Obesity is a metabolic condition and neither exercise nor forced energy restriction is effective at causing long-term weight loss. Obesity is characterised by fat deposits in and around the organs, especially the liver, that results in an increased waist to hip ratio. Such abdominal fat is caused by metabolic dysfunction and the overloading of the liver by nutrients, particularly fructose. In contrast to abdominal fat, subcutaneous fat is triglyceride storage under the skin which does not increase the risk of disease. However, subcutaneous fat can be unsightly. For metabolically normal individuals, exercise is effective at removing subcutaneous fat. However, subcutaneous fat is less labile than abdominal fat and as a result can only be removed with intense physical activity. Exercise has consistently been shown to be the best method for removing subcutaneous fat, although this fat can be particularly difficult to oxidise as a fuel once lain down. In contrast abdominal fat is best treated with improved diet quality that eliminates the metabolic overload on the liver.
It is assumed by many that exercise is able to remove body fat because it allows increased oxidation of fuel. This is true, but oxidation of energy during exercise in minimal when compared to the amount of oxidation that occurs at rest. The resting metabolic rate of an individual constitutes the largest portion of energy utilised and as such increasing the resting metabolic rate is the method by which subcutaneous fat can be removed most effectively. Resting metabolic rate is determined primarily by the skeletal muscle mass, and those individuals with more muscle have higher resting metabolic rates. Endurance exercise is therefore a poor choice of exercise because it does not cause efficient muscle growth and is primarily catabolic in nature. Resistance training however is anabolic in nature, and the best way to increase skeletal muscle and to lose subcutaneous fat. The avoidance of lifting heavy weights is perhaps one of the main reasons so many women find it difficult to lose body fat.
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