The Difference Between Brown and White Fat
By now we’re all well aware that there are healthy dietary fats (hello, omega-3s!) as well as no-go dietary fats (see you never, manufactured trans fats). But what if we told you the same applies to different types of fat tissues in the body? That is, there may be a specific kind of fat, called brown fat, that actually fights obesity, instead of fueling it. Intrigued? We thought you would be. Here’s a breakdown of the science on brown versus white fat. What is White Fat? White fat, also called white adipose tissue or WAT, makes up the majority of the fat in adults’ bodies. It’s made up of large lipid (or fat) droplets and is fairly inactive. Think of this type of fat used as storage space for the excess calories we consume. What is Brown Fat? Brown fat is best known for having tons of small lipid droplets, each armed with its own mitochondria. Quick 7th grade bio refresher: mitochondria are the energy-producing organelles in cells. Why does that matter? The mitochondria in brown fat cells burn calories in order to produce energy in the form of heat, per The Mayo Clinic. Put simply: in helping to keep us warm, brown fat actually burns fat. Thank you, brown fat. According to Hopkins Medicine, babies typically possess a higher amount of brown fat than adults, since little ones need extra help warding off the cold early in life and brown fat helps generate heat. The only problem? The amount of brown fat in the body diminishes post-infanthood, so adults aren’t as privy to its calorie-burning benefits. Womp womp. What Does Science Say About Brown Fat? So far, the science supports the benefits of brown fat. In fact, some experts point to this type of adipose tissue as a possible means for fighting obesity, thanks to its metabolism-revving properties. Studies have shown that exposing individuals to cool temps can activate brown adipose tissue, or BAT, and in turn kick up calorie burn, or energy expenditure. BAT may also drive down disease risk. One January 2021 study reported that the presence of brown fat was associated with lower incidences of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease among adults. Other studies have linked brown fat activation with lower levels of circulating BCAAs (AKA branched chain amino acids). That might sound like a bad thing, since BCAAs are known to provide quick energy to the muscles during tough workouts, but an excess of these amino acids has actually been connected to a higher risk of obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, per the NIH. The bottom line? Researchers think that by removing excess BCAAs from the blood, activated brown fat could potentially contribute to weight loss and lower the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes. Also cool: animal studies suggest that strenuous exercise can help turn white fat into “beige fat,” AKA white adipose tissue that acts like brown fat. According to a 2018 study published in the journal Metabolism, it’s not exactly clear how physical activity is involved in the “browning” of white fat. After all, brown fat responds to cold and exercise tends to generate heat. There are a few different theories about the connection, but one likely explanation is that exercise supports UCP1, a gene that helps convert white fat to brown fat. The Catch(es) Despite promising findings on the health benefits of brown fat, there’s still work to be done. So far, most studies of brown fat have been conducted in animals (think: mice and rats). Cue the common refrain: more research in humans is needed. What’s more, methods for increasing brown fat (or producing beige fat) aren’t exactly convenient. First, it often requires complex tests, like PET-CT scans, to measure the amount and activity of brown fat in the body. Second, stimulating brown fat requires people to chill out — literally: studies have exposed participants to temps anywhere from 12(!) to 66 degrees F to turn on the calorie-burning tissue. Brrr. The Bottom Line There’s no question that brown fat brings more to the table than white fat. The metabolically active adipose tissue has been linked to better blood sugar regulation, lower heart disease risk and possible weight loss. All that said, measuring and stimulating brown fat production isn’t entirely straightforward, which means a DIY approach to boosting your own BAT stores isn’t fully understood, yet. For now, we recommend sticking with regular sweat sessions to potentially support BAT activity (another great reason to get exercise regularly!). If you really want to go the extra mile, you can try dropping your thermostat down to the mid 60s for an hour or two daily. Just remember: there are much simpler (much less chilly) ways to achieve BAT-associated health benefits like improved insulin sensitivity and weight management. Don’t count on low temps alone to do the trick. (photo credit: Shutterstock)
Why You Should Add LISS Cardio to Your Workout Routine Now
Log onto your Instagram account, and you’ll see one #KillerWorkout after another. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), CrossFit, Survivor Spin Classes, boxing…these super sweaty, heart-pumping, make-my-legs-shake workouts are effective and addictive. As much as I love those workouts, they’re not for everyone. Going from, “I need to start moving my body” to “I just did a 90-minute spin class” can be daunting. And if, at first, you aren’t slaying that killer workout, it can be frustrating. Or maybe your workouts have been super intense for a long while, and you feel like you need a break but still want to move your body? LISS cardio might be the answer for both the beginner and expert. What Is LISS Cardio? LISS cardio stands for Low Intensity Steady State cardio. This means that you exercise at a low to moderate pace for a longer duration. A “low to moderate pace” means working out at about a 4–6 in intensity on a scale of 1–10. One being “I’m watching The Bachelor” and ten being “I’m chasing a runaway puppy down the street in heels.” You want to be able to carry on a conversation without huffing and puffing, and you feel like you could just go forever. You’ll want to work out for 45-60 minutes at this pace without stopping. What Are the Benefits of LISS Cardio? LISS cardio is a great training option for a few reasons. First, it’s easily accessible to people at every fitness level. Anyone can open up their front door and go for a long walk, and most people can handle a light jog. The intimidation factor is gone. Second, it’s safe. It’s rare to see injuries in someone doing LISS cardio. Finally, workouts are only useful if you actually do them, and some research has shown that people are more likely to stick to a LISS-based exercise routine, as opposed to one centered on high-intensity sessions. RELATED: 5 Ways to Find Workout Motivation When it Feels Impossible How to Do LISS Cardio The best ways to do LISS cardio include riding a bike, using the elliptical in the gym, or, my favorite, walking outdoors. (Bonus: Walking outside is a great way to build and maintain bone density!) For the beginner, open up the door and go for a walk. LISS cardio is the best way to start building stamina and aerobic capacity, two things that you are going to need when you start moving into higher-intensity workouts. You are also going to get a big boost of endorphins, which will motivate you to make even more healthy choices during the day. Aim for three to four LISS cardio sessions per week. RELATED: 5 Expert Running Tips to Prevent Injury For the expert, you can use LISS cardio as your “active rest day” exercise. Doing high-intensity workouts day after day without rest and recovery can lead to burnout and injury. LISS cardio allows your body to recover while still including movement into your day. You’ll notice that your body will feel less sore, and you’ll probably sleep deeper on those days. To feel the benefits, trade out a high-intensity workout for a LISS cardio workout once a week. It’s so easy to add LISS cardio into your exercise routine, and you are going to love the change of pace, the feeling, and the results. About Cassie: Cassie Piasecki is a graduate of The Nutrition School and is a Pilates Method Alliance-certified Pilates teacher and personal trainer based in Newport Beach, California. With over 25 years of experience, Cassie has taught fitness to over 10,000 people! She now connects with clients both in the studio and online via her website, thewowlife.com. Her favorite quote comes from Joseph Pilates: “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” Follow her on Instagram at @SmartyCassie.
3 Tips to Jog Your Muscle Memory
You forget what you wrote on your grocery list this morning, and you forgot to take the list with you to the store. You remember the words to that song from your senior year of high school when you skipped school to sunbathe, but you can’t remember who sang it. You remembered to grab your phone off the nightstand before checking out of the hotel but, ugh, you left your charger there AGAIN. Did you ever wonder why it is that you never forgot how to ride a bike or surf or chaturanga or toss a frisbee? Years may elapse between hopping on your two wheels but you can still pedal your heart out without thinking. A decade may have passed since you last hit the slopes, but you still can bypass the bunny hill like it ain’t no thang. Lucky for us our brains hold their relationships with our muscles with special care. It’s like our brains put our muscles on these beautiful white pedestals, bow to them with awe, and roll out the red carpet for them anytime they make an appearance. This is called muscle memory. It’s nature’s way of letting us take a break from skiing, skating and ballet classes, but allowing us to pick it back up with ease years later. And it’s way easier than learning a new sport because our muscles will eagerly remember what they were trained. I’ll spare you the science and theories and fancy words that explain why muscle memory happens. There are plenty of other blogs out there explaining that. I will tell you that it’s never too late to pick up an old exercise habit, and that’s my goal here: to inspire you to move like you used to. Because you can. Sure, you’re gonna be sore for a bit, but think of it as your way of waking your muscles up after a long hibernation and revving your metabolism for some turbo fat burning. It’s one day closer to having those shoulders you once loved on your body or those abs that are screaming to make an appearance after you devoted your belly to babies. It’s a reason to appreciate your legs again – the ones that got you to all those finish lines in high school or across the stage in pink slippers in middle school. It’s thinking of your body differently than you have in awhile and realizing it’s capable of so much more than you’ve been challenging it recently. It’s not feeling like you’ll never be what you once were, but rather feeling like the best of you is yet to come, and the past was just a warmup. Your muscles remember their role in making you an awesome you. It’s time for your brain to remember how awesome you are, especially if you’ve been struggling with body image or self esteem issues since your heydays of trophies and medals and award ceremonies. I hope I’ve inspired you to sign up for that dance class or book that ski trip or enter that 5k. That first step is the most important part. The second is using muscle memory to your advantage to get your body movin’ and groovin’ again. 3 Tips to Jog Your Muscle Memory Practice makes perfect. The more you regularly do an activity, the stronger the brain-muscle connection. Even if you are not able to lift weights, ski, swim or whatever your activity of choice is, go through the movement and the motions in your home to give your muscles a moment to practice and rehearse moving in that way. Guided imagery works. Use guided imagery to imagine yourself successfully sinking baskets, doing your time on the treadmill in graceful form or doing a perfect pirouette. Focus, in your head, on your form and picture your body being successful with perfect execution of the movement. This will translate into your performance next time. Cross training is key. You don’t need to go to the gym to do some squats to support your skiing posture. You can practice jumping rope to support getting yourself off the ground with a rebound or jump shot. Even if you can’t dive in the pool to practice your strokes, you can do some dips, rows or butterfly presses to support your training. Remember! Practice good form because your muscles will remember bad form just as readily as good form. Try these tips. They’re as easy as riding a bike.
