Where does the fat go that you lost?

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  • Evelyn_Gorfram
    Evelyn_Gorfram Posts: 706 Member
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    Body fat: What happens to lost fat?
    When you lose weight, where does the lost body fat go?

    Answer
    from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

    Body fat breaks down during a series of complex metabolic processes.

    When you burn more calories than you consume, your body uses fat (triglycerides) for energy. This causes your fat cells to shrink. In turn, triglycerides are broken down into two different substances — glycerol and fatty acids — which are absorbed into your liver, kidneys and muscle tissue. From there, the glycerol and fatty acids are further broken down by chemical processes that ultimately produce energy for your body.

    These activities generate heat, which helps maintain your body temperature. The resulting waste products — water and carbon dioxide — are excreted in urine and sweat or exhaled from your lungs....From the Mayo clinic web site and it is loaded with weight loss info...http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/MY00432/TAB=expertanswers....Copy & paste
    Okay. so if I'm understanding this right:

    The fat on my body is made of of adipose tissue, which is made of lipoproteins (are those the same HDLs and LDLs that turn up in my cholesterol tests results?).

    Lipoprotein molecules are long carbon chains with lots of hydrogen bonds, somewhat fewer oxygen bonds, and the odd toxin or hormone stuck in here and there.

    When that fat is burned, the lipoprotiens undergo a chemical reaction something like:

    Long carbon chain lipoprotein molecule => CO2 + H2O + a smaller amount of other stuff

    The chemical bonds in the lipoprotein molecule held more energy than the chemical bonds in the carbon dioxide and the water (and the other stuff), and that difference is the energy that I'm using to exercise (or whatever it is I'm doing).

    Most of the CO2 leaves my body on my breath; and the H2O leaves my body as the moisture in my breath, as urine, as sweat, and as other bodily fluids not named here.

    The "other stuff" leaves by the aforementioned routes, with the oil on my skin & hair, with my poop, or maybe a couple of other ways I'm not thinking of.

    Is that about right?
  • cathers_
    cathers_ Posts: 70
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    This has been bothering me for a long time so thanks for the clarity :)
  • Cdaleerdman
    Cdaleerdman Posts: 20 Member
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    It is atomically transferred to the closest person next to you that is not watching their calories or exercising.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    That information is classified by the federal government. You do not have proper clearance for that information.










    Actually, it's MAGIC! TaDaaa!!!

    I thought it got used to make soap. Oops, was I not authorized to know that information?
  • blytheandbonnie
    blytheandbonnie Posts: 3,275 Member
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    You are so cool! I love people who understand what is really going on! Brains are so SEXY! OMG!

    Hey, baby - come on over to my place and I'll show you my mass balance calculations... :wink:

    Do you have a slide rule? :love:
  • UsernameStillLoading
    UsernameStillLoading Posts: 299 Member
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    That information is classified by the federal government. You do not have proper clearance for that information.










    Actually, it's MAGIC! TaDaaa!!!

    Why is the government trying to hide the magic? :sad:
  • calleryblossom
    calleryblossom Posts: 1
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    You breathe it out.

    Dead serious.

    Read here: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Znode/Misc/The_Physics_of_Losing_Weight
  • laf0195
    laf0195 Posts: 71 Member
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    I'd just like to throw it out there that when you gain fat, you create fat cells. These cells do not disappearwhen you lose weight, they just shrink. The presence of these cells makes it easier to regain weight that you have lost.

    That's seriously depressing, isn't it?
  • Admiral_Derp
    Admiral_Derp Posts: 866 Member
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    At night it becomes one of these, and walks away.
    tumblr_los1v5wFqh1qijtvg.gif
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    It ends up primarily as carbon dioxide and water, in a glorious combustion reaction, so yeah, you literally burn it.
  • cookn_mama
    cookn_mama Posts: 228 Member
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    Anyone else have an "Ah Ha" moment? I did. Thanks for all the info.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
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    I dont't care.





    as long as it is leaving that is good enough for me.
  • jestersand
    jestersand Posts: 61 Member
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    it's converted into energy to help the function of your cells. Since it has been converted into energy in the form of water and carbon dioxide, it naturally leaves your body through your sweat glands as your body regulates its internal temperature, logically while you exhale carbon dioxide, and urine. Poop is more the byproduct of metabolism. All the junk your cells got rid of, goes out with poop.

    Hope I explained it simple enough.
  • johannaqv
    johannaqv Posts: 15 Member
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    that is so weird. i was just thinking that yesterday lol. :)
  • MyProgressISYour1Proof
    MyProgressISYour1Proof Posts: 376 Member
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    It is being chemically changed into energy. It's burned for fuel. You've seen wood broken down by fire into ashes? Well, the heat generated is the energy. The ashes are the byproduct. The byproducts of fat metabolism are metabolites that are carried away through the kidneys and expelled in urine.
    And then you poo and pee it out. Let me clarify..then you poo and pee what's left out. I think that is where the water comes into play.

    Then I must have burned down a couple of two huge pine trees lmao!!
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
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    I thought it went into the sky and made clouds.
  • Hoop4la
    Hoop4la Posts: 68 Member
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    what a great question - great post :)
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
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    It is being chemically changed into energy. It's burned for fuel. You've seen wood broken down by fire into ashes? Well, the heat generated is the energy. The ashes are the byproduct. The byproducts of fat metabolism are metabolites that are carried away through the kidneys and expelled in urine.

    This is a beautiful metaphor and explanation! I never understood where the fat goes as well - so thank you for this!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    The fat cells stay in your body unless you have them surgically removed. What happens when you "lose" fat is that they just shrink. I think you develop most of your lifetime fat cells by puberty. That's why it's sad for my to see fat kids. They are already starting out with a weight control handicap that thinner kids like me didn't have. It will probably always be a struggle for them because everyone's body has a set point at which it wants the fat cells to be a certain size. More fat cells at that size equals more fat. Sure, the extra fat cells can shrink, too, but it takes more vigilance to keep it all under control.
  • Cassea7
    Cassea7 Posts: 181 Member
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    Thanks for this post:happy: I have been wondering about this myself .

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