When a person wants to lose weight, he just wants to get rid of excess fat. However, in the reality it often turns out that the majority of modern diets and training methods cannot burn fat. The result is that people together with fat lose muscle mass.
The Role of the Thyroid Gland
Low thyroid hormone level often causes a general slowing of the metabolic rate, including the inhibition of processes of fuel utilization by muscles, lack of power, increased sensitivity to cold and catarrhal diseases. Today low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets have high popularity. People suffering from insulin resistance may gain an advantage from them by adjusting the nutrition plan according to what they need. But, nevertheless, the burning of fat by means of a high fatty, carbohydrate-free diet is not welcomed.
Temperature and the Burning of Fat
The metabolism of fats is affected by the ambient temperature and we can use this fact. By exposing to extremely low temperatures the body wastes more energy and generates heat using unpaired proteins (UCP). Being inside the membranes of mitochondria, UCP carries out anions through them, thereby creating a proton injection which bypasses the energy utilization in the form of ATP. This causes the loss of energy (heat). In the context of such thermogenic effect UCP reduces cellular ATP level, creating a negative energy balance in the cells and forcing them to generate more energy. Moreover, negative energy balance in cells reduces the level of insulin.
In practice, you can benefit from the activity of the non-paired proteins, exposing yourself to low temperatures. An example is a contrast shower. It is recommended to alternate warm and cold stream, ending with the cold water. Short-term influence of cold increases the activity of unpaired proteins, increasing the degree of release of heat by the body, as well as speeding up the processes of fatty acid mobilization and, therefore, faster fat burning.
Climate also exerts its influence. Inhabitants of tropical regions are more biologically predisposed to the consumption of plant foods - vegetables, fruits and grains. In addition, they are more sensitive to insulin. Conversely, residents of the northern regions are consuming more meat and fat; they are inclined to insulin resistance, ensuring a constant flow of fatty acids in the liver as fuel for heat production.
The fact is that people, who are genetically predisposed to living in cold climates, have a tendency to insulin resistance and accumulation of stable fat deposits. It is reasonable to assume that the Eskimos, some Native Indians and possibly Latin Americans (originating partially from the Indians and partially from Spaniards) require a special low glycemic diet. But what is more important, these people just need to be physically active, creating a condition of higher energy costs to which their body is programmed. Periodic malnutrition and constant training, including aerobic and anaerobic are highly recommended to them.
Fat Burning Receptors
Nowadays, scientists are studying some beta-3 receptors as the factor which influences neurotransmitter acetylcholine which promotes muscle contractions. But, nevertheless, scientists believe that beta-3 receptors are also stimulators of fat burning. Under the influence of stress human body releases adrenal hormones known as catecholamines. The impact of stress on adipose tissues and on the liver causes the release of fatty acids and glucose, respectively, for energetic needs. In the skeletal muscles adrenal stimulation causes the breakdown of glycogen in order to obtain energy for immediate actions.
Adrenal hormones, released by the adrenal glands, accelerate the heart rate and increase blood flow. Moreover, the respiration rate increases due to relaxation of the blood channels in the nasal and detoxification of the gastrointestinal tract amplifies. It is obvious that adrenal hormones help the body to respond immediately to danger or stress, increasing the burning of fat in order to obtain more energy as well as increase oxygenation and detoxification. However, during the long influence of stress they may include other metabolic functions that can cause rather unpleasant consequences.
In general, all adrenoceptors compete for the same adrenal hormones. As the ratio of beta-adrenoceptors and alpha-adrenoceptors determine the stimulation or inhibition of the effects, we may assume that both types of adrenal shares meet different biological targets. For example, the high activity of alpha-2 receptors in fibers can serve as part of biological defense mechanism against the consequences of adrenal response to the chronic stress. Such a danger or stress can gradually lead to a panic reaction or adrenal exhaustion respectively, and in the future – even to a greater inhibition of metabolism. It is very likely that prolonged stress with insufficient relaxation results in the formation of fibers which are less sensitive to adrenal stimulation, for example, resistant fat deposits which are characterized by a high ratio of alpha and beta receptors.
Make stress work for you. Undertake short, intense trainings that with sufficient relaxation will bring more benefits than long sessions six or seven times a week. Short and controlled stresses can very effectively influence the process of burning fat, but prolonged trainings can have the opposite effect. As the human body sooner or later adapts to any stimulation, probably it will adapt to chronic stress, reducing the sensitivity of the fibers to the adrenal effects and thereby protect itself from exhaustion. Such adaptation can make fat fibers more resistant to splitting. It is quite possible that the weight gain due to the age is partly connected with this adaptation to chronic stress (Woman’s Health).
Time of Fat Burning
There is no fixed time within which the fat in the body burns. Due to heredity, the body of some people burns fat faster than the other. But the age, weight, physical activity and eating habits also play an important role in metabolism. Metabolism slows with age, mainly due to the fact that after 25 years people annually lose muscle mass of about 200g. However, two weeks of healthy diet coupled with adequate physical exercises show such a result: the weight reduces by 2.5 kg, and this is mainly due to a decrease in fat mass on average by 4 kg and gain of muscle mass by 1.5 kg (Woman’s Health).
Works Cited
Woman’s Health. “How Does Your Body Burn Fat?”. Active. N.d. Web. 29 April 2016
