Understanding Body Types

Understanding Body Types 

There's a very commonly believed myth about weight loss -- that the sole reason for slow weight loss is because you eat too much and don't exercise enough. The truth, though, is that weight loss is all about hormones and metabolism. Hormones control metabolism and metabolism determines how fast you are able to melt fat off of your body.

There are four body types or shapes, and each is associated with a particular hormone-producing organ. You can take this quiz to understand which body type you are whether you are male or female.

Adrenal type

Someone with a sagging belly has an adrenal type of body. The adrenal gland sits on top of the kidneys, and its purpose is to help you cope and deal with stress.

The adrenal gland produces the hormone cortisol. When there's too much cortisol, the body tells the fat to go in and around your belly.

That's because you have vital organs in your belly -- liver, kidney, pancreas -- and your body under stress uses fat as the main fuel source to keep these organs alive.

Adrenal types suffer from an entire syndrome of related health issues, as do all of the four types.

Liver type

Someone who has a pot belly has a liver type of body. The liver leaks fluid into a sack around the belly, causing the belly to protrude.

Ovary type

Someone who has saddle bags -- weight on their hips, thighs and a stomach pouch -- is an ovary body type. Ovaries can make estrogen, and estrogen creates a lining of fat as cellulite and deposits it around the pelvis. This type has problems associated with the menstrual cycle. In menopause, the ovary type can turn into the adrenal type.

Thyroid type

Someone with fat distributed equally all over their body is a thyroid type. The thyroid gland controls every cell in the body and regulates metabolic rate.

Most important part of the video

You've been taught obesity is a health risk. The truth is, it's just the opposite. Obesity is the result of an unhealthy body, not the cause of it. You have to get healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to get healthy.