The Incredible Shrinking Fat Cell…

Q: Dear Tom: : I’ve been enjoying your fat burning tips newsletters and am fascinated by the whole fat burning process, but would actually like to know the science of it all. Would you please try to explain in laymen’s terms exactly how fat cells work and what happens when you start to burn body fat. I heard a statement that the fat cell has to get moved into the muscle cell for it to be released or burned. Thought you could explain a little better.

Sincerely,
Kevin

A: Earlier this week someone in our discussion forum wrote, “I haven’t ‘LOST’ any fat… I know EXACTLY where it went! I got a chuckle out of that because I “got” the joke, but truth is, most people really don’t know how fat cells work, how the fat burning process takes place, or where the fat goes when it’s burned, so this is a really good question.

When you “lose” body fat, the fat cell (also called an adipocyte) does not go anywhere or “move into the muscle cell to be burned”, as it was suggested to you (although that’s not too far off).

The fat cell itself, (unfortunately) stays right where it was - under the skin in your thighs, stomach, hips, arms, etc., and on top of the muscles - which is why you can’t see muscle “definition” when your body fat is high.

Fat is stored inside the fat cell in the form of triaglycerol. The fat is not burned right there in the fat cell, it must be liberated from the fat cell through somewhat complex hormonal/biochemical pathways.

When stimulated to do so, the fat cell simply releases its contents (triaglycerol) into the bloodstream as free fatty acids (FFA’s), and they are transported through the blood to the tissues where the energy is needed.

A typical young male stores about 60,000 to 100,000 calories of energy in body fat cells. What triggers the release of all these stored fatty acids from the fat cell? Ahhh, that’s what we all want to know, right?

Well, it’s simple: When your body needs energy because you’re consuming fewer calories than you are burning (an energy deficit), then your body releases hormones and enzymes that signal your fat cells to release your fat reserves instead of keeping them in storage.

For stored fat to be liberated from the fat cell, hydrolysis (lipolysis or fat breakdown), splits the molecule of triaglycerol into glycerol and three fatty acids. An important enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) is the catalyst for this reaction.

The stored fat (energy) gets released into the bloodstream as FFA’s and they are shuttled off to the muscles where the energy is needed. As blood flow increases to the active muscles, more FFA’s are delivered to the muscles that need them.

An important enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL), then helps the FFA’s get inside the mitochondria of the muscle cell, where the FFA’s can be burned for energy. If you’ve ever taken a biology class, then you’ve probably heard of the mitochondria. This is the “cellular powerhouse” where energy production takes place and this is where the FFA’s go to be burned for energy.

When the FFA’s are released from the fat cell, the fat cell shrinks and that’s why you look leaner - because the fat cell is now smaller. A small or “empty” fat cell is what you’re after if you want the lean, defined look.

It was once believed that the number of fat cells could not increase after maturity, only the size of the fat cells could increase (or decrease). We now know that fat cells can indeed increase both in size (hypertrophy) and in number (hyperplasia) and that they are more likely to increase in number at certain times and under certain circumstances, such as 1) during late childhood and early puberty, 2) During pregnancy, and 3) During adulthood when extreme amounts of weight are gained

Some people are genetically predisposed to have more fat cells than others and women have more fat cells than men. An infant usually has about 5 - 6 billion fat cells. This number increases during early childhood and puberty, and a healthy adult with normal body composition has about 25 to 30 billion fat cells. A typical overweight adult has around 75 billion fat cells. But in the case of severe obesity, this number can be as high as 250 to 300 billion!

The average size (weight) of an adult fat cell is about 0.6 micrograms, but they can vary in size from 0.2 micograms to 0.9 micrograms. An overweight person’s fat cells can be up to three times larger than a person with ideal body composition.

Remember, body fat is basically just a reserve source of energy and fat cells are the like the storage tanks. Unlike a gas tank in your car which is fixed in size, however, fat cells can expand or shrink in size depending on how “filled” they are.

Picture a balloon that is not inflated: It’s tiny when not filled with air - maybe the size of your thumb. When you blow it up with air, it can expand 10 or 12 times it’s normal size, because it simply fills up.

That’s what happens to fat cells: They start as nearly empty fat storage “tanks” (when you are lean), and when energy intake exceeds your needs, your fat cells “fill up” and “stretch out” like balloons filled with jelly (not a pretty picture, is it?)

So when you get leaner, you don’t actually “lose” fat cells, you “shrink” or “empty out” fat cells.

Take Home Lessons:

1. Calories count! The signal that triggers your body to release adipose from fat cells is an energy deficit… you have to burn more than you eat.

2. Cut calories conservatively. Starving yourself may cause quick weightloss at first, but never works long term because it actually decreases the activity of fat burning enzymes that release fat from the cells. to avoid this “starvation mode” use exercise to BURN THE FAT, not very low calorie crash diets.

3. Get control of your weight now. If you are gaining weight, and especially if your weight is climbing upwards out of control, make a decision to STOP RIGHT NOW. Your fat cells might be multiplying, making it more difficult to get lean in the future. NOW is the time!

4. If you’ve already lost weight, you must be forever diligent. Your fat cells are not gone, they have merely “shrunk” or “emptied out.” Fitness is not a 12 week program, its a lifestyle. To stay lean you have to eat clean and stay active

5. Genetics are only a minor factor. You may not have control over how many fat cells you were born with, but you do control the major factors that determine how much fat you store: lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, mental attitude.

Genetics are not an excuse. The past is not an excuse. Your present condition is not an excuse. You can either make excuses or get results, but you can’t do both.

So keep educating yourself about the science, read these newsletters, take action every day and go out there and make it happen!

If you need more help, Burn The Fat is the eating plan that turned it all around for thousands of others… why not you? visit:

www.BurnTheFat.com

Train hard, and expect success,

Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

www.BurnTheFat.com

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:: READER FEEDBACK & SUCCESS STORIES::
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Tom,

I just wanted you to know that I purchased your plan in March of last year, I wrote to you about 4 weeks into the program with having lost 11 lbs. Well as of today I have lost 40 lbs, I went from a size 18 to a size 10.

My daughter got married this past weekend and I was amazed that I reached my goal of wearing a size 10 to her wedding.

I am a nurse, my patient all ask me what my secret is and I tell them, to date I have 25 people who have downloaded your burn the fat program.

The doctor I work for now when anyone asks about loosing weight he gives them the website. He tells my patients that you should pay me for as much as I talk about the plan. I have even had a few patients ask me where that other nurse is, they don’t even recognize me.

Thank you
sincerely,

Linda Hyatt

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Tom,

I read your book cover to cover and put it into practice. I’ve lost more fat and added more muscle. I credit your book with keeping me from falling in the trap of gaining back lost weight - with the knowlege to stay on track.

I also embraced your goal setting advice, and as a result successfully completed two duathlons and a triathlon this year (I learned how to swim last year).

Although I don’t intend to be a competitive body builder, I work on many of the same techniques.

Why am I writing this note to you now? For one thing, I sure have liked being noticed by friends and family for my physique.

But most of all, I was changing my shirt over the weekend, when my 11-year old daughter said, “Daddy, you have an 8-pack!” I grinned from ear to ear. I mean honestly, how many dads get to hear that??

Thank you!!

Tony S

P.S. My cholesterol numbers are so good now, I get a discount on my life insurance policy.

To see more reader feedback and all the latest BURN THE FAT success stories visit this web page:

www.BurnTheFat.com/testimonials

Become the next success story… Get on the BURN THE FAT program today!

www.BurnTheFat.com

03 May, 2007 posted in Reader Q & A