WHERE You Store Fat Matters
Where you preferentially store body fat tells you a lot about your hormones. Here's what you need to know.
There's an obvious link between body composition and hormone levels. For example, if a man's hormones are really out of whack, he can develop what's known as gynoid fat distribution. Instead of storing fat where a man normally does, around the abdomen, he stores it like a woman: on the hips, thighs, and butt. Usually, this is an estrogen problem.
Not every imbalance is so extreme, but even minor ones can cause some weird body fat distribution problems. Years ago, Charles Poliquin developed a whole system based on this idea. He'd take a dozen skinfold measurements, compare their ratios, and diagnose various issues based on the results.
He considered the triceps to be the "mother site" – the reference point to all other sites. The thinner the skin on the triceps, the higher the testosterone levels. He even said that a surefire way to tell if a woman is on steroids is if her triceps score is below 6mm.
The method had its critics. Poliquin's system may not have been flawless, but the general idea is sound, and we can use a simplified version of it with just a mirror. With an honest self-assessment, we can then use a few simple diet and supplement strategies to fix the most common problems.
1. Fat Storage Area: Love Handles
Are you relatively lean except for a roll of fat perched on your suprailiac? If you fit that profile, chances are you suffer from some degree of insulin resistance. Obviously, you need to make yourself more sensitive to insulin's effects, which is easy to do. All it requires is a prudent eating strategy, a couple of proven supplements, and some willpower.
Dietary/Supplement Strategy
- Take cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G) 30 minutes before the biggest meal of the day or before training if you're using a workout nutrition drink (Buy at Amazon). C3G increases insulin sensitivity, causing muscle fibers to preferentially burn calories instead of being stored as fat. It also reduces blood sugar and raises levels of adiponectin, which regulates glucose levels and increases fatty acid breakdown. C3G is found in the nutrient partitioning agent, Indigo-3G (Buy at Amazon).
- Take fish oil. Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with insulin resistance and omega-3 fatty acids reduce this inflammation. They also improve membrane fluidity and flexibility, essential for insulin receptors to function optimally. When cell membranes are more fluid, insulin binds more easily to its receptors, leading to better glucose uptake. Fish oil even upregulates the genes associated with insulin sensitivity while downregulating genes involved in inflammation and insulin resistance. Back in the day, experts recommended taking over a dozen fish oil capsules per day, but this was before self-emulsifying delivery systems were invented. Today, you just need 3 to 6 capsules of a concentrated supplement that uses this system, like Flameout (Buy at Amazon).
- Eat a high-protein diet (about a gram per pound of body weight).
- Keep carb intake to 200 or fewer grams per day.
Effects should be noticeable within a couple of weeks.
2. Fat Storage Area: Belly
Are you relatively lean except for a paunchy pile of fat on your umbilical region? If you fit that profile, it could be a combination of low testosterone and high cortisol.
Dietary/Supplement Strategy
- If you feel that your T levels have dropped but you're not eligible for replacement therapy, give them a healthy boost with Longjack (Eurycoma longifolia). Use only the LJ100 form, which synthesizes testosterone by blocking its aromatization into estrogen and stimulates T production in testicle Leydig cells. With Omega-Man High-Absorption Longjack (Buy at Amazon), you only need one capsule per day.
- Try phosphatidylserine (800 mg. a day). This ingredient is usually found in brain health supplements, but some studies suggest that phosphatidylserine may reduce cortisol levels directly. Take two capsules per day of a stand-alone supplement, like this one (Buy at Amazon).
3. Fat Storage Area: Chest (Man Boobs)
Are you relatively lean except for embarrassing fat storage on your pecs? If you have that problem, you may have an estrogen problem or testosterone-estrogen conversion problem.
Dietary/Supplement Strategy
- Use a high-absorption resveratrol formula. Resveratrol is a powerful aromatase inhibitor – it prevents testosterone from converting into estrogen. Take 600 mg of active pure trans-resveratrol daily. One serving of Rez-V (Buy at Amazon) contains that type and amount.
- Take fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, is strongly anti-estrogenic. Use a DHA-rich formula like Flameout (Buy at Amazon), 3-6 softgels per day.
- Eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables, or at least a serving or two a day. Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, broccaflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and bok choy contain a phytochemical (Indole-3-Carbinol) that reduces estrogen levels.
Adopting these three things could go a long way in curing your problem. Results should be noticeable in a couple of months.
Just Remember This
While these three strategies could prove powerful in combating your fat-storage issues, be aware that they're for individuals who are otherwise relatively lean but with very specific physique problems. If you're fat all over, the first line of attack is to adopt a smart diet and training plan. But you already knew that.
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