Burn your fat!

Does my bum look big in this?" Who hasn't heard those words? More importantly, who hasn't spoken those words? Indeed, not many of us!

Why do we have this ongoing battle of the bulge? Why do we care if our bum is big? In short, whether we subscribe to a Western culture or an Arabic culture, a healthy and toned body is one that symbolises discipline, youth and sexiness.

The weight loss and fitness industry is the main pathway to this "youth and sexiness". We want to exercise to be slimmer, healthier, fitter but also to look good. Now where do I sign?

Some of us only exercise to look good! If we happen to get fitter along the way, then that is a bonus. We are constantly told by the fitness industry (and our PE teachers!) that if you regularly exercise, you will not only feel great and live longer, you will look amazing. And you know what? They are right!

How to burn fat effectively is a source of confusion and frustration for a lot of people. I'm going to make it easy for you.

Fat is an oxidative fuel. Just like the petrol in your car needs air for it to power your engine, fat in your body needs lots of oxygen for it to power your muscles.

To burn fat, you need to move steadily while using up lots of oxygen. The way to know you are using up oxygen is simple. Firstly, you will feel your heart rate go up and stay up.

You need to choose movements like jogging, swimming, cycling, walking ... anything you can sustain without getting totally out of breath or collapsing in a heap. Alternatively, you should avoid activities that are not going to get your heart rate up enough.

So, you need to avoid activities where you are constantly stopping and starting, or lying down a lot. Some examples of this are cricket, tennis or yoga.

Secondly, you should feel your temperature go up and stay up. So, you need to break a sweat, without having a muscle meltdown.

Thirdly, you should be moving your major muscle groups. So, you need to rhythmically move your legs and/or back and arms at the shoulder. There is nothing complicated about how to burn fat. Honest.

The other fuels for your body are carbohydrates and in cases of starvation, protein. Neither of these two fuels needs oxygen to burn. When you play cricket, tennis or do yoga, you are probably burning carbohydrate. Someone can still lose weight if they are doing activities such as these and using up carbohydrate stores, but it takes a very long time and MUST be combined with a low fat diet to facilitate low fat body storage.

Fat is not to be considered a total enemy to health. Consider for a moment that fat is the richest source of fuel for the body. Fat is four times as calorie dense as carbohydrate.

Not only does fat store heaps of energy, it also stores some vitamins; helps keep us warm; helps keep our skin soft; helps protect internal organs; and helps send electrical messages throughout our brain. Amazing, huh?

There is just one thing wrong with fat. It tastes just so darn good! Our bodies are strongly pre-programmed to eat fat.

Humans actively seek out both healthy, low-density fats (from nuts, fish and some plants), as well as unhealthy, high-density fats from animal products (like cream, hamburgers and deep fried chicken).

The reasons we crave fat are the same reasons fat is good for us. However, our instincts tell us to "keep eating" in case of starvation or pregnancy.

We get fat when we eat and keep on eating, without burning all that energy off.

It is easy and natural to want to eat fat all the time, despite the fact that healthy young adults only need between 25 and 40 grammes of fat per day. Think of this craving as an over-zealous safety valve in our brain that our caveman ancestors forgot to turn off!

Highly processed foods that contain both fats and sugars are even harder to resist. This is because your brain tells your stomach to grab that cake, chocolate bar or big cheese sandwich because it can increase your energy stores even more.

Sugar and carbohydrate is also an important fuel for brain and muscle function. Your brain also tricks you into thinking storing fat can mean potentially more fat-soluable vitamins and temperature maintenance.

The trouble with this mode of thinking is that starvation, a deficit of vitamins, and running around without warm clothing available to us, is just not a reality in modern Bahrain.

The ancestoral safety valve needs to be switched off in your brain. To be slim and healthy means to resist this basic instinct to eat fat all the time. That's why 'diet' is a dirty four-letter word.

Substituting fatty and highly-processed foods with healthy. low fat foods is very difficult in some people. In other words, if this basic instinct to consume fat is stronger than your conscious will to be fit and healthy, you will disregard all, for the sake of satisfying your brain and stomach.

Consequently, your bum - and the rest of your body - will look huge!

Additionally, low-density fats tend to accumulate in your arteries. Fatty deposits in your blood and blood vessels can lead to a myriad of health problems.

Besides educating yourself about good food choices, and exercise, having sheer determination to get healthy is most of the battle.

If you are having difficulty losing weight or need some motivating, you must visit a sympathetic doctor, local weight loss centre or caring and qualified fitness instructor.

Fat is not necessarily the enemy - it might just be your instincts and motivation. Good luck everyone.