Putting the Fat Away

Fat is essential. We all need a certain amount of fat in order to protect our organs, and it also forms a vital part of many hormones, our brain and many other cells. We all have essential fat. There is, however, a marked difference between the way in which men and women store their fat.

Women were originally designed to be able to reproduce, so Mother Nature gave us extra storage sites for fat—on the breasts, hips and thighs—in order that it would be readily available to supply all the nutrients required to nourish a growing baby. Unfortunately Mother Nature was rather indiscriminate when dishing out these supplies; she didn’t account for the fact that not all women choose to have children or for the fact that after we’ve had our families,we don’t need these extra stores anymore. Many women struggle for years to get rid of a bulge that is, in fact, specifically designed to be there. They just don’t understand why they can’t get rid of it. The truth is, we can reduce these bulges quite drastically, but if that’s where our fat cells are located, we can never eliminate them completely.

What you eat and whether or not you exercise are not the only factors that determine how you look; genetics also plays a key role. It is generally accepted that we lay down or fill our fat cells during three stages in our lives. The first is while we are in the womb, and obviously we have no control over that because it is dependent on the genetic makeup we have been given by our parents. The second stage is the first 12 months of life. Again this is outside our individual control and dependent on what we are fed. The third and final stage, however, takes place during the “growth spurt” years, usually our early teens. This we do have more control over—but how many of us really thought that far ahead when we were spending our dinner money on a bag of chips and a can of soda? (Recent research has also shown that obese people can stimulate fat cells to multiply further.)

So when many of us reach adulthood unhappy about the way we look, we think we can change a pattern in just a few weeks or months that has taken years to develop. No, permanently changing body composition takes time, dedication and acceptance of what you are realistically able to achieve.

If, during all three stages, we have developed more fat cells than are necessary (remember that some fat is essential), it does not mean that they have to be filled with fat. Think of your fat cells as tiny sacks that take up almost no room at all when they are empty but lots of room when they are full. If you look at your mother and see that she stores most of her fat on her thighs, then the chances are that you will, too. However, you don’t have to store as much. That will depend on what you eat and how much you exercise. Genetics determines where your fat cells are located—but you determine what and how much you put in them.

There have been many theories about why women have evolved the way they have. The body has an essential need for the fuel that comes from the foods we eat—it’s common sense. In this day and age, most of us are fortunate enough to live in an environment in which the food supply is never in question. We always know that food is available. If we take a look back at how we evolved, however, we see that it wasn’t always quite so simple.

The most important benefits you will achieve from the articles of this site—if you follow the recipes and the exercises—are the benefits to your health. You will have more energy; you will be stronger; your circulation will improve (which may improve your skin and your hair); and you will be able to really live life to the fullest, and probably live longer. You will also lose fat, and this will change how you look—but that is an added bonus.

Think health first.