Skip to main content

Fat Loss & The Twilight Effect

There’s probably one thing you will never see me doing: sunbathing.

In fact, because I tend to cringe at direct sunlight and have been known to “glitter” from time to time (inside joke), some would think I belong on the cast of “Twilight,” but a vampire I’m not. Despite my Hispanic roots, I have always been a fair skinned person.

And, since sunlight is a key component to the synthesis of vitamin D, you can understand my curiosity regarding vitamin D research and its effects on fat loss.

Recent buzz is that increasing (or maintain adequate amounts of) vitamin D is one of the newest ways to lose weight and burn fat.

It seems that if you are lacking in vitamin D, you may be prone to subtle changes in your body composition. Some have a noticeably increased accumulation of fat around the waist area, giving a person a distinguishably apple shape.

While apples are tasty & beautiful, having an apple shape may actually increase your risk for developing diabetes, insulin resistance, and heart disease.

The reason, in part, may be due to increased visceral fat around your organs, or possibly a lack of proper hormone signaling. Did you know fat affects your hormones, too?

What’s more is that recent research seems to suggest that children with deficient levels of vitamin D also have an increased risk for being overweight in their adult lives. (Good thing Lexi loves her milk!)

So if you are like me, and you swear you can hear your skin sizzle in direct sunlight, take heart. There is still hope to improving your levels of vitamin D and possibly increasing your fat burning potential.

Try this: Simply increase your vitamin D consumption by taking a supplement, consuming low fat, organic milk, dairy and yogurt products, or (for those of you NOT on the “Team Edward” side) - more exposure to SUNLIGHT.

As Always - Enjoy Your Life!

John Aaron Villarreal



The Legal Stuff: The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose,
cure, treat or prevent disease. Please consult your physician
prior to starting any exercise or diet program.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

When Should I Get a Massage and How Often?

This is a question I get often… Let’s face it, if it were up to massage therapists we’d say that you should get a massage every day, but in reality – very few people ever have the means or time to make this scenario play out in their lives. So technically speaking, your frequency should depend on how much you like massage, how often you experience chronic pain, and your budget. If you’re able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage works best at helping prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. With my more athletic clients (runners, weightlifters, gymnasts), I usually recommend timing their massage to coincide with the times they are training their hardest. For example, runners can develop tight hamstrings and hips, gymnasts and weight-lifters can get tight shoulders. These tight muscle groups can elicit injuries over time if they aren't treated by massage. If you are physically active, I recommend getting a massage within 24 hours ...

Coffee Has Health Benefits

Anyone who knows me knows I love my Joe…. err, “cup of joe” that is. In fact, I’m enjoying a cup as I write this post. However, as a wellness professional that little admission of guilt has gotten me a few sneers and looks of condescension. Caffeine is BAD for you, they say! Well, perhaps abusing caffeine may be “bad” for you, but ‘caffeine’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘coffee.’ Despite this fact, coffee has gotten a bad rep over the years after a few health experts linked it (or rather, linked caffeine abuse) to several diseases. But is coffee actually that bad? Probably not; new research shows that drinking coffee in moderation provides numerous health benefits. Antidepressant It might seem a little odd to find that coffee could help with depression, but new research has shown that it does just that. Now, don’t go throwing out your prescriptions or quit counseling just yet though, coffee is not a cure for depression. Rather, the caffeine in coffee helps regulate your mood trans...

What To Do When You’re Chronically Stressed

Of all the modern-day ailments that seem to affect us, none is more pervasive than stress. Everywhere you turn, there are factors lurking to redirect you from your peaceful pursuit of happiness and lock you in the clutches of “stress.” What exactly is stress—and what more insidious effects does it cause? The dictionary defines stress as “great pressure or force; strain.” In today’s world, we think of stress as the result of too much pressure laid upon us by life, causing mental worry or anguish. This, in turn, manifests itself in tight neck and shoulders, headaches, nervous stomach, etc. But these physical and mental conditions are really only the beginning. Studies show that stressful situations can develop into more threatening health conditions. For instance: A sudden or unexpected stressor can activate your adrenal glands, which sends adrenaline and other hormones into your bloodstream. This brings about an increase in your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood f...