On Top of the Competition
When we focus on getting rid of our body fat, the true potential of an athletic physique finally reveals itself. This could be why a majority of fitness and training programs today target fat removal as a priority for their clients.
When our bodies are leaner, developed muscles that were buried under slabs of fatty tissue are exposed, striations in muscle tissue are visible, and various muscle insertions are more identifiable.
To recognize any separation between muscles in the anatomy, the body typically has to be under 15% body fat. If the muscles haven’t been properly developed for several years, fat levels may have to be as low as 10% in some cases.
Most people never aim for body fat levels this low unless they’re competing as fitness models or bodybuilders on stage as dieting becomes more difficult to maintain (see Hazards of Staying Shredded Year Round).
However, if you want to a clearly developed midsection or well developed lower back, getting down to these levels are needed because of the presence of stubborn fat.
The lower abdominal and lower back regions are the two major problem areas that make fat loss more difficult than we originally thought.
To develop a truly stunning physique, we have to study how fat is stored differently in the body.
How to Look Visibly Stunning Under 10% Body Fat
If you’ve ever gone on a diet for long enough, you may have noticed faster fat loss in certain areas and extremely slow fat loss in others. What’s the real reason for this?
Fat cells grow in size from the excess calories in foods we eat, however, these cells are classified into different categories based on how quickly they can be “reduced”. Cells that take longer to be reduced than others are referred to as stubborn fat cells.
Stubborn fat comes from the two type of receptors found on the fat cells in the body: A2 receptors and B2 receptors. Receptors can be thought of as master locks that require different “keys” to open them.
Depending on your gender, and to an extent your genetics, these two types of fat cells are distributed differently throughout the body. The ratio of A2 to B2 receptors is what determines how difficult it will be to remove fat from a particular area.
When we see someone an excess amount of fat in their lower abdominals (even a pot belly), it’s more likely they have more A2 receptor fat cells in that region if their body fat levels are already at 10%.
Stubborn fat is often stored in the lower abdominals and lower back in males.
A2-type fat receptors require a little more work to remove than just going on a caloric deficit and lifting heavy weights for a few months.
Getting Rid of Stubborn Fat
If you’re already at 10% body fat, going on an extended diet isn’t the solution to getting six-pack abs or getting rid of lower back love handles.
The main reason stubborn fat is difficult to remove is because of poor blood flow. Areas with concentrated amounts of A2 receptor fat cells are usually cooler because less blood is being circulated to the fat tissue.
Less blood circulation means natural fat burners that are released during and after exercise will not be able to access these cells for energy.
Our body releases hormones called catecholamines when our insulin levels are low, which help with fat loss in stubborn areas.
While catecholamines will reach parts of the upper body in males during exercise, the lower body doesn’t benefit as well.
One solution to this is intermittent fasting, which is the timing of a smaller eating window to allow more catecholamines to be produced throughout the day (see What is Intermittent Fasting).
Fasted training accomplishes this as well, as this allows other fat burning hormones to reach stubborn areas without spiking insulin levels (growth hormone, irisin, leptin).
When all else fails, you can always rely on natural herbs and supplements to boost fat burn in stubborn areas.
The Wrap Up
Well-proportioned and defined physiques require low body fat levels, which falls in a range of 10-15% for most males depending on genetics and experience level in training. If your body fat levels are already well in this range, you may have to use alternate methods of fat loss, including fasted training, intermittent fasting, and/or natural supplementation. Fat loss at very low body fat levels is challenging, but not impossible if you when you learn how your body works.
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