How does my body store body fat? A simple guide
Fat gets talked about A LOT in society, whether it is over a coffee at work, in the gym, on social media, it is everywhere, usually in a way that makes it sound like it’s lurking in the shadows waiting to ruin your progress.
In reality, if you understand what it is and how it can be managed then it can make it easier to lose. To put it simply, body fat is just stored energy. Believe it or not, It has some important jobs: it helps to protect your organs, keeps you warm, supports hormone function and provides a huge fuel reserve for day-to-day life and exercise. So, rather than treating it as the villain of the story, it’s useful to understand what it is and where it actually lives.
First up: Where Is it stored?
Your body stores fat mainly as ‘adipose tissue’. This is the fancy name for body fat tissue, and it’s found in almost every region of the body.
Some fat is stored inside muscles, known as ‘intramuscular fat’. This is a relatively small amount, roughly 300–400 g and it can act as a fuel source, particularly during lower-intensity endurance exercise (marathon runners, long distance cyclists etc).
Most stored fat, though, is stored in two main places:
– Beneath the skin.
– Around internal organs.
Neither is there because your body has “given up” or because you had a McDonalds on Friday night. Your body is simply very good at storing energy for later, arguably a little too good considering it is now 2026 and you can order a Deliveroo whenever you feel like it.
The fat beneath your skin
The fat stored underneath the skin is called ‘subcutaneous fat’.
This is the type most people can see or pinch around areas such as the stomach, hips, thighs, arms and lower back. It acts as insulation, provides cushioning and stores energy that can be released when your body needs it.
Where you tend to store more of it is influenced by lots of things, including genetics, sex hormones, age, total energy intake, activity levels and stress. In other words, it is not simply a reflection of whether you are “good” or “bad” at eating. Remember, this is discussing location of fat storage, not just fat storage occurring.
This also explains why you cannot choose where fat comes off first. Unfortunately, our bodies do not come with the ability to select where you want to remove fat from first, this would make things so much easier but it is sadly not a thing. So, if you hear someone promising you some kind of supplement or programme that will “melt belly fat” or “targeting stubborn muffin top”, it is unfortunately not going to happen.
The fat around your organs
Some fat is stored deeper inside the body, around internal organs. This is called ‘visceral fat’.
Visceral fat does have a protective role, cushioning organs and acting as an energy reserve. The goal is not to have none at all, you need a little bit of body fat to function well, but excessive amounts can be associated with poorer metabolic health, such as increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, liver disease and certain cancers.
It is important to note, this is not something you can accurately judge just by looking in the mirror. As visceral fat is hidden, you may look leaner but you may still have higher levels of visceral fat.
What about fat stored in muscle?
A smaller amount of fat is stored within and between muscle fibres. This is known as ‘intramuscular fat’.
For runners and other endurance athletes, this can be useful. During easier, longer efforts, the body can use a greater proportion of fat as fuel, helping preserve glycogen (stored carbohydrate) that is particularly valuable when intensity rises.
That does not mean you need to start chasing a “fat-burning zone” or trying to run on fumes. The body uses both carbohydrate and fat during exercise; the proportion changes depending on intensity, duration, fitness, fuelling and the session itself.
An easy long run and a hard interval session are not asking for the same thing from your body. Your body is clever enough to adjust its fuel mix accordingly, even if you are not.
Why do we store fat at all?
From a survival point of view, storing energy makes perfect sense. Food was not always as available as it is now, and the human body developed to cope with periods when energy intake was less predictable.
Fat is a very energy dense form of stored energy. In simple terms, it takes up relatively little space while providing a large energy reserve. That is helpful when food is scarce; less helpful when you are trying to decide whether to get a 16 inch pizza of a kebab
Can I Choose Where I lose Fat?
Short answer: no.
Exercises can strengthen the muscles underneath a certain area. For example, core training can make your trunk stronger, and squats can build your legs, but they do not tell your body to take fat specifically from that body part.
Fat loss tends to occur gradually across the whole body, with the pattern largely influenced by genetics and hormones.
The most useful approach is to focus on the basics:
– Eat enough protein, fibre and try to keep an eye on your calorie intake. It is very easy to underestimate your calories (especially cooking oils, dressings, casual snacking, and liquid calories).
– Fuel training appropriately rather than trying to “earn” food through exercise.
– Build regular activity into your week, including resistance training.
– Prioritise sleep and manage stress where possible.
– Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART goals). This allows you to be able to effectively track progress.
The Takeaway
Your body stores fat as adipose tissue in many areas of the body. A small amount is stored in muscle, while the majority is stored beneath the skin and deeper around internal organs.
It is not just “extra weight”, it is a normal energy store with real biological functions. For athletes, fat even plays a role in fuelling lower-intensity endurance exercise.
So, the next time fat gets framed as something you need to battle, remember: your body is not working against you. It is doing what human bodies are designed to do… store energy, protect you and trying to keep you alive. It might just be that you have pushed this function a little bit too far, beyond what is a healthy level.
If you would like support with fat loss that does not rely on extreme restrictions, confusion or pushing yourself too fat and burning out, my online personal training can help. I will build a plan around your lifestyle, training experience, food preferences and goals, combining effective strength training, realistic nutrition habits and accountability.
Whether your priority is feeling stronger, improving your running, changing body composition or simply gaining confidence in the gym, you will have a clear, personalised structure and coaching support to help you make progress sustainably.
Get in touch today and let’s talk about the support you need to reach your goals.
