When you're overweight, fat is fat, right? It's that flabby, wiggly stuff that makes it hard to fit into your favorite jeans or feel comfortable in a bathing suit. But did you know there are actually two kinds of fat? To be more specific, two colors of fat. And each one means something different for your body.
There's white fat, often referred to as "bad" fat, and then there's brown fat, or "good" fat. While white fat is an insulator, designed to trap heat and help your body maintain stable temperatures, brown fat actually releases heat, producing warmth by burning energy.
So what does this mean for you, exactly?
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Well, it's this crucial heat-withholding versus heat-production difference where the key lies.
Recent studies have shown that when white fat, typically the more common fat in your stomach and thigh areas, is exposed to cold, it triggers "browning." Essentially, this causes the white fat to take on brown fat qualities, basically transforming into "beige fat."
This beige fat, like brown fat, burns calories in order to generate heat and raise your internal temperatures. Put simply: the cold basically "melts" away your fat from the inside!
But how do you try it at home? Fat browning-and-burning might sound a little scientific, but it's actually super easy to do this on your own. And while it certainly won't result in significant weight loss, if done sporadically throughout the week, you will definitely start to see a difference in your more fat-prone areas.
Here's how to get started: Pick an area that you typically have a hard time slimming down. Your tummy, thighs or bottom are great choices. Get an ice pack (the bigger the better) and hold it firmly on the area for at least 30 minutes. Be prepared for a little discomfort as your body adjusts. After a few minutes though, the area will likely numb itself and you'll be good to go.
Simply remove the ice pack and go about your daily business. You can move it to another area next, or just repeat the process in another couple of days.
When similar techniques were used in studies, researchers found elevated markers for brown and beige fat after the ice packs were removed. Additional studies done on thigh and belly fat also showed more signs of browning in the winter than in the summer, a finding that also suggests colder temperatures can lead to more calorie burning and easier fat loss overall.
Stimulating already brown fat can also have similar effects, allowing you to burn excess energy and stored fat. In addition to placing an ice back on your white fat areas, also try placing one on the back of your neck or your shoulder muscles for about 20 minutes. These areas typically house brown fats that can be activated.
You can also opt for cold showers over hot ones, or even go all out and create a regular ice bath for yourself (but that sounds pretty unpleasant!).
Now are you ready to start freezing away your fat? If you've got questions or just need more guidance, be sure to leave me a comment. I'll help you in any way I can.
Remember to share this article with all your loved ones so that they also benefit from this great technique to burn more calories. Together we can make this world a happier, healthier world!
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