The Science of Stubborn Fat & What to do About It

Hello, Fat Burning Babes! Happy Friday. I wanted to get this post out to you before the weekend to get you thinking about the reasons why some of our fat is so stubborn. For most women (including me) it's on the belly. It's also the first place I gain and last place I lose.

This post is based on a conversation with a private client today. She's almost completed four weeks of her fat loss journey and her inches and fat lost in barely a month have been remarkable, especially for a woman entering menopause. She's swinging that kettlebell like nobody's business now. Although she keeps making consistent strides in losing body fat, her scale weight isn't dropping in very big numbers.

And that's perfectly fine by me.

Why?

 Because it lets us know that we're not only preserving muscle, we're gaining it. Muscle weighs more than fat. As long as her body fat % and inches off the belly and elsewhere keep dropping, I am fist pumping to heaven and high-fiving everybody. Moreover, as a woman entering menopause, one of her BIGGEST factors in preventing fat gain will be increasing lean muscle and bone density.

Here's a pic I took of 5lbs of fat vs. 10lbs of muscle at BodySpec's mobile DEXA unit at a health fair yesterday:

I'll take the 10lbs of muscle (L) over that 5lbs of fat (R) any day

Why is some fat - especially around the belly - so hard to lose?

Besides belly fat being one of the most dangerous, disease-inflicting types of fat we can carry, it can flat out make you feel awful and self-conscious.... especially during summer. Even when you believe you're doing everything "right," it clings to you like a needy co-dependent.

To strip fat a couple things need to occur:

• Lipolysis: mobilizing fat from their fat cells via lipase, a hormone sensitive enzyme produced by the pancreas. It ignites the breakdown of fats to fatty acids to be burned for fuel. Resistance training and short, intense exercise helps activate lipase, among other fat burning hormones. However, when you have insulin pumping through your veins the activation of lipase is inhibited. Moreover, people who eat carbs for breakfast then go for a jog or some other steady state cardio are more or less wasting their time if their goal is fat loss.  Lipase will be mainly be dormant for them.

• Once mobilized, other cells use that liberated fat for energy, including muscle. Muscle cells are exceptional at burning up free fatty acids. Hence, more lean muscle mass = easier to burn fat.

The process of lipolysis is set off by certain chemicals called catecholamines. To keep from getting too technical and making your eyes glaze over, these catecholamines attach to receptors on your fat cells to get them to release the fat. Think of them as a fat burning S.W.A.T. team trying to break down a door.

There are two kinds of receptors on your fat cells:

• Beta-receptors: respond well to the Fat Burning S.W.A.T. team and give up the fat to begin lipolysis.

• Alpha-receptors: Give the finger to the Fat Burning S.W.A.T. team. Very reluctant to give up the fat in their fat cells. Usually not until the cells with the most beta receptors have been emptied.

Areas where alpha receptors exist on most women

When you begin your nutrition protocol and resistance training, the areas of your body that have fat cells with more beta receptors are where you'll see your initial progress. Normally the face, legs, chest, shoulders. The stubborn fat spots like belly, inner thighs, caboose, back of arms are going to be the last to go until we've emptied out those fat cells that have a majority of beta receptors.

This is why crash diets and those expecting quick fixes will never succeed. In fact, people who starve, calorie restrict and waste muscle with steady state cardio cause so much metabolic damage to themselves that they actually end up making their body's natural body fat set point HIGHER. This is why you often see people on yo-yo diets gain back all their weight and then pack on even more fat regardless of how much they "exercise."

It takes time to undo. A few months to a year or more. Stopping this cycle needs to be a must for you. Not a should. Don't die from a horrific metabolic lifestyle disease (diabetes, stroke, cancer, heart disease) because of Mañana Syndrome aka "I'll start tomorrow."

You deserve better. Make a decision today that you're taking the wheel of your life and that means your health.

We all know someone (could it be ourselves?) who crash dieted, lost a ton of scale weight, and when starvation and painful hours in the gym were no longer sustainable, it all came back tenfold. You're depressed, defeated and ashamed.

Women must add as much lean muscle onto our bodies as we can, even though muscle weighs more than fat. Especially for women entering menopause. A few years ago I was ten pounds lighter in overall scale weight but my body fat was high and unhealthy. Flab was flying everywhere. This was while I ran at least 5 miles a day on a diet of whole grains.

Today I weigh more but I've dropped six sizes. According to yesterday's DEXA I have the body fat and bone density of an athlete in their twenties (I'm 42). I workout 75% less and enjoy the empowerment, confidence and physique shape that lifting brings. It didn't start with putting on a pair of running shoes. It started with changing my mind, being sick of how I looked and felt, then taking action and committing.

So, how we do get that stubborn belly fat to go away for good?

Not to despair, Fat Burning Babes! I have a simple answer. This does not mean it's easy. But the process is rewarding, empowering and fulfilling in its own right. Even better: it can last a lifetime when you really get it.

Here it is:

1. Always make body fat loss and inches lost your measuring stick. Not the scale. As I said above, the more muscle you have, the more fat you can burn (and also the more you can eat and not gain!). But muscle will weigh more than fat so we cannot be focused on scale weight. It has its place but we go by body fat%, inches lost, how you FEEL (physically, mentally, emotionally), how your clothes are fitting, how you're progressing in workouts, and then the scale. People will notice the confident stride in your step and the way you carry yourself proudly.

2. Listen to the signals your body is sending. Fuel, rest and honor your body, mind and heart  appropriately. This is your only life (at least in this body) we're talking about. There is nothing more important than caring for it.

3. Use heavy resistance exercise in short, powerful bursts.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all, wherever in the world you are, have a safe, fun and HEALTHY weekend. Take time for yourself and take care of your beautiful body.

P.S. 
You may know we're accepting participants in the 4 Weeks to Fat Loss beginning Aug 1 -31, 2015. Space is limited so grab a fat burning buddy for accountability and join! Kim Kelly and R.N. from the Spring Kick Fat in the Ass Challenge will be part of the private community, too! I'm so excited about the women we have joining. This is going to be an amazing time of transformation and empowerment!

Remember, you are not a damsel in distress. You're the hero of your story.

Hope to see you in August! More info below.

Michelle

What a difference one month can make.

Register today for the 4 Weeks to Fat Loss online coaching and community journey.*

$225  ❖  August 1 - 31, 2015

*Very limited space available. Results will vary. Not for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Don't miss this opportunity to join an exclusive, private community of women journeying towards ultimate achievements in health, strength and empowerment.

The 4 Weeks to Fat Loss  journey is strategically designed to get your body, heart and mind primed for permanent No Fail Fat Burning, muscle gain and victory over habits that have held you back in challenging areas of your life. 

Your breakthrough transformation can begin August 1, 2015!

Why wait to unleash the amazing woman you know you are?

ACCOUNTABILITY + PREPARATION + RESILIENCE = RESULTS

Grab a fat burning bestie, get accountable and commit to connecting to the protocol and community with passion and courage.

It's not enough to feed our bodies better. Sustainable fat loss and health begins with what we feed our hearts and minds.

Beginning day one we start laying the foundation to achieving your goals with proven science and methodologies. Sometimes all it takes is minor tweaks for major changes. Keep in mind: it didn't take you one month to become overweight and fall into bad habits. For most it takes many months -- sometimes more -- to achieve their goals. But by the end of these four weeks you won't recognize the woman you've become because you'll be empowered with the tools to change your circumstances, your habits.... and as a result, your body. 

Ready to get the best fat burning tools for real results? Enroll now.

THIS ISN'T A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM. 

Kim Kelly  and R.N. from the Kick Fat in the Ass Spring Challenge will be joining and helping the community in August!

No Fail Fat Burning for Women is about mobilizing body fat to be burned for fuel, gaining lean muscle (that will help you stay in 24/7 fat burning mode, especially after menopause), and empowering women to take the wheel of their health with science, not dangerous gimmicks. We don't go by the scale numbers, we go by inches lost, muscle gained and fat burned.

LEAN? STRONG? HEALTHY? 

Your decisions determine your destiny.

The 4 Weeks to Fat Loss online community is a secure and private group page on Facebook. No one can see the members or page except those in the program. This is a safe space of support, connection, learning and women growing stronger in every aspect of their lives. Remember that everything external began internally whether it's your body, career, creativity, relationships.... these all begin within from choice and action.  Our bellies and booties expand or tighten based on small choices we make every day that add up to big change, for better or worse.

Keep in mind this is not one-on-one individual coaching but group strategy and development. Those who succeed are positive community participants and commit to -- and get passionate -- about the process.

• Every day, for four weeks, I will take you step by step through your fat loss journey. 

• There will be exercise programs designed to shred fat for beginners, intermediate, advanced. (this is where having an accountable fat burning bestie comes in handy but you'll also have the online community, too).

• No, we will not be working out painfully for hours, counting calories, starving, and all that other non-sense that creates metabolic derangement and increased fat gain once those fads are no longer sustainable.

• You'll receive encouragement, direction, learning, recipes, as well as physical, mental and emotional "challenges." We cannot change if we do not commit to growth. Which way would you like to grow?

• This isn't going to be a month of deprivation and restriction. Hell no. If it's not simple it's not sustainable. This is about becoming educated, powerful, and authentically passionate about what you want to achieve while having a mentor who gets results and a community of kick ass women by your side. 

Give yourself permission to leverage all of your potential  by deciding, taking action and committing to your highest self. It will be my honor to ride shotgun and support you with a proven protocol. 

One short month that can change everything about how you experience your life. With the proper strategy, coaching and community you can achieve anything you desire. Following the No Fail Fat Burning for Women scientific, proven principles in this 30 day program can quickly close the gap from where your physique is today to where you want your body fat, lean muscle and fitness to be.

Remember: decisions determine destiny. Don't let another season go by where you make excuses instead of transformation and then feel repulsed by the woman you see in the mirror. That is not authentic power or joy.

I truly hope to see you in August and would love the honor of being in your corner every step of the way. 

 WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Passion, desire, open-mindedness, a willingness to learn that long-lasting health and body composition takes time. There are a lot of hacks to jump start the process but no quick fixes.  

• A Facebook account. Again, our page is secure and invisible to everyone but members.

• A team-player attitude to support the other women in the community. We will all face challenges and that's where having each other's back makes a world of difference. We're in this together for four weeks.

• A fundamental knowledge and reading of the book No Fail Fat Burning for Women available on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/1deOafM

• An accurate body fat percentage reading via DEXA scan or hydrostatic testing. These are available almost everywhere and relatively inexpensive via mobile services. Home devices are wildly inaccurate. Google DEXA mobile body fat and/or mobile hydrostatic body fat to see what services are available in your area.

• Body part measurements and before and after pictures (for your private progress).

• At least a 20lb (9kg) - 35lb kettlebell and knowledge of the two-handed swing. Very easy. For instruction, check out Tracy Reifkind's "The Swing" here.

• And, of course, consult your physician before attempting any new nutrition or exercise protocol. As each individual woman is unique, you should use proper discretion before undertaking the diet, exercise and techniques of the No Fail Fat Burning for Women protocol. Michelle Burleson, Skye St. John, et al expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the 4 Weeks to Fat Loss protocol.

Once all spaces are filled we'll be waitlisting. Enroll today to secure your slot for 4 Weeks to Fat Loss!

The body you desire is the body you deserve.

Yours in resilience, strength and sticks of butter,

Michelle Burleson

Michelle Burleson

Q&A: Best Times to Measure Body Fat, Addicted to the Scale

Hey ladies! Michelle here. Hope you had an amazing weekend. Got in a killer heavy lift, surfed a little, ate a lot and rocked the hell out of a carb re-feed! We have lots to cover so let's get to it.

When to Measure Body Fat

Progress pictures: Take them every time you do body fat and measurements. It's fun to see the progress you make. I have a collection showing almost two years of transformation. I recently started getting kinda down on my progress then I went back and looked at how far I've come. So glad I have those shots on the less-than-motivated days. Take them first thing in the morning after visiting the loo but before having any liquids or showering.

When to weigh and take body fat measurements: Scale weight screws with women. I would destroy them all if I could. We need to understand that scale weight and BMI aren't the holy grail of health or fitness. Just to be clear, the number you're getting on your scale is a total of these:

Same scale weight. Different body fat percentage.

• bones
• organs (including the biggest, your skin)
• blood
• muscle
• fat
• water
• poop
• pee
• 🔥inflammation🔥

When a lot of women go on "weight loss" diets they're compromising all of the above, especially muscle. That's why I  stress focusing on fat loss (if you have extra body fat to lose) while PRESERVING and, hopefully,  gaining muscle.

Even if your scale number goes down you can still be "skinny fat." If you're skinny fat, you may have a low scale number but you also look soft, shapeless, have little muscle and still too much fat! For women this is normally a result of the BS diet industry stressing caloric restriction, an obsession with scale numbers aka "weight," low intensity/high repetition weights and constant cardio. You actually want to pack muscle weight ON for tightness, shape and healthier bone density. What you should be focusing on is your body fat percentage. Muscle is so hard to earn for us ladies. Why eat away at it with weight loss gimmicks and crash diets? 
I digress. My body composition tracking recommendation is to take your body fat and measurement (and scale weight if you need it to enter into a body fat measuring device) and pics once a month, two days after your period, first thing in the morning before eating, drinking, showering and (hopefully) after emptying your bowels. This allows for all period bloat to dissipate (if you're still at an age where you're getting your period.)

That may be hard for some of you scale addicts and if it is, it's time to consider the monthly measurement route. The scale can really screw with you psychologically and it's just not telling you the whole story on your muscle gain and fat loss. Also, you really see significant changes going month-to-month that you won't see with such small weekly data.

We recently got an email from a woman who began her ten day carb depletion and -- against everything we cautioned in the book -- she weighed herself every day for the first four days of the protocol. The first two days she saw significant weight loss. Then nothing on the third, a tiny gain on the fourth... and then she quit because "it obviously wasn't working" for her. Unbelievable!

One, this shows she didn't understand or bother to read the tenets of fat loss we explain in the book. Two, there are going to be days when the scale goes up -- your cycle, time of day, muscle soreness, tissue gain, liquid intake, etc all impact that sum total scale number. To quit after only four days of data?! What a disservice she did to herself. Makes me sad. Did it take four days for her to get her body into an unhealthy state?

Look at this U.S. GDP graph spanning from 1890 - 2010:

 

What we see is that although there were times of negative growth and no growth whatsoever, the overall big picture trend is positive.  This is no different than your journey towards health and your ideal body composition. Don't forget it. And don't you ever f-ing quit.

PS! We've also got a new Facebook page to keep the conversation going there! Show us some like!