does not exceed 2.5 cm.
Structured Fat
It is the basis for the construction of cell membranes and the myelin sheath of implicit fibers - a kind of insulation coatings, like wire from an iron. Even if the body is completely depleted, it will not burn a gram of structural fat! With its help, strong protein compounds are formed-lipoprotein complexes, or lipoproteins. You must regularly check their blood levels! Lipoproteins have a high and low density. The first are designed to transport "good" cholesterol, necessary for the work of the heart and the whole body. The latter suffer a "bad" cholesterol, it is deposited in the walls of the vessels and can cause atherosclerosis. The level of high-density lipoproteins can not be lower than 1.6 mmol / l, with a low - not exceed 3.4 mmol / l.
Energy in reserve
Reserve fat is a convenient form of fuel storage for the body. First, fat, supplied with food, is split in the intestine to fatty acids - triglycerides. Then, with the blood flow, they are delivered to cells where, under the action of enzymes, they burn in the power stations - mitochondria with the formation of heat, due to which our body is heated and functioning. Part of fatty acids is used for building purposes and repair work that is carried out in the body. And the excess goes to the reserve depots, real fat traps. In them, even a woman with a normal weight can contain up to 15 kg (!) Of triglycerides. Thick and inert "spare" fat most often surrounds the hips, lower abdomen, waist and buttocks, its cells easily tolerate hunger, can steadfastly "resist" the diet and increase in lightning under the influence of glucose, that is, when the diet is dominated by carbohydrate food. Still want to eat the cake for tea?
Since the amount of the reserve depends on the nature of the diet, observe the daily intake: 15-20 g of animal fats in terms of butter and e fat traps. In 1-2 table, spoons of vegetable oil.
Internal enemy
The most harmful fat is visceral. This fat accumulates around the internal organs, serving as a shock absorber for them from shocks and shocks. However, when the normal amount of this fat in the body is exceeded, there is a threat of predisposition to diabetes, can develop atherosclerosis, obesity of the heart, liver and many other diseases.
The ideal ratio of visceral fat is only 10-15% of the reserve. The results of measurements indicate that body fat is more than normal, but there are not so many visible subcutaneous deposits. So, the main reserves are concentrated inside. They accumulate under the influence of stress, under which there is a release of the hormone cortisol, which breaks the fat metabolism, and also when we move little. If they are more than 25%, health is in danger! And how much do you have? The scales with the function of measuring hidden fat or fat analyzer will help to give an accurate answer - such are in many fitness clubs. And you can go through a water test, for example, by putting an experiment in the pool. Lay your back on the water, stretching out your arms and legs, exhale, hold your breath and count.
- Not reaching 30, go to the bottom - you have less than 13% of adipose tissue. It's not enough, get better!
- At the expense of 30-40 gradually submerged in water - slightly more than 20% fat, it's normal for a woman.
- Counted to 60, but did not start to sink? Fat in the body is more than 25% - you need to get rid of it! Translate the internal fat into a functional one, delivering triglycerides to the mitochondria of cells, wherever they burned without a trace, amino acid L-carnitine (it contains meat, milk, food supplements) and aerobic exercise will help: walking, running, swimming, cycling.
Brown fat as a remedy for extra pounds
It is found only in newborns who need a lot of energy for active growth and heating of the body. The brown fatty tissue plays the role of the thermal station of the infant organism, and in combination - the hemopoietic organ. After all, it is so strangely colored because it (and not only in the bone marrow!) Contains foci of hematopoiesis with stem cells. However, already at the 2nd month of the child's life these foci disappear, only nonfunctional white fat remains, which, moreover, becomes more mild. Scientists are trying to make a color revolution: to make white fat turn brown. The triglycerides contained in its cells will not be stored on demand, but, on the contrary, will burn quickly and without a trace without much effort. This is theoretically possible due to the special structure of brown cells. In them, unlike whites, which contain a large droplet of fat, surrounded by a ring of cytoplasm, there are small fat droplets dispersed in the intracellular fluid. In addition, brown fat cells are surrounded by a much larger number of capillaries, because it requires a lot of oxygen to burn it. And they have the ability to transform into muscle fibers. This process is carried out with the help of special proteins. If they "helped" translate white fat into brown, wait until the body burns it, and then get the fat cells free from triglycerides to degenerate into muscle cells, obesity in our society would disappear as a diagnosis. This problem would be completely and finally solved, thanks to the normal amount of fat in the body. Perhaps this will be available to humanity in the future.