It probably won’t surprise you to learn that one of the main topics of conversation at a weight loss clinic in Victorville, CA, is fat. Reducing body fat, and building muscle instead, is at the heart of any sort of weight loss plan. To do that, it’s helpful to understand how the fat on your body works, and the differences between the various kinds of fat your body can produce.
Why do we have fat?
Fat in the human body serves several purposes. Its main purpose is to act as energy storage. When you eat more than you need, your body packs those calories away for later in the form of fat. This was a great survival mechanism back when early humans were roaming deserts or living rough in the jungle, but it’s not so helpful these days.
Also, fat provides insulation and physical protection.
What Types of Fat Are There?
It’s a little complicated, but basically, there are white fats and brown fats.
White Fat is what most people think of when they think of body fat. It makes up most of the fat on an adult human body and, as mentioned, its primary purpose is energy storage. Everyone has some white fat, and they should. A healthy person will have approximately 20% body fat, give or take.
White fat comes in two varieties, subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is fat that’s just below the surface of the skin, and what creates the physical appearance of fat. Visceral fat is much worse – it stays deep within the abdomen, potentially inhibiting the function of vital organs.
The other type of fat is brown fat, which a Victorville weight loss clinic might also call “good fat.” Brown fat actually burns calories, because it converts extra energy into heat. There’s another variation called beige fat, which is a mix of brown and white, and it also burns calories.
Where does fat go when you lose weight?
Believe it or not – out your mouth! When you burn fat, it converts to energy, and most of what’s left is carbon dioxide which you exhale. However, some bits of it will also come out through sweat and other bodily fluids.
RCMC Helps You Keep the Weight Off
We are a top-quality weight loss clinic in Victorville, CA, with a long history of success! Contact us for a free consultation to start your weight loss.