Basics of weight gain and weight loss

The body tries to maintain an equilibrium with regards to energy in and energy out. If energy in, equals energy out then the body will not gain any weight.

Now if energy in, from the food you eat is greater than the energy used by the body, then the excess energy is stored as fat. The human body is very good at storing surplus energy for time of need like drought, famine or cold periods.

Luckily a lot of us are not faced with these dire situations so there is actually no benefit in storing excess fat because we will not actually get to use it so it just becomes a burden on the body.

Excess fat is associated with a whole host of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Different people store fat in different parts of the body. Women generally store fat in the hips and buttocks whilst for men its the stomach. Excess weight around your mid section, known as visceral fat is particularity bad for your health since they encompass your internal organs and upset the natural hormonal balances leading to diabetes and other complications.

Most of us eat more than the body needs so the best way to reduce fat is to increase our energy expenditure. This can be achieved by moving more, this can be walking, running or weight training. The main thing is not be sedentary. All the best.