Why is fat so hard to get rid of with just diet and exercise?

Jump to:

• There are different types of fat cells in your body, and some are genetic
• The body-mass index (BMI) plays a part in measuring your ‘genetic fat’
  • We grow fat in two ways
  • Fat can increase from more than inactivity and diet
• You still need some fat, and not all fat is bad
• Our body stores specific types of fat in certain places
  • Visceral fat
  • Subcutaneous fat
  • Marrow fat
  • Ectopic fat
• What can be done about ‘stubborn’ fat that won’t go away with diet and exercise?
  • Cosmetic fat removal has a specific purpose, and it’s not weight loss
  • Choose the right body sculpting technology, to see results
• If you’re looking for high-quality Vancouver fat removal, we can help!

You know the feeling when you’re diligently exercising and eating right, but still can’t seem to shed the pounds? It’s actually a common issue, and it has nothing to do with you not trying hard enough. Fat is hard to get rid of with just diet and exercise. In this article, we’ll explain why.

Back to top

There are different types of fat cells in your body, and some are genetic

Fat comes in different types. Some of it is just meant to be part of you, based on your genetics. It’s not all about unhealthy habits – though some of it is. In fact, there are over 100 genetic traits that can result in obesity. Scientists guess that 40 – 70% of our weight differences are determined by genes.

Your body accumulates fat cells from the moment you are developing in your mother’s womb. Then, at puberty, your body starts to take on its adult shape. This is when weight gain can start.

Back to top

The body-mass index (BMI) plays a part in measuring your ‘genetic fat’

As you grow, your degree of fat is measured, generally, with the body-mass index (BMI) calculation (though, there are other formulaic standards). This is basically weight, divided by height. A BMI of 25 – 30 is considered overweight, or outright obese – that is, in the unhealthy zone.

It’s true that the BMI can be disputed as a way of measuring how ‘healthy’ your fat levels are. But, it is used by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an indicator.

Back to top

We grow fat in two ways

Fat cells, called adipose tissues in scientific literature, contribute to undesirable body shapes in two main ways:

1. Hyperplasia – an increase in the number of fat cells
2. Hypertrophy – an enlargement of each fat cell

The above problems can occur both as a result of genetics, or diet. This means that even if you eat right and exercise, your genetics may be at play with regards to your weight.

Back to top

Fat can increase from more than inactivity and diet

Apart from our genetics, there are fat change contributors like pregnancy, menopause, hormone diseases, sleep deprivation, metabolism rate or medication (and the list goes on).

In other cases, when you are debilitated from an injury, or are otherwise unable to use up your excess energy from calorie intake, weight loss can be even more difficult. And, you could have more than one condition contributing to your body fat gain. That can make it harder to address.

Back to top

You still need some fat, and not all fat is bad

Not all fat is bad. This is important to keep in mind when thinking about weight loss solutions. Your body needs certain types of fat to survive. And, that will contribute to your weight. This is why being underweight is also problematic to health.

You see, your body produces two types of fat tissues:

1. White fat cells (WAT) – these store energy from calories
2. Brown fat cells (BAT) – these burn energy from calories and keep your body temperature regulated

There is also something called the “beiging” of fat, which is a bit of an in-between of the above two. It is when white fat begins to take on traits of brown fat, thus becoming beige in colour. Scientists are trying to find a way to artificially induce this process in the body, to help with weight loss solutions. But so far, nothing is ready for safe treatments on humans.

In an ideal scenario, your body should only be producing enough fat of both kinds to survive. That is, just enough energy storage from white fat cells, and just enough brown fat to maintain your body’s temperature and energy release.

But, consuming too many calories often results in having too much fat – usually the white fat cells. This is where common weight loss programs are often focused. In a way, it is the controllable kind of fat – something you can diet and exercise off. But, it will have its limits.

Back to top

Our body stores specific types of fat in certain places

We also know that fat is stored in different areas of your body, for different reasons. Generally, these are:

Back to top

Visceral fat

This is the fat that affects your vascular system, and is often related to diabetes and heart function from LDL cholesterol. It can ‘hang out’ deep in your belly, and sends ‘bad’ fat (triglycerides) to your organs – especially the liver.

This is why belly fat can be a sign of bad cardiovascular health. It is often measured with the waist-to-hip ratio formula, and not just the BMI.

If you have this type of fat deposit, a doctor should always be involved before you attempt a ‘quick fix’ with cosmetic fat removal, which doesn’t address this type of fat.

Back to top

Subcutaneous fat

This is the body’s ‘cushion’ fat that resides right beneath the skin. It is the most visible kind of fat. But, it is not always the unhealthy kind of fat that results directly in vascular problems.

This is the fat that is targeted with cosmetic fat solutions. It is where the freezing of fat and melting of fat is most effective, since machine signals can ‘reach’ this fat easily.

Back to top

Marrow fat

This is fat that lives in your bones, and is similar to white fat cells. It does grow with weight gain too.

Back to top

Ectopic fat

This fat is found in some organs and other areas of the body, but mostly in the abdomen, along with visceral fat.

Too much of any of the above types of fat are not good for your health. You can burn off all of the above types of fat with weight management techniques. Though, keep in mind that your body stores these fat deposits for a reason.. You still need some. But, how much you need can be determined on an individual basis, based on each person’s genetics.

Back to top

What can be done about ‘stubborn’ fat that won’t go away with diet and exercise?

You may be experiencing severe obesity, sudden weight gain or going through life changes causing body weight (like pregnancy or injury). However, you can be sure that unhealthy, excess fat is something almost all humans should be wary of – at least statistically. In the West, it happens to the wealthiest and poorest of us; the happiest and the saddest; the young and the old.

The good news is that, if you’re struggling to get rid of ‘stubborn’ fat, there are modern solutions to this issue. We actually alluded to them above. They fall under cosmetic fat removal technologies.

The beauty of fat removal technologies these days is that they are mostly non-invasive or minimally-invasive. This means no liposuction or other types of surgery are needed to get rid of small pockets of fat or cellulite.

Back to top

Cosmetic fat removal has a specific purpose, and it’s not weight loss

It’s important to note that cosmetic fat removal is not for dramatic weight changes. It is not a ‘magical’ weight loss method. It can never replace a healthy diet and exercise. Those will always need to be a part of your lifestyle.

However, cosmetic fat removal can be perfect for that extra bulge on the tummy, the love handles hanging out of your jeans, the arm saggy-ness that seems to come with age, and so on. It targets specific pockets of fat, especially the kind you can pinch or squeeze.

Back to top

Choose the right body sculpting technology, to see results

Now, you may be wondering if non-surgical fat removal really works. The answer is: yes! But, only with the right technologies. There are knock-offs out there, which you’ll want to avoid.

Also, each person can respond differently to treatments, which must be taken into account. Nonetheless, there are several before-and-after photos you can peruse on the web to see how bodies can be sculpted using CoolSculpting®, Belkyra™, or other clinically-studied methods.

Each type of non-surgical fat removal technique works differently. For example, there is cryolipolysis, fat melting, laser lipo and so on. However, they all target individual fat cells for destruction. This allows your body to remove the fat cells naturally, after they die off.

One thing you’ll want to consider, if you do opt for non-surgical fat removal, is that you might need skin tightening too. It’s wise to choose a clinic that can provide both of these treatments as a ‘combo.’ If they can handle stretch marks, all the better.

Clinics should also only be using clinically-studied, brand-name technologies.

Back to top

If you’re looking for high-quality Vancouver fat removal, we can help!

If you live in the Vancouver area, and are looking for a top provider of non-surgical fat removal, we’d love to be your pick. We boast highly-trained technicians (whom we send to California for in-person education to achieve multiple levels of certification). We also use combination treatments to both remove fat and tighten skin.

We call our combo treatments our ‘fire and ice’ package. That’s because it uses fat melting and fat freezing technologies. Our method gives patients a more comprehensive, body sculpting effect that looks smooth and natural.

We use top-brands for our fat removal services, including:

• CoolSculpting® to ‘freeze’ fat away (save up to 25% with packages*)
• truSculpt® iD to ‘melt’ unwanted fat (save up to 20% with packages*)
• Belkyra™, an injectable for chin fat

All of the above have been clinically proven to remove fat non-surgically.

We can also treat stretch marks and cellulite.

Contact us for a consultation, and we’ll happily recommend a treatment path that works for you. All of our treatments are custom-designed for the patient we’re working on, since no two bodies are alike.

CALL / TEXT 604 580 2464

Back to top

Back to top