A couple of things I don't understand about weight loss

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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    FrumMama wrote: »
    Wow, thanks, that makes a lot of sense! Just one more question, for all you science guys out there. Why doesn't weightlifting burn calories? You would think that you're working your muscles, so the same thing should happen...

    I feel that I am definitely burning more calories when I lift weights than when I am sitting at my computer and so log it in my exercise tab under the cardio section using the entry "Weight training, free weights." I don't eat 100% of the calories I earned back.

    Some people chose to not log weighlifting.

    /shrug/
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited September 2016
    This is basically the building blocks of fat...

    saturated-fat.jpg

    Carbon and hydrogen (toss in a few oxygens and other stuff but 99% carbon and oxygen)

    As has been mentioned the carbon, once broken down goes out as CO2. And the hydrogen is also mixed with oxygen to make water. Excreted or used in other processes. Well, partially true.

    Those carbons are also used to make cholesterol (all your cells have walls from fat) and every hormone and signaling molecule and glucose molecule, etc, etc, made by your liver comes mostly from fat stores. No fat... no life.

    Yeah, what oxygen there is typically comes in the carboxylic acid at the end, hence fatty acid.

    Oh and while we are geeking out over biochemistry to anyone reading, see how every carbon has two hydrogens attached to it? That is what makes it a saturated fat. If instead in that chain one of the bonds is a double bond to the neighboring carbon it will have only one hydrogen attached to it. That will additionally make the chain kink and with that kink the molecules don't pack together as well. That is why typically saturated fats will be solid at room temp while unsaturated will be an oil.

    Fat typically is stored as a triglyceride...three fatty acid chains attached to a molecule of glycerol. Here is an example of one with two saturated chains and one unsaturated chain.

    Triglyceride.gif
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    daniip_la wrote: »
    /enters thread

    Sees discussion about carbon bonds, including diagrams.

    /exits thread

    You gotta watch the video, though! It's awesome (and understandable).
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited September 2016
    daniip_la wrote: »
    /enters thread

    Sees discussion about carbon bonds, including diagrams.

    /exits thread

    You gotta watch the video, though! It's awesome (and understandable).

    Hah I think she is exiting because it's taken care of not because she has a fear of chemistry. Just a guess :wink:

    Still...even when you know your Chem still a good fun watch, very good talk so yeah recommend.
  • daniip_la
    daniip_la Posts: 678 Member
    daniip_la wrote: »
    /enters thread

    Sees discussion about carbon bonds, including diagrams.

    /exits thread

    You gotta watch the video, though! It's awesome (and understandable).
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    daniip_la wrote: »
    /enters thread

    Sees discussion about carbon bonds, including diagrams.

    /exits thread

    You gotta watch the video, though! It's awesome (and understandable).

    Hah I think she is exiting because it's taken care of not because she has a fear of chemistry. Just a guess :wink:

    Still...even when you know your Chem still a good fun watch, very good talk so yeah recommend.

    Today it's more of a "I'm too sick of chemistry for this" type of thread-exit. But I'll definitely check the vid out later.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    daniip_la wrote: »
    daniip_la wrote: »
    /enters thread

    Sees discussion about carbon bonds, including diagrams.

    /exits thread

    You gotta watch the video, though! It's awesome (and understandable).
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    daniip_la wrote: »
    /enters thread

    Sees discussion about carbon bonds, including diagrams.

    /exits thread

    You gotta watch the video, though! It's awesome (and understandable).

    Hah I think she is exiting because it's taken care of not because she has a fear of chemistry. Just a guess :wink:

    Still...even when you know your Chem still a good fun watch, very good talk so yeah recommend.

    Today it's more of a "I'm too sick of chemistry for this" type of thread-exit. But I'll definitely check the vid out later.

    That was my second guess. Can only hear the word stoicheometry so many times before you punch someone I imagine. Do come back though, good video and you likely have good insight to add.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    This has been one of the most educational threads I've ever seen on MFP. Very interesting stuff.
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  • Catawampous
    Catawampous Posts: 447 Member
    This is a hugely educational thread! Thank you so much!
  • MPDean
    MPDean Posts: 99 Member
    Do the difference between cis and trans fats.
  • archermfp87
    archermfp87 Posts: 8 Member
    MPDean wrote: »
    Do the difference between cis and trans fats.

    Lol I proper belly laughed at this
  • haviegirl
    haviegirl Posts: 230 Member
    Love this thread, everyone. Thanks!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    You breath in oxygen. O2. You breath out carbon dioxide. CO2. That carbon atom is where your weight is lost, in that exchange, through respiration.

    The answer to "where does a plants mass come from?" Is the same answer in reverse.

    Yes I know there is also nitrogen exchange but carbon from respiration is the primary source.

    So short answer...where does the weight go? You breath it out.

    Fancier answer food is primarily hydrocarbons with some nitrogen. The oxygen and hydrogen that aren't incorporated into your own macromolecules are formed into H20, water, and excreted in urine. Nitrogen waste is converted to uric acid and also goes out as waste. Undigestables go out as solid waste. Carbon waste goes out via your breath.

    Fat is pure hydrocarbon, no nitrogen. You burn fat you convert it to water which you excrete and carbon you breath out.
    Can always count on you to give an understandable answer. Nice job bro.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    This would be a great topic to have in the helpful thread announcement.
  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    MPDean wrote: »
    Do the difference between cis and trans fats.

    Best explanation I've seen:

    indiana.edu/~oso/Fat/trans.html
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    MPDean wrote: »
    Do the difference between cis and trans fats.

    Not sure if serious but why not but what the heck.

    In cis the carbon atoms that are linked to the double bonded carbon atoms are on the same side of the double bond which in terms of a fatty acid chain creates a substantial kink and the chain turns in the direction of the carbons.

    In trans the linked carbons are on the opposite side which causes a very small kink and the chain remains pretty much straight. The effect of this is that trans unsaturated fats act mechanically more like saturated fat (ie solid at room temp).

    I believe cis is the form that occurs in living organisms but if you unsaturate fat chemically rather than enzymatically you get both types.
  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    Also, there are small amounts of naturally occurring trans fatty acids in meat and dairy products, but it is unknown if they pose the same health problems as manufactured trans fats.
  • monicaw44
    monicaw44 Posts: 71 Member
    "How does weight actually "get lost." if you exercise, you lose pounds. so your steak and the rest will be consumed, and add calories, makes you gain weight...but when you exercise you burn off the weight.
    "How does weight "get gained"? ...the body is an ever growing, ever evolving organism thats not linear. there are many reasons for your pound and a half to come on overnight, like water retention. if you exercised at all, it could be increased muscle mass.
    "What does exercise do?" exercise heats up your body, and when that happens you burn fat. (fat = weight)
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited September 2016
    monicaw44 wrote: »
    "How does weight actually "get lost." if you exercise, you lose pounds. so your steak and the rest will be consumed, and add calories, makes you gain weight...but when you exercise you burn off the weight.
    "How does weight "get gained"? ...the body is an ever growing, ever evolving organism thats not linear. there are many reasons for your pound and a half to come on overnight, like water retention. if you exercised at all, it could be increased muscle mass.
    "What does exercise do?" exercise heats up your body, and when that happens you burn fat. (fat = weight)

    So what are you saying then, that our bodies vaporize fat by heating it and exercise literally burns fat because when you exercise your body becomes hotter? If so then no, not at all.

    Basically you have it backwards, heat isn't used to metabolize fat, heat is a biproduct of fat (and other hydrocarbon) metabolism. Our body temperature is above ambient and is maintained through release of heat from these metabolic processes. Much of the calories used in your BMR are in the maintenance of your body temperature. In fact the fact that these metabolic processes run most efficiently at 37c (98.6F) is why our bodies are kept warm in the first place. Heating above that will if anything hinder, not help.

    If it was the opposite, that fat metabolism requires heat rather than producing it, where do you think our body heat comes from?
  • daniip_la
    daniip_la Posts: 678 Member
    monicaw44 wrote: »
    "How does weight actually "get lost." if you exercise, you lose pounds. so your steak and the rest will be consumed, and add calories, makes you gain weight...but when you exercise you burn off the weight.
    "How does weight "get gained"? ...the body is an ever growing, ever evolving organism thats not linear. there are many reasons for your pound and a half to come on overnight, like water retention. if you exercised at all, it could be increased muscle mass.
    "What does exercise do?" exercise heats up your body, and when that happens you burn fat. (fat = weight)

    So you're saying we're basically incenerators and the fat just melts away because our bodies get so hot from exercising?

    Not quite.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    MPDean wrote: »
    Do the difference between cis and trans fats.

    Not sure if serious but why not but what the heck.

    In cis the carbon atoms that are linked to the double bonded carbon atoms are on the same side of the double bond which in terms of a fatty acid chain creates a substantial kink and the chain turns in the direction of the carbons.

    In trans the linked carbons are on the opposite side which causes a very small kink and the chain remains pretty much straight. The effect of this is that trans unsaturated fats act mechanically more like saturated fat (ie solid at room temp).

    I believe cis is the form that occurs in living organisms but if you unsaturate fat chemically rather than enzymatically you get both types.

    Very interesting, thank you.

    Do animal saturates and plant saturates have the same straight atom feature?
  • gem_t_86
    gem_t_86 Posts: 40 Member
    This is really interesting, thank you all! I think I need to read it a few times to fully grasp the chemistry, but it's a fascinating read. (Count me as another who never actually thought about this).
  • Snipsa
    Snipsa Posts: 172 Member
    Agreed with the rest. This is an awesomely educational thread. Never really thought of the biochemistry involved, but you guys (and the vid) explained it so clearly!
  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    MPDean wrote: »
    Do the difference between cis and trans fats.

    Not sure if serious but why not but what the heck.

    In cis the carbon atoms that are linked to the double bonded carbon atoms are on the same side of the double bond which in terms of a fatty acid chain creates a substantial kink and the chain turns in the direction of the carbons.

    In trans the linked carbons are on the opposite side which causes a very small kink and the chain remains pretty much straight. The effect of this is that trans unsaturated fats act mechanically more like saturated fat (ie solid at room temp).

    I believe cis is the form that occurs in living organisms but if you unsaturate fat chemically rather than enzymatically you get both types.

    Very interesting, thank you.

    Do animal saturates and plant saturates have the same straight atom feature?

    Yes, saturated fat is saturated fat. It does not matter whether it is from an animal or a plant source. It will be a straight carbon chain filled (saturated) with all the hydrogen possible. Most fats are a mixture of saturated and unsaturated (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated).