Where does the fat go?

BenKnowsFitness
BenKnowsFitness Posts: 451 Member
edited September 27 in Chit-Chat
So I came up with my own theory about how the fat exits the body during weight loss. I then checked only to find out I was wrong. Please post your theory for all to enjoy.

I won’t ruin it by telling you what Google said. Instead I will post my lame theory below.

My theory:

Being a man of science I applied scientific principles. Conservation of Matter and Energy principles say neither one can be created or destroyed, they can only change forms. So to gain weight you consume food and to lose it you release something. So what is that something? In my mind it is anything and everything. Restroom, Sweat, Tears, hair, saliva, skin, nails, etc. If it leaves the body then it is weight lost (albeit more food causes weight gain). So if we exercise and diet then our body gives off more stuff and vice versa. Seems intuitive.

Replies

  • lifeinpink09
    lifeinpink09 Posts: 87 Member
    It leaves me and hops onto someone I don't like :)
  • melt57
    melt57 Posts: 60 Member
    I have a theory which kicks in on every weigh in day. I am convinced my fat leaves as poop. I get paranoid about weighing in if I haven't recently :P

    Ok, now I'm embarassed :embarassed:
  • kgs0201
    kgs0201 Posts: 459 Member
    I think this is a theory based off of past health classes... but I think that you never actually get rid of your fat cells, they just get smaller. So the more you work out and eat healthy, the smaller the fat cells get. But as soon as you add fat cells to your body you can never actually get rid of them, only shrink them.

    Sounds depressing. Now I'm going to go google and see if I actually paid attention in health :-)
  • simplysara9
    simplysara9 Posts: 521
    I didn't know the answer and I had the same thoughts you did .... I had to Google it and find the answer -- Very Interesting!
  • Crimson21
    Crimson21 Posts: 148 Member
    Your fat cells only shrink in size. They don't disappear.
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
    Seriously? Your body burns it like a fire burns logs to produce the calories your body needs to exist. the fat is transformed into energy. That's all a calorie is. It's a measurement of energy released to raise 1 L of water 1 degree. That's why you need to create a calorie deficit. If you take in less calories than your body needs just to exist, your body will burn its fat stores so it can function. It's why you have fat stores to begin with. Look on your fat as a giant pile of wood that needs to be burned up in the furnace. If you eat more than you need to burn, ie add more to the pile than you chuck in the fire, your pile (fat) gets bigger. If you burn more logs than you chop, the pile gets smaller.

    In reality of course, we've all seen Doctor Who and know for a fact that the fat leaves the body in small happy creatures called the Adipose.
  • shannonpatton
    shannonpatton Posts: 299 Member
    I came here to find out as well. Very interesting post! :)
  • BenKnowsFitness
    BenKnowsFitness Posts: 451 Member
    Thanks all for the posts.

    I’ve lost 35 pounds (did not join MFP till after the first 10) since March 2011. I’ve read the popular theories about where the fat goes. I’m a firm believer in empirical evidence so I’ll add one more detail here. During the periods where I was losing rapidly (more than 5 pounds in a week), I had symptoms that align perfectly with the most popular theory.
  • NA_Willie
    NA_Willie Posts: 340 Member
    When I was a kid I always thought there was a certain amount of weight in the world and children were either born or people died when others gained or lost weight. LOL.
  • RoseCoreling
    RoseCoreling Posts: 55 Member
    I have a theory which kicks in on every weigh in day. I am convinced my fat leaves as poop. I get paranoid about weighing in if I haven't recently :P

    Ok, now I'm embarassed :embarassed:
    LOL, totally agree!
  • minniebee
    minniebee Posts: 193 Member
    In reality of course, we've all seen Doctor Who and know for a fact that the fat leaves the body in small happy creatures called the Adipose.
    Naturally! And they're quite adorable. :flowerforyou:
  • BenKnowsFitness
    BenKnowsFitness Posts: 451 Member
    I am bumping this one to see if anyone else wants to comment.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories