I’ve been hooked on health and nutrition since my Uni days studying Physiology and Sport Science. It’s a fascinating mix of biology, lifestyle, and psychology. But despite my studies, one thing’s been a constant struggle: my weight. I’ve swung up and down by 20 kilos multiple times, stuck on the rollercoaster of weight gain and loss. It’s frustrating, humbling, and why I’m sharing this weight loss journey with you.

I want to write a series of stories diving into the “why” behind weight gain and hopefully be able to understand the mechanics of achieving sustainable weight loss.

Why Weight Loss Diets Fail Me

I’ve tried every diet under the sun—keto, carnivore, juice cleanses, rice diets, intermittent fasting, you name it. They work for a bit: I drop kilos, feel awesome, then slip back. These diets are the “how” of weight loss—rules to follow—but they don’t explain why my body gains weight or why keeping it off is so tough. Understanding this is key to finding a sustainable way of eating, not just a quick fix.

My Mistake: Outsourcing My Thinking

Why haven’t I cracked this yet? I reckon I’ve been approaching it wrong. For years, I devoured books, blogs, and studies, blindly following what “experts” said was the right way to eat. I wasn’t thinking critically enough, outsourcing my brain instead of searching for the truth and reasoning through what suits my body. Nutrition is a minefield of conflicting advice—one day carbs are evil, the next they’re essential; saturated fat is a heart attack waiting to happen, then it’s fine in moderation; butter and eggs are demonised, only to be hailed as superfoods later. It’s absolutely knackering.

The Problem with Nutrition Research and Medical Tests

Another issue is how nutrition science is done. Studies often use small groups, like a handful of people, and spit out results that might not apply to me or you as individuals. On the flip side, big studies with thousands of participants give us averages—what works for the “typical” person—but I’m not typical, and neither are you. Then there’s the dodgy bit about medical tests, like blood tests. The “normal” ranges come from patients who get tested, usually because they’re unwell. So, these ranges reflect sick people, not healthy ones, which makes me question how useful they are for gauging my own health.

The System’s Role in Weight Gain

Capitalism drives awesome innovation, but it’s got a dodgy side. Companies profit by flogging processed foods, sugary drinks, and quick-fix diet plans. They fund studies that back their products, skewing our view of what’s healthy. It’s not a conspiracy—just business. But it means we’re fed half-truths, making it hard to navigate nutrition advice.

Why I’m Sharing My Weight Loss Journey

I’m no biochemist, but my Physiology background gives me a solid foundation to tackle weight loss from a fresh angle. I’m not tied to any dogma, and I’m ready to question everything, from trendy diets to “settled” science. Writing this series forces me to clarify my thoughts and dig deeper. Plus, as the saying goes: teaching is the best way to learn. I’m setting my ego aside, admitting I don’t have all the answers, and inviting you to join me.

What Is Body Fat, Anyway?

Let’s get to the core: what is body fat, and how does it pile up? No fads, just facts grounded in science. Body fat is essentially oil, stored as triacylglycerols (triglycerides or TAGs). These form tiny droplets in cells called adipocytes, which cluster into subcutaneous fat (under the skin) or visceral fat (around organs). Sounds simple, but it’s like saying a car is just metal and wheels—there’s more to it.

The Science of Fat Storage

Triglycerides, short for triacylglycerols, are named for their structure—’tri-acyl-glycerol’ means three fatty acid molecules (like free-flowing oils) joined to a glycerol molecule (often derived from glucose, like carbs). They’re built inside adipocytes from raw materials, not just plonked in ready-made. When it’s time to burn fat, triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol first. This process of storing and releasing fat is tightly controlled—let’s break it down with a story.

The Fat Cell Warehouse: A Simple Analogy

Imagine a fat cell as a massive warehouse with a busy docking station (cell wall) out front, a workshop (endoplasmic reticulum) on one side, and a huge storage area (lipid droplet) at the back. This storage area holds rooms packed with barrels of oil—our triglycerides. It can magically add or remove rooms, even entire floors, to store more or less fat. Each room has one-way entry and exit doors and these doors are locked with master keys we’ll get to soon.

Storing Fat: The “Fed State”

When you eat, raw materials like glucose and fatty acids arrive at the docking station. Glucose, from your bloodstream, is carried onto the docking stations and then turned into glycerol on the way to the workshop. Fatty acids arrive in two ways:

• Big meals: Huge tankers (chylomicrons or VLDL) carry pre-made triglycerides. These are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol as they come out of the tanker. The fatty acids are then loaded onto the docking station. Some of the glycerol is also loaded onto the docking station and some escapes into the street (blood stream).
• Smaller deliveries: fatty acids arrive directly on foot and climb onto the docking station, but tankers do the heavy lifting.

In the workshop, three fatty acids are welded to one glycerol to form a triglyceride, packed into a barrel and wheeled through entry doors for storage.

Burning Fat: The “Fasted State”

When your body needs energy—like during exercise or fasting—barrels are moved to exit corridors, where machinery breaks them back into three fatty acids and one glycerol. The fatty acids hop onto a conveyor belt to the docking station, where they then jump from the docking station, and head out to fuel your muscles or brain. Glycerol is released into the bloodstream for other uses. As barrels clear, the storage area shrinks, removing rooms and floors as needed.

Why This Matters for Weight Loss

This warehouse analogy is our starting point for understanding why fat sticks around or vanishes. By grasping how body fat and metabolism work, we’re closer to sustainable weight loss. This is just the first step in a series of articles where I’ll dig deeper into the mechanics of fat storage and release. Next, I’ll explore the signals that tell your body to store or burn fat—think of them as the switches that control the warehouse doors. I’ll also look at how the raw materials, like glucose and fatty acids, influence whether fat piles up or gets used up. Plus, I’ll dive into the body’s feedback loops, those clever systems that signal when you’ve got enough fat stored. But here’s the kicker: sometimes the body doesn’t hear those signals, and I’ll start unpacking why that happens and how it derails weight loss. Got a question about fat storage or nutrition? Chuck it in the comments, and let’s keep exploring!