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All Fat is Not Created Equal PART 2
Health | February 24, 2015
This article is a continuation of my previous article ‘All Fat is Not Created Equal’ so in case you haven’t read that already, you should 😉
White Fat vs. Brown Fat
Scientists are aware of at least two types of fat in our bodies. What they haven’t known, until recently, is how these different types of fat interact and affect us.
White Fat
Upwards of ninety percent of the fat in our bodies is white fat. White fat is basically that mild, pleasant coworker of yours that’s not too much of a bother, but not all that exciting either. White fat stores energy, insulates us from cold (in case you happen to be reading this in Antarctica) and, most importantly, jiggles when we have too much of it. Usually when people think of body fat they are thinking of white fat.
Brown Fat
Though not nearly as abundant as white fat, brown fat is fresh, exciting and up for adventure by comparison. Only recently have researchers discovered the tremendously beneficial role brown fat may play in our body.
The body burns brown fat to keep us warm. If calories are wood, then brown fat is a campfire. It is found in greater abundance among people who live and experience colder climates. Interestingly enough, newborn babies can’t shiver. Instead, they burn deposits of brown fat to maintain their body temperature. In general, children have more brown fat than adults. Brown fat is found in vital areas around the heart, brain and spine.
What researchers are discovering is that the greater prevalence of brown fat means less white fat. If brown fat can be encouraged, the chronic risks and conditions associated with excess white fat might just diminish.
The Role of Exercise
Up until recently researchers thought that the only way to encourage brown fat was to lower body temperature because of the higher rates of brown fat among people living in colder climates. However, new research indicates that exercise may allow white fat to act in a manner similar to brown fat.
This 2012 study published in the scientific journal, Nature, suggests that exercise can turn white fat into brown. Dr. Bruce Spiegelman, a professor of cell biology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, found that when exercising muscle cells release a hormone known as irisin. Irisin turns white fat cells into brown fat cells and, as a result, burns more calories…
So, all that being said, start exercising with me in the ZGYM now to get your fat into shape and working for you and not against you!
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Great article! Thank you for spending the time on the research! 😀
Private Member |
Wow, this is such a great article ! A total motivation 😉
The picture I funny 🙂
Private Member |
interesting article. Maybe I should have more cold showers after I workout 🙂
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
The brown vs white is not so new as I learned about it 20 yr ago for my biology degree. But the interesting recent news is the good news !we can still have the brown as an adult again.
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Reply
Hello to all. Zuzka and Hello to you too .. I would open a conversation on a topic that concerns us women .. We all at least almost all I want and wear shoes with heels … I personally I would start to take them but do not know where to start and i do not know if there are any exercises that I can start to bring good shoes with heels ..
Zuzka you have any advice for us? I ask all advice and wanted to express myself with you … Thanks to all for your answers .. Hello Girls
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
Sorry I don’t exactly understand the question: you would like to start wearing high heel shoes? well…my advice is DO NOT wear high heel shoes: it is bad for feet, ankle and overall body posture.
If you would like advise on how to start getting rid of high heel shoes, well..there is no mystery to that. Take them off, and wear flatter shoes.
I have been wearing flat shoes nearly my whole life. I am now getting into minimalist now and had experienced negative heels for a few years (though I don’t wear them all the time). those are very beneficial for my posture (and does a great work on extra workout). I walk in socks or barefoot as much as I can, and workout barefoot as much as I can.
I have several shoes with high heels, and were them on special occasion…like junk food, it is bad so keep it restrictive.
Hope you’ll find anything useful in this answer.
Private Member |
Excuse me, maybe I have not expressed well in question. My question was this .. If you want to start wearing shoes with heels, or just with a Po-heel There are some exercises to start bringing the high shoes with a little heel? I wanted to share with you fans. This question. Because maybe there ‘was someone else who wanted to have a board on this. Zuzka, you have some advice for us? Thanks again for your answers.
Private Member |
sydney, nsw, australia
I have a question about dietary fat after your workout. Does it matter if you eat some healthy fat after your workout, or should you stick to just protein and some carbs?
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Thanks a lot Laila 🙂 Thanks so much for your advice ..
Private Member |
Its great that you inform everyone about the new research, but it is even greater that you reference your sources. Sometimes when I read your articles I like to go straight to the source for further research and sometimes just to make sure it is not completely bogus material that has become “popular” to talk about but completely untrue. However, do you have something like a works cited page? The links you provide to the websites your referencing work great, but I think it would lend you more credibility to fully cite the reference somewhere in your articles or have a webpage that serves as a library of your article titles and their cited references. With more credibility I think it would make you appear less like you are cherry picking your arguments to convince people to join ZGYM and more that you care about providing quality workouts, research, and ideas to the members of ZGYM. I am a member of ZGYM, just in case your wondering. Ultimately this is just a suggestion from my own overly skeptical and scrutinizing mind, I love most of your articles. But I think having works cited would make your research based blog/articles look more professional and separate you from all other blogs/health articles on the internet that are more about the latest fad than fact.
Thanks Zuzka
Private Member |
I agree, Paul! I love Zuzka’s research and her informed opinion. It adds confidence to my workouts :).