Janet Bond Brill - Intermittent Fasting For Dummies

When men gain weight, they tend to store more fat deep in the midsection of the body, which is where the dangerous type of fat lives (refer to Figure 4-2). Visceral fat penetrates way down inside, enveloping the visceral organs such as the liver, heart, kidneys, pancreas, and intestines. Visceral fat is also known as a deep fat or intra-abdominal fat. Check out the nearby sidebar for more about visceral fat.

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FIGURE 4-2:Visceral fat versus subcutaneous fat.

Women tend to have more subcutaneous fat relative to men who carry a higher percentage of more dangerous visceral fat. That is until menopause, when a woman’s visceral fat storage increases as do their health risks. How do you know if you have a dangerous level of visceral fat? Your best clue is your waist size. Instead of trying to figure out how much of your visible belly fat is visceral and how much is subcutaneous, just realize that any large waistline poses a risk and is unhealthy. Waist size rises as visceral fat deposits increase. For women, a waist circumference over 35 inches is a red flag, while men should be concerned as waist size rises above 40 inches.

Visceral fat is insidious and causes disease because it releases inflammatory chemicals that fuel inflammation. Scientists know that inflammation is the driver of most diseases. The good news is visceral fat is easier to lose than subcutaneous fat through lifestyle changes, such as following an intermittent fasting plan and exercising.

Here are the specific health hazards of high levels of visceral fat:

Diabetes: Visceral fat plays a large role in causing insulin resistance, which means a heightened risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Inflammation: Visceral fat produces hormonal and inflammatory molecules that get dumped directly into the liver, leading to dangerous inflammation and hormone-disrupting reactions.

Increased appetite: Visceral fat increases the brain’s hormonal messengers, the ones prompting people to eat more.

Increased risk of heart disease and stroke: Visceral fat play havoc with your blood markers of cardiovascular disease such as increasing triglycerides, increasing blood pressure, and raising cholesterol.

Increased risk of dementia: Visceral fat promotes a greater risk of developing dementia than those people with smaller bellies.

Depression: Visceral fat changes the level of brain neurotransmitters, which can negatively impact mood and increase risk of depression.

Genes also play a role in becoming overweight. They affect how much fat a person stores and where it’s stored. Overweight tends to run in families; some people have a genetic tendency to gain weight more easily than others. Genes strongly influence body type and size, meaning if your mother has an apple shape and is overweight, you may have inherited her shape.

Two people living in the same environment (tons of high calorie food and living a sedentary life) may react differently. Both will most likely become overweight, but they won’t have the same body fat distribution or suffer the same health problems. This variation in how people respond to the same environment is explained by the role genes play in how a person becomes overweight.

If you have inherited any of these so-called fat genes, does that mean all is lost and you’re predisposed to becoming and remaining overweight? No! Many people who carry these genes don’t become overweight, and healthy lifestyles can easily counteract the potential genetic effects. Your genetic makeup may make it slightly more difficult to lose weight by giving you an increased appetite and reduced metabolic rate, however, following a consistent healthy intermittent fasting plan combined with daily physical activity can defeat your genetic predisposition.

Your heredity is not your destiny! Creating a healthy environment and lifestyle can counteract gene-related risks. The contribution of genes to risk of becoming overweight is small, while the contribution of your toxic food and activity environment is huge.

Getting going on your intermittent fasting lifestyle of choice will immediately begin to change your body. When you start to lose the fat and even gain some muscle, your wellness will dramatically improve.

Part 2

IN THIS PART …

Discover how much science there is backing up the safety and efficacy of following an intermittent fasting plan for better health.

Observe how flipping your metabolic switch is the mechanism linked to so many positive changes in your body.

See how scientists paint a crystal-clear picture of why this lifestyle works to help you achieve your weight, health, and anti-aging goals.

Examine the multitude of health benefits gained specifically from the practice of intermittent fasting.

Determine if intermittent fasting is right for you.

Identify who should never practice intermittent fasting.

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