Why do our bodies store fat?
I have two possible answers to this question and both are valid.
One is evolution. We were/still are designed to endure times of food scarcity in which the extra amount of fat can keep us alive. The problem is that times have changed quite a lot from the Homo Erectus, however our bodies have not gone through that evolution. We now have access to food everywhere and on top of that we have so much choice that to stick to the healthy options becomes almost impossible. Before we had to move and hunt for food, now we buy online. So, we are now overeating or eating the wrong things –or both- and not moving at all: gaining pounds is inevitable.
The other answer – one I am particularly interested in- is hormones.
Sometimes it’s a hormonal imbalance and at other times it can be hormone resistance. This is because when we release hormones they do not always work efficiently-like insulin resistance in diabetes.
Another example is the following:
Leptin is a hormone that we release when we are satisfied and full after our meal. When our leptin level drops we get hungry and when we have lots in the blood stream it means we are satisfied or full. Obese individuals have a constant flow of leptin and yet they are constantly hungry so they may have a leptin resistance disorder. Furthermore if you ask any obese person:
– When are you hungry?
They will most likely answer:
-“All the time”
This is why I am interested in and concerned about hormonal imbalances. By changing our diets we can control the hormonal response in our body and thus lose weight and be healthier than ever before.
Leptin resistance is still under study.
In my next blog I will ask you a few questions that may change your hatred to fat in to love.