Exercise and Fat Metabolism

Fat metabolism provides an essential fuel for satisfying functional needs for your entire body. It is your body’s largest energy reservoir and has significantly more available energy to meet physiological needs than carbohydrates. Just stop and think about that for a second! Personally, I think that (along with so many other things about the human body) is fascinating. If I can get my body to break down body fat and use it for fuel, I’ll never run out of energy to do what I want to do. Here’s the deal: If your body is good at burning fat for energy, you’ll likely achieve the look you want - the kind of physique you’ve been dreaming of. But if your body struggles to use fat efficiently, you might end up with more body fat than you’d like. Plus, that could increase your risk of obesity and related health problems. In other words, it’s like having a well-tuned fat-burning engine versus one that sputters a bit.

We all know that regular exercise lowers the risk for obesity. We also now know that regular exercise is very health promoting because of its ability to improve fat metabolism. Regular exercise improves the capacity to burn fat; improving the capacity to burn body fat for fuel lowers the need for carbohydrates to be used as fuel and ultimately results in enhanced exercise capacity and endurance.

Fat Metabolism & The Human Body

Your body’s fat serves various purposes. First, there’s subcutaneous fat—about half of your total fat - which sits just beneath your skin. Think of it as a cozy layer that helps regulate body temperature and provides fuel for your muscles. It’s like a built-in energy reserve. The other type of fat is visceral fat. This fat wraps around your organs, acting as a protective cushion. It also helps maintain the right temperature for your organs and serves as an energy source for your body tissues.

Now, let’s talk about triglycerides. These are like tiny storage units for fat. When you eat, your body converts excess calories into triglycerides and stores them. When you need energy - say, during exercise - your body breaks down these triglycerides. The result? Fatty acids are released and transported through your blood to your muscles, where they’re metabolized for energy.

But there’s more! Essential fatty acids are crucial for your health. Your body can’t make them, so you get them from your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids, for example, not only provide energy but also have anti-inflammatory effects in your body.

Inside your muscles, there are special fat stores called intramuscular triglycerides. These act like convenient fuel tanks for the mitochondria - the energy factories within your cells. When you’re active, these intramuscular triglycerides are always the first to be used up.

And here’s the cool part: hormones regulate fat metabolism. When you’re exercising, epinephrine (from your adrenal glands) gets released. Epinephrine acts like a fat-burning signal - it helps break down fat most efficiently.

It’s all about balance! The right balance of evidence-based training programs and nutrition customized specifically for you will keep the fat-burning engine (we affectionately refer to as your body) running smoothly and using your body fat for fuel as efficiently as possible.