Weight Loss - Body Fat

Weight Loss is all about controlling the body fat, which comes directly from the food we eat or the liquid we drink. This fat is then digested by enzyms in the gut that then transport the digested fat, via blood stream, through out the body. However, if the body doesn't use this fat for energy, then it's stored as body fat (which we all recognise and can see).

Despite popular beliefs, not all fats are bad. There are three types of fats:

Unsaturated Fat
Unsaturated Fat is essential for your body's function. This is because certain crucial vitamins need fat to be absorbed into your body. It is for this reason that if your body's fat percentage falls below a certain level then it will result in fatal consequences. It is also important that you understand that the body can not produce fat by itself, and therefore, it is important that your weight loss diet contains certain amount of unsaturated fat.
Trans Fat
Saturated Fat

The Saturated or Trans fats are to be completely avoided as they are linked with conditions such as heart disease etc. When doctors recommend that fat is to be avoided, it is these types of fats that they are talking about.

So why does the body stores fat?

Fat is stored to ensure body has certain amount of stored energy to function should there be a case where the body is unable to get food as and when it is required. However, being used as a "reserve", it means the body will use both glucose and then carbohydrate first as energy before resorting to using the body's fat reserve. Its for this reason that its important to burn more calories than you take in as you can then be sure to use your energy reserves, the body fat.

Where is fat stored?

Fat is stored mainly under the skin, but some fat is also stored around the organs of the body (mainly the liver, the kidneys and the heart arteries). From a superficial point of view, it is for this reason that we are unable to see the muscle definition of an obese person. It is not that they do not have muscle definition, its just that its hidden under a layer of fat stored under the skin.

To help you shed body fat please go to fat loss tips page, but please consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise.

Children & Obesity

In simple terms, obesity is caused when the body stores excessive calories. Obesity in civilized countries is reaching epidemic proportions. What is worrying is that the children too are now more obese than ever before in the history of man kind!

Child Obesity and Weight Loss

Calories and Weight Loss

Weight loss depends on the amount of calorie intake. Calories are used by the body to perform its day-to-day functions. However, when the calories taken in is greater than the energy burnt, then the excess calories are stored as fat. The most common reasons for excessive consumption of calories are:

Psychological
Emotional
Lack of knowledge
Habit

calories and weight loss

Weight loss plans

There are a number of VERY dangerous diet plans used to target weight loss. A dangerous, or misleading, diet is one which provides "rapid" result. Remember, in order for a diet to be effective and safe, your body needs time to adjust to the change in your lifestyle. This is because rapid dieting will almost always have health consequences, and in fact research has also shown that as soon as your body adjusts to the diet, you will start to put on weight at even a higher rate than before.

Weight loss diet

Weight Loss plans to be avoided

For legal reasons we are unable to actually name dangerous or misleading weight loss diets, however, the following is a list which should help you identify these diets for yourself.

Any diet that cuts out any essential food groups (Specially carbohydrates!)
Any diet that promises or guarantees fast result
Any diet that involves you drinking only liquid food.
Any diet that involves you buying processed and ready made "food substitutes".

Weight loss diets

Diet

The food you eat is the single most important factor in your weight loss program. Weight loss is only achieved through a healthy diet.

Weight loss diet and health

Exercise

Exercise is vital not only to a safe weight loss plan, but, is also crucial to the general operation and well being of the human body.

Weight loss exercise

Measuring Body Fat

Measuring the Body Fat is a much more accurate way of measuring how your weight loss program is going than using a bathroom scale. The bathroom scales are highly misleading!

Measure Body Fat

Swimming

Swimming is a VERY effective and safe way of burning calories. Its one of the safest ways of exercising as you do not put any excessive force on the joints.

Swimming

Walking

Walking is one of the safest form of exercise as you burn those calories without excessive wear and tear on the joints.

Walking

Pilates and Yoga

Pilates and Yoga are important to any weight loss program as they both encourage good body posture and alignment.

Pilates