Fat deposits on the human body
Why do people store fat on different parts of their body?
The most infuriating fact about losing weight is that the fattest areas are the hardest to lose fat. They stubbornly resist the most diligent attempts to get into shape. Trying to lose fat can take months, if not years, while other people have absolutely no fat traps in similar areas of the body. Around the world, three hundred million people have what can be characterized by the medical term “clinical obesity” and only one Russian out of three is slightly above ideal, but even those citizens who are in relatively good physical shape have fat deposits on their certain areas of the body - under the arms, in the lower abdomen, on the thighs, around the waist and on the buttocks, which makes them very worried about their appearance.
In fact, almost no one is immune from the accumulation of fatty tissue in such a problem area, which is difficult to remove. This is a very demoralizing dilemma, especially for women, and someone with a cool head is bound to urge them to spend their hard-earned money on vibration machines, anti-cellulite massages and fat trap creams - all in the hope of getting rid of localized fat deposits on the stomach and back.
In this article, we'll look at the reasons why people store fat in different areas of the body in so many different ways, and examine the environment, diet, and genetic factors that play a major role in how and where our bodies gain weight. Thank you for reading my articles and please share them with those who may benefit from them.
Useful conclusions
Despite the rather complex mechanisms, the fight against fat in “difficult” places comes down to just a few points: nutrition, physical activity and taking dietary supplements.
- Loading a certain area of the body in the hope of burning fat there is of little benefit. The body burns fat deposits everywhere at the same time. In problem areas (lower body in women, fat folds on the sides of the waist and abdomen in men), fat burning occurs much more slowly. They are very resistant due to high insulin sensitivity, more alpha receptors in them and low blood supply.
- Traditional diets make body fat more stable due to changes in insulin and thyroid hormones that increase alpha and decrease beta receptor activity.
- The “eat less, exercise less” and “eat more, exercise more” techniques reduce metabolic changes and counteract the above hormonal changes. Constantly moving from “eat less, exercise less” to “eat more, exercise more” can “deceive” the compensation mechanisms in the body.
- Only after we have adjusted the diet, the following dietary supplements are often used to accelerate fat burning in “difficult” areas: green tea extract, yohimbine, berberine, L-carnitine, synephrine, forskolin.
Good luck!
Obesity phenotypes
Obesity is not uniform and can manifest itself in many ways. You may have noticed in the gym or on the beach that overweight people are not alike - they have fat traps in different parts of the body. Typically, women store fat differently than men - but even among individuals of the same sex there can be significant differences.
Just as there are different types of bodies, the ways in which the human body stores fat tissue vary. One of the major findings in the modern study of obesity and local fat deposits is that certain forms of obesity are associated with higher rates of metabolic disorders and higher mortality rates, while other citizens do not have similar health risks.
To distinguish between these categories or phenotypes of obesity, researchers have identified four main manifestations, caused by combinations of environmental influences (a fancy term for diet and physical activity level) and genetics. These four phenotypes describe how people accumulate adipose tissue in their bodies and develop fat deposits on the abdomen and back:
- Excess fat is distributed equally throughout the body
- Excess subcutaneous fat is concentrated in the torso and abdominal area (android or male obesity)
- Excess subcutaneous fat is found in the torso, thighs, or buttocks (gynoid or female obesity)
- Excess subcutaneous fat is found in the abdominal area (visceral abdominal fat)
Equal distribution of body fat
Plus-size models are a great example of individuals who have a relatively equal fat distribution, but slender models may also have this type of obesity.
Like somatic types, which are used to categorize body types (mesomorphs, ectomorphs, and endomorphs), these phenotypes are by no means absolute and people tend to fall into more than one category of fat distribution in the abdomen and other areas of the body.
The first phenotype is easily recognizable among those in whom adipose tissue accumulates relatively evenly without noticeable accumulations in any area of the body. The absence of visible fat traps in such people makes it seem that their weight is not too excessive and many citizens with normal and low weight can fall into this category.
Popular media personalities, most actors and actresses and those who excel in competitions based on physical fitness. Fitness and bikini models also fall into this group because they rarely have more fat in one area of their body than another and tend to lose weight more evenly by dieting or exercising.
Plus-size models are a good example of how you can be overweight and have the same distribution of fat throughout the body.
Runway and fashion brand models also fall into this category because they have a fairly high percentage of body fat and little muscle mass, but are still thin (the so-called “fat thin syndrome”).
Unfortunately, many in this category pay little attention to their excess weight, since an even distribution creates the illusion of good physical shape, while they suffer from the same health problems as people whose excess weight is noticeable “to the eye” - you You don't have to have a big belly or noticeable fat traps to be at risk for a metabolic disorder.
In fact, this misunderstanding is the reason why so many people of normal weight have such a high incidence of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Society may have a thing about being thin, but it is not necessarily an indicator of good health. In fact, research has clearly shown that health risks have more to do with what you do than with your appearance.
The reality is that many people who are overweight and have belly fat (who are physically fit) should not try to live up to some superficial societal ideal. However, as we age, this form of excess weight becomes less common as diet, hormones, genetics and external factors such as stress tend to manifest in more localized ways unless factors such as a regular diet or regular exercise intervene.
As a result, people tend to complain about being overweight as they get older, but not realizing that their body fat percentage was high all along, but over time, the fat has dropped off, thus becoming more visible.
Genetics plays a major role in the formation of localized belly fat, as some people maintain a high percentage of fat throughout their lives, despite inactivity and lack of diet, without accumulating fat in any part of the body. However, as mentioned earlier - this does not necessarily mean better health, since the number of dangerous pockets of visceral abdominal fat may be high, but just not to the extent that it is cosmetically noticeable.
Fat deposits according to the android (male) type
Android obesity is characterized by the accumulation of excess fat in the abdominal and torso areas - but is not limited to men.
This obesity is more common among men than among women and this phenotype manifests itself with age. This obesity and local fat deposits on the abdomen are often said to be gender-linked and characterized by the fact that relatively little fat accumulates in the lower torso. But a disproportionate amount accumulates in the abdominal region (forming the classic “beer belly”) or in the upper torso. While android obesity is often considered a phenomenon that occurs in males (as the name suggests), this is not always the case.
Women also experience android obesity, most often after menopause when estrogen levels drop. Android obesity is also associated with individuals (both male and female) who are exposed to chronic stress. Our internal response to long-term stress is a key factor in where fat deposits appear in our bodies - on the stomach, back, arms, regardless of gender.
Thus, women whose stress hormone (cortisol) is higher than normal tend to accumulate fat according to the android type. Women with above average levels of male hormones (androgens). They can also deposit adipose tissue in a male pattern and an interesting fact is that the displacement of local fat deposits in men from the lower part of the body (especially the abdomen, gluteal-femoral region) is partly caused by the action of the male hormone testosterone, this is one of the reasons why some women use steroids.
How is peripheral edema treated?
There are several methods you can use to reduce mild peripheral edema. You can also use them in conjunction with treatment for the condition that is causing your swelling.
WAYS TO REDUCE SWELLING
- Reduce salt intake.
- Start losing weight.
- Raise your feet above heart level while sitting or lying down so that gravity pushes fluid out of your legs rather than into them.
- Take frequent breaks and elevate your legs if possible when standing or sitting for long periods of time.
- Wear compression stockings.
- Train your calf muscles. The contractions help push blood through your veins so it can't pool in your leg and leak into the soft tissue.
Diuretics
Diuretics (diuretics) remove excess fluid from the body. They are used only when peripheral edema is caused by a medical condition.
Treatment for specific causes
Treatment may depend on what is causing the peripheral edema. Here are some possible treatment options for specific causes of peripheral edema:
- venous insufficiency : compression stockings, vein stripping (vein removal), or surgical repair;
- congestive heart failure : diuretics or medications that help your heart work more efficiently;
- kidney disease : medications that increase urine production, dialysis or kidney transplant;
- liver disease : antiviral medicine for hepatitis, limiting alcohol, or having a liver transplant;
- poor nutrition : a nutritious diet that contains sufficient protein;
- lymphedema : compression stockings or lymphatic drainage massage;
- DVT : blood thinner;
- cellulite : antibiotics;
Fat deposits of the gynoid (female) type
Gynoid obesity is the second type of fat accumulation, the so-called “gender-specific” (although it is worth noting that the distribution of fat deposits is not necessarily tied to gender).
The female type of obesity manifests itself very specifically - fat is deposited in the thighs and buttocks, in addition to the lower abdomen and on top of the triceps under the arms. Gynoid obesity is associated with fewer potential health complications than android obesity, as increased accumulation of abdominal fat is a significant sign of increased risk of cardiovascular disease and inflammatory processes in overweight adults.
Despite the reduced health risks in individuals with this form of obesity, many are puzzled by the fact that fat traps on the legs and buttocks are much more difficult to lose fat than local fat deposits on the abdomen—which is another reason why it seems that men lose weight faster than women (although a higher percentage of muscle mass and a faster metabolism also play a role).
Visceral abdominal fat (beer belly syndrome)
Excess fat concentrated in the abdominal area is undoubtedly the most dangerous form of obesity in terms of potential health risks. Accumulations of visceral fat in the abdominal cavity increase with age, regardless of gender, in both slender and obese individuals.
Because many underweight people don't realize the potential dangers of fat traps, mistakenly believing that their reduced weight is somehow a guarantee that they won't have health problems due to obesity. Men are more likely than women to accumulate abdominal fat, and those who are obese are more likely to accumulate visceral fat than thinner people.
Research suggests that genetics play an important role in how much visceral abdominal fat you store, and women with high cortisol levels are also prone to this type of fat trap (belly, back fat).
Bottom line
Sock marks on feet are caused by the pressure of the elastic band in them. Peripheral edema will make the marks more visible.
Most often, peripheral edema develops when excess fluid in your body is pulled toward your legs by gravity. The swelling is usually mild, temporary and harmless.
However, peripheral edema may be a symptom of a serious medical condition. If this is the case, the swelling becomes more pronounced and persistent, and is usually accompanied by other symptoms.
If your sock marks are more noticeable, take a closer look at your feet. If you notice new, enlarged swelling or ulcers, consult your doctor immediately. You may have a medical condition that requires immediate treatment.
Differences in local fat deposits in men and women
It is often believed that it is easier for men to lose weight, and from the point of view of numerical criteria, there is some truth in this opinion. Pure muscle mass (not including fat) accounts for the lion's share of calories burned throughout the day and men naturally have a higher percentage of muscle mass than women.
The male pattern of distribution of excess body fat (android obesity) is usually different from the female pattern (gynoid obesity), which is more or less self-evident. What's not so obvious is differences in hormones, hormone receptors, blood flow and the way fat tissue changes can create very distinct differences in how quickly and where women lose fat compared to men.
One carefully controlled study compared a group of men and women who underwent a six-month training program (anaerobic and resistance exercise) to determine differences in how much muscle mass was gained and percentage of fat mass was reduced, depending on gender.
Unlike other studies, this project included both X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging scans to assess changes in body weight. The changes that have taken place give us insight into the differences between the sexes in this regard.
What to do if only one foot has sock marks?
Peripheral swelling in only one leg is never normal and requires urgent medical attention. Reasons include:
DVT
A blood clot in your leg vein is called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. It causes sudden pain and swelling, usually in the lower leg area.
Without prompt treatment, the clot can rupture and travel to the lungs. This is called a pulmonary embolism and can be life-threatening.
Cellulite
Infected skin or soft tissue (cellulitis) is usually swollen. Surgery is necessary to prevent the infection from spreading into the bloodstream or bone.
Lymphedema
Lymph is a fluid containing white blood cells. It flows through lymph nodes and special channels throughout the body.
Lymphedema develops when a tumor or other mass pushes through and blocks lymph channels, or when lymph nodes are removed by surgery or damaged by radiation therapy.
Rate of body fat loss in men and women
Women find it harder to remove fat from their legs
The study found that on average, women had less muscle mass in their arms than men both before and after 24 weeks of training, which is not news to us, but what is interesting is that women lost 31% of body fat in their arms , but without a corresponding increase in pure muscle mass.
Despite this, the women gained an average of 5.5% muscle mass in their legs without a corresponding reduction in leg fat. The lack of change in local leg fat among women is an extremely important finding and is consistent with the fact that for many women, losing fat from the lower torso (thighs and buttocks) is an extremely difficult task.
In the study, participants had an average of 8kg of body fat on their legs – 34% (about one-third) of their total body fat. And no reduction in adipose tissue was detected based on X-rays or magnetic resonance images. It should be noted that during the training period, women lost 12% of their fat traps in the torso area, but without increasing muscle mass in this area.
A feature that is more common in women than in men because they have more body fat deposited in the thigh-gluteal region (gynoid obesity), while men have comparatively less fat traps on their legs (android obesity).
Why then is it so difficult to remove fat from your legs? We don't know for sure, but researchers attribute femoral fat tissue's resistance to several factors—localized blood supply and weak stimuli from the endocrine system to burn fat.
Correction of local fat deposits
Another study assessing weight loss by sex tracked changes in body mass index in US military personnel of both sexes during a calorie deficit. This led researchers to identify the following patterns of weight loss in women and men.
Men lose body fat in the following order: belly, back, then arms, legs, and lastly legs and buttocks.
Women lose fat in the following order - arms, abdominal area, and finally legs.
Before the training cycle, the percentage of leg fat in women was similar to the situation in men, but after the training course, the percentage of leg fat in women exceeded this figure in men. Sex differences in fat shifts are attributed to complex interactions between local adipocyte receptors and differences in testosterone and estradiol concentrations.
The interesting findings included upper arm fat loss in women with the highest body fat percentages also losing more arm fat compared to those with the lowest body fat percentages.
Women tend to have the largest localized concentration of fat in their arms, and in studies conducted among military personnel (although women were able to lose the fat contained in their arms), the resulting arm fat is still on average much greater than that of men in this test group.
This research, however, was intended to improve the soldiers' functional abilities and increasing muscle mass was not the end goal of the project itself.
The women in the test program also did not do exercises that targeted their biceps and triceps—however, other research (and personal experience with female athletes) supports the fact that women can actually increase the size of these muscles by 20% or more when participate in targeted training programs where the goal is to build muscle.
The study also highlights that without the use of topical androgens (anabolic steroids), on average, women who train intensively with weights are not able to build arm muscle at a level comparable to men participating in similar training programs. Compared to their male opponents, women experienced a low percentage increase in pure arm muscle mass before and after training.
This reduced distribution of muscle mass is important in partly explaining differences between the sexes in terms of variations in upper body strength and physical strength development. The results of this study highlight the importance of focusing on losing fat from a specific area of the body, rather than reducing overall body fat percentage, as a measure of success in a weight loss program for both men and women; measuring total body fat loss is not a metric.
Too often we use the wrong metrics to highlight our success when it comes to losing weight. We look at the numbers on the scale, numbers that tell us little about whether it was a loss of body fat, fluid or muscle mass - these numbers are misleading to say the least.
Finally, we look at the traditional gold standard, the body fat and body fat change test, a tool often used by personal trainers and various weight loss specialists as a barometer of progress or lack thereof.
That being said, even a body fat test can be a little frustrating because these tests can't always detect fat loss from certain areas of the body - which can convince you that you're not progressing when certain areas of the body are showing significant progress. . Progress that cannot be detected using a caliper (a tool for measuring the thickness of a skin fold).
Process two. Transporting fat to muscles and burning it
Once released from the fat cells, the fat is transformed into muscle along with the blood. Reaching the muscle, it must burn in the mitochondria, which are the so-called “power plants” of humans. And to burn fat, it needs enzymes and oxygen. If there are not enough of them in the body, fat will not be able to be transformed into energy and will be deposited in the body again.
That is, to break down fats in the human body, they need to be released from fat cells through enzymes and hormones. They are then transported to the muscle and burned through a reaction with oxygen and enzymes.
It is this process of fat breakdown that is natural weight loss. Therefore, in order for it to be correct, the body needs physical activity, accompanied by the consumption of a large volume of oxygen, and at the same time the presence of all the enzymes necessary for burning fat. To do this, you need proper nutrition with a sufficient amount of protein food, since it contains enzymes to a greater extent.
Genetic factor in fat distribution
Some people are naturally blessed with a low percentage of abdominal fat and get a six-pack without any exercise.
As much as we like to think that some aspects of reality are predetermined, the reality is that our problem areas depend on who your parents were. Research shows that genetics plays a big role in why some people store fat in certain parts of their body, whether they are overweight or not.
In my work experience, ranging from stay at home moms and office workers, weight loss and bodybuilders, and fitness models preparing for competitions or photo shoots, I have seen some individuals who were noticeably overweight, but with pronounced abs. » abs, while other people dieted heavily and could barely achieve those abs.
The genetic nature of such differences in the sites of fat deposition has been highlighted in several studies, including male twins, which revealed strong family similarities in terms of the distribution of body fat among brothers.
Cause of thin legs
Beautiful leg shape is every woman's dream
The main reason for slender but skinny legs may lie in genetics. Perhaps you inherited this leg structure from your mother or grandmother. If thin legs run in your family, then there is no need to worry about abnormalities or deviations in the development of the structure of your legs, since thin thighs and legs in some cases may indicate anatomical problems such as injury, muscle atrophy and poliomyelitis.
There is no way to do this without the intervention of doctors. But if everything is fine with your health, then most likely a sedentary lifestyle is to blame. Such representatives of the fairer sex can safely move on to the next actions that will help achieve the result set for them.
Are local fat deposits a health risk?
In addition to the four phenotypes mentioned above, the study also revealed the existence of a paradoxical subgroup of people who are overweight and lack markers indicating increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other metabolic syndromes associated with obesity.
In contrast, these individuals had an overall better metabolic profile than normal-weight people with metabolic syndrome, with better cholesterol profiles, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, liver fat, and fewer cases of previously undiagnosed diabetes.
A Finnish study found that the prevalence of obese individuals but the proportion of healthy individuals was higher among women than among men (16.4% vs. 49.2%) and that 10% of obese individuals fell into the metabolically healthy category despite their weight .
Video: How to gain weight for a girl. Beautiful and sexy female figure. Ksenia's experience.
Walking on your toes with weights. Hold dumbbells or water bottles in both hands. Walk with them in a half-squat on your toes for about five minutes. Do everything at a slow pace. Approach – 3 times.
Conclusion
Such simple exercises will give quick and good results. Don't forget about proper nutrition, weight gain cocktails and rest. Be healthy!
Attention, TODAY only!
Building your body takes quite a long time and effort. You have to work hard to have the body of an athlete. You always need to adhere to the established regime, strictly perform physical exercises, monitor your diet and lifestyle. You must first consult with your doctor and obtain permission to train. Contraindications for physical activity may include diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory, cardiovascular systems and others. At the moment, training schemes have already been developed on how to gain weight in your legs without harming your health.
