Why it wouldn’t be as good as you think, and what would be better.
to you
Frustration with body fat is, unfortunately, a common part of modern life.
It’s partly a result of the overabundance of hyperpalatable, processed foods, and partly from societal pressure to be lean. (Of course, there are many other factors, but these are two of the most notable.)
For many people, body fat is more than just frustrating – it causes a wide array of negative emotions.
Coach Kayla knows this firsthand. She struggled with many of these unhelpful, negative emotions when she let her lifestyle habits get away from her during college. And before I changed my habits, I wasn’t particularly fond of carrying around extra body fat either.
In today’s email, I’m going to cast a different light on body fat, one that will hopefully lead you to a more helpful perspective on it.
Let’s start with the most obvious influencer of body fat – food.
Most people who struggle with body fat also struggle with dietary restriction and/or emotions related to it. And fairly so – modern life is constantly bombarding us with temptations that relentlessly challenge the cravings evolution has hardwired into us.
The saying “between a rock and a hard place” comes to mind.
But what if we could get rid of that rock, or hard place, by being able to eat absolutely whatever we wanted without gaining even an ounce of body fat?
Sounds great, right? But would it really solve anything?
If you couldn’t store unneeded calories from food as body fat, where would they go?
There’s a well-known answer to that question – those extra calories would stay in your blood as excess glucose and triglycerides, and accumulate in your organs, particularly your liver, as fat.
In other words, your capacity to store body fat is like an overflow reservoir that protects your health.
That’s a good thing! A very good thing.
As nice as it would be to eat whatever you want and never gain body fat, not having this reservoir would quickly come at a harsh cost: diabetes, fatty liver disease, and a short lifespan.
Ironically, these are the same concerns associated with having too much body fat. The difference is that without the ability to tuck away extra calories as body fat, these concerns arise much sooner.
We know this from people who physiologically cannot store body fat. It’s a condition called congenital generalized lipodystrophy.
People with this disease, not surprisingly, look lean and muscular regardless of what they eat. But it comes with very unfortunate consequences.
Sadly, these people often develop diabetes before age 20 and die before reaching 30.
Any extra inches you see around your waist, and frown in response to, have ironically — and literally — saved your life!
Shocking when you think about it that way, isn’t it?
But this doesn’t make body fat a get-out-of-jail-free card.
There’s a limit to the amount and persistence of excess it will let you “get away” with. Alarmingly high rates of preventable metabolic diseases, like diabetes and fatty liver disease, are undeniable evidence of this.
So, if you have a few extra inches, be thankful for them (as unwelcome as they may be) because they’ve helped spare you from an early demise.
Be kind to yourself, too, because in the context of body fat, there’s no reason not to be.
But at the same time, respect those extra inches as a warning sign of the health risk that could still lie ahead if you don’t make some adjustments.
Next time you feel frustrated by body fat, pause to consider what habits your body might be trying to protect you from.
And realize that it’s about more than risk avoidance. It’s about living better, which is what those adjustments will more than likely help you do. More energy, more vibrance, more confidence.
A more aesthetically impressive physique isn’t the main priority here. It’s just a secondary bonus, if you want it. 😉
To respecting body fat for what it is,
Dr. Vin
🆘 Want help making the adjustments needed to decrease body fat in a sustainable, health-promoting way? Schedule a free call with Coach Kayla to hear more about our coaching options and whether or not they’d be a good fit for you.