How to activate the burning of body fat

Although the only thing that obsesses us is getting rid of it, it should be remembered that we have

distributed throughout our anatomy:

, necessary for normal physiological functioning (around 3% in men and 12% in women);

and the

energy reserve that accumulates under the skin and around the internal organs.

The accumulation of the latter, the one that really worries us when it gets out of hand, depends on genetic inheritance and, as is known, differs by sex: there is the

-apple-shaped-, predominant in males and located in the thoracoabdominal area;

and the pear-shaped

, more common among women and concentrated on the thighs and buttocks.

Why does it occur?

Basically (we also know this), for something as basic as

.

And this, instead of disposing of that excess fuel, accumulates it in case it had to throw it away at some point.

But, be careful, as we told you recently in ZEN, this

of 'what goes in for what goes out', if you eat much more than you need during a sustained period of time, you can lead us to a

in which our metabolism can no longer go back and our fat cells 'mutate' until they control our body.

But let's not get dramatic.

it (before reaching that critical moment of 'no return'), is quite complicated, but not impossible.

To try it, obviously,

In other words, follow a diet adapted to our circumstances and do more exercise, combining aerobic exercise and strength in an appropriate way.

Only in this way will we be able to make our body use its reserves to obtain the energy it needs

"Here the main factor to take into account will be

, which, when combined with

and other types of habits, such as

and control of

, will bring about the greatest benefits," explains Sonsoles Hernández, a personal trainer (member of the Official College of Graduates of PE and Sciences of Physical Activity and Sport of the Community of Madrid number 53725).

How do we do it?

"Although there is no single answer to this question here, we must bear in mind that, beyond the time we spend exercising, the priority is

, avoiding sedentary behaviors. How? For example, for every hour we spend sitting, get up to walk for a few minutes, climb stairs or do ten sit-ups."

In this same sense, Martín Giacchetta, CEO of Boutique Gym (Madrid), warns us that "taking a beating in the gym two or three days a week is of little use if we spend the rest of the time sitting down. We have to adopt

, walk more, climb all the stairs we can, etc. In this way, we will be able to take full advantage of our

(Not Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) which is the caloric expenditure that our body produces carrying out all the activities -physical- daily that we do not have scheduled, that is, those that do not fall within sports practice ".

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At this point, it is assumed that we are already clear that, to burn fat,

that the only thing they will do to us, in addition to reducing our physical performance, is sweat like a beast, running the risk of dehydrating.

"Success lies in

" says Sonsoles Hernández.

Building solid muscle mass should be one of our top priorities, especially considering one of the inescapable milestones in our biological clock: between the ages of 30 and 40, muscle tone begins to decrease, which leads to a

What does this mean?

What does muscle mass have to do with metabolism?

All.

Because, as we have already told you before, the

not only has a

(facilitating movement and sustaining, both bone and visceral, among many other things) and another

one (which allows us to remain upright and be 'tough' and marked ), but also develops a very important

.

It is, we already know, a powerful metabolic oven that participates in the release of certain hormones into the bloodstream that affect caloric expenditure.

That is, the more muscular we are, the more calories we will consume, even at rest (sitting or sleeping).

"Muscle is a tissue that

, that is, the greater the amount of muscle mass, the greater the energy expenditure that we will have, even at rest (what we call basal metabolism) and, therefore,

In addition, muscle is an endocrine organ that, when it contracts, releases certain substances into the blood which affect different organs and regulate certain processes in the body An example could be the pancreas, where exercise helps reduce blood glucose levels," says Hernández.

But, taking all this information to the real scenario and always starting from the basis that, to start a training program, we should put ourselves in the hands of a qualified professional, what can we do to combat body fat?

Sonsoles Hernández gives us some advice: "The ideal would be to start with the minimums dictated by the World Health Organization, that is,

.

Specifically, a good starting point would be to start with your favorite cardio activity (walking, stationary bike, elliptical...) for about 10 minutes at an intensity that we can carry on a conversation.

With regard to strength, we can do exercises with elastic bands, always at an intensity that leaves four or five repetitions in the chamber, approximately".

Elastic bands, the best accessory to train at home

And, finally, a curiosity: where do we eliminate the fat that we burn?

The endocrinologist Carlos Rodríguez Jiménez.

He clears up our doubts: "Fat -composed fundamentally of fatty acids and triglycerides- is metabolized in the liver, giving rise to ketone bodies that

. For this reason, when you are losing weight, you usually have a strong breath, like when children are with acetone.

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