Body Fat: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Let's start with the "good" fat. The fatty layer just beneath your skin in the lower half of your body is good. It's called subcutaneous fat, and it's not necessarily the worst thing to have. Subcutaneous fat gives rise to two beneficial metabolic hormones: leptin, the hormone that tells your body to hang onto or let go of weight, and adiponectin, a hormone that lowers your blood sugar.