Most of us view fat as the enemy and other physical factors like cardiovascular conditioning, muscle management and spinal structure as the major players to manipulate in order to improve performance.
However fats are just as dynamic in function and form as any other organ. With more than one type of fat and each effecting the metabolism, body function and hormonal balance in very different ways.
Beneath the Skin
When you look beyond the dimples you will discover certain fats are more hazardous to your pride than your performance.
Subcutaneous Fat
Form and Function: lies just beneath the skin and aids in the process of homeostasis, by forming a layer of insulation to slow heat loss, absorbs trauma, and is a reserve energy source. It may offend your eye but not effect your exercise so don’t stress over a few stretch marks.
How its measured: subcutaneous fat can be measured using body fat calipers giving a rough estimate of total body adiposity.
Visceral Fat
Form and Function: also known as organ fat or intra-abdominal fat, visceral fat is located inside the abdominal cavity, packed in between internal organs and torso. Visceral fat is the more worrisome variety because it surrounds vital organs and is metabolized by the liver, which turns it into blood cholesterol.
How its measured: the only effective way researchers can locate visceral fat is by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses magnetic waves to take a picture of the inside of the abdomen.
Cholesterol
Form and Function: a waxy steroid metabolite cholesterol is found in cell membranes and transported through blood plasma. It is an essential structural component required for proper cell membrane permeability and fluidity and a precursor molecule for several biochemical pathways involved in the manufacture of bile acids, steroid hormones, and several fat-soluble vitamins. *Some research indicates that cholesterol may also act as an antioxidant. Higher concentrations of LDL and lower concentrations of functional HDL are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease because these promote atheroma development in arteries (atherosclerosis). However its clear that cholesterol is essential to performance so maintaining a healthy range will benefit the body.
How its measured: a blood sample after 12-hour fasting is taken by a doctor or a home cholesterol-monitoring device to determine a lipoprotein profile. This measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and triglycerides.
*Smith LL (1991). “Another cholesterol hypothesis: cholesterol as antioxidant”. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 11 (1): 47–61. doi:10.1016/0891-5849(91)90187-8. PMID 1937129.
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