Question from our inbox:    

Does our body make more fat cells? If it does, what causes it to do so and how can I stop it? Lastly, do overweight people have more fat cells than thin people?  I know that is more than one question, but I’m really confused and would like some clarity. Connie B.

Connie that is an awesome question/questions. I know this can be a confusing topic especially if you keep hearing conflicting information. You’ve probably heard it time and time again that when we are born we with a certain number of fat cells and our body does not make new ones. Well, come to find out that is partially true.  It’s true, we are born with a set number of fat cells, and this number stays constant throughout our lifetime, but it wasn’t’ until recently that scientist  discovered our body does make new fat cells, and it does so not because of the food we eat, but because fat cells actually break down and die. Our body makes new cells to counterbalance the ones it lost. So, to answer your question, Yes, your body has the ability to make new fat cells and it does so  to keep and maintain our  “set-point” throughout life.  And contrary to what you may think or heard, there is nothing that changes the number of fat cells you were born with, regardless of what you eat or drink. We become overweight when we consume more calories than our body requires not because we “grow” more fat cells.   Research has also discovered that overweight people breakdown and rebuild fat cells at a greater rate than their thinner counterpart.  And don’t think that having liposuction removes fat cells permanently.  Studies have found overweight people who had weight loss surgery had as many fat cells two years after the surgery as they did before it, even though they were much thinner, proving that your body will return to its “set point.”

Just because some people may have more fat cells than others doesn’t necessarily mean that those with more are doomed to carry extra weight.  The number of fat cells you have doesn’t determine if you’ll be overweight or not. It’s the number of calories you consume on a daily basis that does. A person becomes overweight when he/she consumes more calories than their body requires. The excess calories get stored as fat and cause the fat cell to “plump” up or become larger, resulting in a larger body.  I want you to remember this because most people think that if someone is overweight they eat nothing but junk, but the reality of the situation is, even someone who eats a “healthy” diet can be overweight.   A calorie is a calorie when we are talking strictly about weight gain even if it comes from a healthy food.

So to eliminate unwanted weight and to shrink those fat cells back to normal size we must take in fewer calories than our body needs, but do so without starving ourselves and throwing our metabolism under the bus. Eating fewer calories will result in weight loss, but if you restrict the calories too severely your metabolism will be affected as well and slow down to accommodate.  Your metabolism will adjust to the very low calorie diet you are giving it. Most starvation diets do result in weight loss but once a person starts consuming more calories, more than what is currently needed with their new slower metabolism, they gain the weight back and more. We help our patients by finding out, via the MedGem device, what their metabolism is before they start their weight loss journey so they don’t have to worry about slowing things down. Knowing what your metabolism is before you start gives you the most success and permanent results shrinking those fat cells back to their original size and keeping them there for life.   

Lisa Eisele, RD, CSO, LD is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. She also holds a Board Certification as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition. Lisa and her partner Stacy Paine, RD, LD own Oconee Nutrition Consultants, LLC. Both Lisa and Stacy are also Certificated Specialist in Adult Weight Management. 706-473-5801