Wondering How This All Works

rugbyphreak

I've been here for quite some time and made awesome progress, but now I'm starting to question things...

How exactly does this whole weight loss/fat loss work? I know that 3,500 calories are supposed to equal a pound, but how does the body differentiate between food calories consumed that day and the fat your body holds? Does it go through the food calories first? And where does the fat go? I know the cells themselves never go away, but they shrink. Where does that "fat filling" go? Do we sweat it out? Does it pass through us as waste?

And I seem to lose weight much faster when I cut my calories severely and don't work out, rather than eat a healthy amount and work out like crazy. Why is this? If 3,500 calories equal a pound, shouldn't they both work equally as long as the deficit is the same?

Just curious, so don't give me the whole starvation mode lecture or tell me to cut out carbs or go paleo. And dear god, please don't even mention drinking nothing but shakes and doing insane workout dvds for a month. Please, I've heard it all before.

Ambrodel

I found an article of "How Stuff Works" that looks to have some of the information you are after.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/lost-weight.htm

Simple Science Fitness is probably the best one-stop shop for diet/fitness understanding.

http://simplesciencefitness.com/

-Joey

bdhanks

You need to read up on macros. Your macronutrients are fat carbs and proteins. These makeup all calories and your body needs certain amounts. There are some interesting articles.

rugbyphreak

I suppose one good answer is better than none. Thanks for that link!

chezjuan

When it comes to deciding what to consume, from what I understand, the body basically I always shuffling things around. For example, if you eat a big lunch, your body will burn some of it for energy, but if all energy needs are met, then it stores the rest. Later in the day, it will pull some energy out of storage to fuel some exercise. And so on. If you are at an overall deficit, the body will use more of the energy stores because there isn't enough actual food energy available to fuel the whole day.

rockmama72

I found an article of "How Stuff Works" that looks to have some of the information you are after.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/lost-weight.htm

Simple Science Fitness is probably the best one-stop shop for diet/fitness understanding.

http://simplesciencefitness.com/

-Joey

This was REALLY informative. Thanks for sharing!