What Every Dieter Needs to Know About Their Fat Cells

Ugh! Those nasty, dreadful fat cells-every dieter's worst enemy. No matter how hard we struggle to lose weight, the pounds never seem to drop where we want them to. Lose 10 lbs and, yes, you're a dress size or two smaller, but the dress still clings to your saddle bags (or some other trouble area).

Are we destined to always be a pear, apple, or whatever-fruit-you-want-to-call-it shape? To know that answer, we need to learn about our fat cells.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Our fat cells are not a bad thing, by any means. The brain needs a certain amount of fat in order to function properly. Fat gives us the cushioning necessary to protect our internal organs from damage during our everyday activities. Without a proper amount of fat in our diets, we'd lose all our wonderful energy that gets us through each day.

However, when our fat cells are concentrated in areas that don't flatter our bodies or when we store too many overall fat cells, then we get frustrated.

DEFATTING THE MYTHS ABOUT FAT

The assertion that your trouble areas can be spot reduced is a big, fat myth. There are claims (usually from people trying to sell their services or latest exercise gizmo) that any area on the body can be reduced. These people will try to convince you that all you need to do to lose weight in a particular area is to do their 'specially formatted' workout.

Let's get something straight. The areas where fat deposits on our bodies is genetic. There are world class athletes who have fat deposits. There are sedentary people who have no fat bulges whatsoever on their bodies. Like it or not, it's just genetics.

Spot reducing is not going to happen. You can tighten the muscles in an area or build up muscles in other areas to balance out your body better. But don't expect actual fat loss in only one area of your body.

Can body fat can turn into muscle? Until recently, this would have been false. Earlier this year, The National Academy of Sciences posted the results of an experiment where scientists created smooth muscle (like the kind found around our blood vessels and interal organs) from fat cells. So, technically, it is possible to turn fat into muscle-just not into the skeletal muscle that gives a bodybuilder his or her well-defined shape (at least, not yet).

For people on weight training regimens, their body fat isn't going to magically turn into muscle. They will be building their muscles and, at the same time, raising their metabolism slightly (because a pound of muscle uses more energy than a pound of fat). If calories are kept the same, then weight will be lost. The weight lost will include fat, muscle, and water.

However, if dieting and exercise are done properly, then most weight loss will be in the form of fat-yay! So don't give up the battle just yet. Losing fat and gaining muscle may not build the body of your dreams, but you'll feel better. And feeling better is worth more in the long run than obtaining a particular physical ideal. Then again, there's always liposuction...