Only by deceiving the fat can you truly lose weight!

Fat is the most hated tissue in the body (no doubt about it). Many people only think of it when they are trying to lose weight.

" Useless and stubborn " is the label given to it by humans. As the main energy storage tissue in the body, fat cells are mainly fat, and it is harder to lose it than climbing to the sky.

In recent decades, more and more research has made scientists believe this.

It’s difficult to lose weight, and it’s really not your fault for having poor willpower, but rather that humans greatly underestimate fat.

It has never been an independent individual, but a huge organization that is organized, disciplined and obeys orders. They are resisting your weight loss actions.

Fat can control your appetite

Fat has a powerful ability. It can secrete leptin, a hormone that is closely related to appetite .

When there is enough food, leptin acts as a messenger to transmit the "enough" signal to the brain, helping humans suppress appetite.

However, during weight loss, fat finds itself lacking energy and its companions are hollowed out.

It will actively reduce the secretion of leptin. This is fat sending instructions to the brain, "Emergency, eat more", "This is delicious", "That is delicious", "I want to eat", "I want to eat", "I want to eat".

Fat not only stores energy, but also regulates energy

People used to think that fat is a warehouse of energy, which really underestimates it. Fat is actually the body's CFO (Chief Financial Officer), responsible for regulating the flow of energy in and out.

Under its monitoring, the overall fat content in the body will change according to the body's needs.

Whether you gain weight or lose weight, the amount of fat generally does not fluctuate, it only gets bigger or smaller.

Some people think that liposuction, dieting and other methods can reduce fat and achieve weight loss, but the surviving fat cells will regulate the body to produce new partners and increase their own storage capacity, and the fat that is removed will eventually grow back.

Studies have found that after one year, one-third of people return to their original weight, and within three to five years, almost everyone will return to their original weight.

This is it - rebound!

As a responsible CFO, Fat will try every means to return to the original state in order to stabilize the financial situation of "Body Company".

If the weight loss method is too extreme, too low energy will stimulate the fat's "sense of crisis". It will develop more and bigger new members to prepare for the "famine" that may appear at any time.

To protect fat, the body will also make concessions

Fat is also an important endocrine organ for the body. In addition to secreting leptin, it is also an important component for maintaining the body's homeostasis: including appetite, body temperature, and even the immune system, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity are all related to it.

Fat itself can also synthesize estrogen. Studies have shown that a body fat percentage of 22% is required to maintain a normal menstrual cycle. If menstruation disappears while losing weight, it is closely related to fat.

Because fat is so important, the body will even choose to sacrifice some other components when reducing energy intake.

What's even more frustrating is that as you lose more and more weight, your body will even reduce the overall energy consumption in order to stabilize the fat system, which means that the overall metabolism will become slower and less. This is the common "plateau period" in the process of weight loss.

Why is fat so hard to deal with? Is it impossible to lose weight successfully?

In fact, fat doesn't want to cause trouble to humans.

Fat spends its life trying to protect you

At every meal, we take in a lot of energy, but the body cannot use it all at once. Imagine what would happen if these excess energy-supplying substances, various sugars, fats, and proteins, were crowded in the blood vessels.

In the long history of human evolution, our ancestors lived a life of hunger and fullness, and they learned that if there is excess fat, they should store it, protect it , and then use it when the body needs it.

But in modern times, food has suddenly become abundant, and we have not yet learned when to eat fat in moderation.

How can we make fat stop working so hard?

Good trick coax it

1

Slow down, definitely slow down

In order to ensure the normal survival of the body, the fat system is very sensitive, and rapid and large fluctuations in energy will cause it to be alerted.

You need to learn to secretly and slowly slow down the pace of weight loss to a point where it is not easily noticed, such as 1 to 2 pounds per week (or even less), to give the fat enough "sense of security."

2

Eat well

Hunger will reduce fat and release leptin, which will make people continue to want to eat.

Excessive dieting will only lead to a strong rebound in appetite. In addition to eating vegetables, meat, and rice, and eating well to stabilize fat, try to start by quitting snacks, which actually consumes a lot of calories.

3

Get some exercise

Exercise can improve metabolism and maintain muscle. People who keep exercising regularly can better maintain their weight loss results.

4

sleep tight

A good night's sleep helps the secretion of leptin, which can help us control our appetite to a certain extent.

Fats are never enemies, they are "warm-hearted" people who always worry about us. We need to learn to tell them "I'm fine, don't worry".

"I am an Easter egg"

Let's talk about losing weight.

The most important thing is

Get moving!

References

[1] Cypess AM. Reassessing Human Adipose Tissue. N Engl J Med 2022;386:768-779.

[2] Sylvia Tara, The Secret of Fat: Why Losing Weight Is So Difficult, translated by Qian Xiaojing and Jia Wenjun. Posts and Telecommunications Press, 2018.

[3] PS MacLean et al. Biology's response to dieting: the impetus for weight regain, Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol (2011).

Planning and production

Source: DingXiang Doctor (ID: DingXiangYiSheng)

Reviewer: Zhang Na, Associate Researcher, Peking University School of Public Health

Editor: Wang Mengru

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin