where does the fat go?

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13

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  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 335 Member
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    This is so funny because just last week I had the same question and looked it up online!

    Apparently, the fat breaks down into acids. Some of it goes into muscles. Mostly, we sweat it out and exhale it out after it breaks down.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    On a serious note...is the whole "fat cells shrink but you can't get rid of them completely" the reason why some of us still have cellulite even after losing lots of weight? I've lost 40 pounds...the cellulite has dissipated, but definitely still have it in certain areas.
  • leidgreen
    leidgreen Posts: 42 Member
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    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: You all are funny!
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    At night the fat fairy comes, takes it away and delivers it to McDonalds for the preparation of their burger patties.

    In that case what are they dumping into the milkshakes? *puzzled*
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
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    Now that I got my Dr. Who joke aside....

    As you lose fat, it gets turned into fuel for the body. You will still retain the same number of fat cells in your body, but they will get smaller...

    Imagine you have 12 water balloons...you slowly start letting the water out of the balloons by opening the end. By the time all the water is out of the balloons, you still have 12 balloons, but they take up a much smaller space than when they were full. This is a very simplified version of what happens, but I hope it helps
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
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    On a serious note...is the whole "fat cells shrink but you can't get rid of them completely" the reason why some of us still have cellulite even after losing lots of weight? I've lost 40 pounds...the cellulite has dissipated, but definitely still have it in certain areas.

    Short of liposuction, the fat hangs out...they just have smaller homes now. In my case, my fat cells went from a 6 bedroom house to a double-wide trailer. I'm shooting for studio apartment :tongue:
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
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    According to one post on MFP, you pee it out as white "stuff" in your urine.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    the body uses it as energy... i guess you could think of it as your body being a fire place, and the fat being the logs... the logs dissapear and there is smoke and when you exhale that is the smoke because there are molecules that leave when you take breaths which is why you are lighter in the morning than you are at night.
  • MyFeistyEvolution
    MyFeistyEvolution Posts: 1,015 Member
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    According to one post on MFP, you pee it out as white "stuff" in your urine.

    BWahahaha I remember this!!!!!!
  • Casey45
    Casey45 Posts: 160 Member
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    At night the fat fairy comes, takes it away and delivers it to McDonalds for the preparation of their burger patties.

    :laugh: Good one! Thanks
  • adriadawn19
    adriadawn19 Posts: 174 Member
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    They don't really leave the body. We do not gain more fat cells when we gain weight unless we a gain a really huge amount and once you have them you are stuck with them. What actually happens is the fat cells get bigger when you gain weight and shrink when you lose it.
  • wingednotes
    wingednotes Posts: 279
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    Thank you all for the scientific breakdown. I had no idea about this fat cell shrinkage thing. Awesome info!
    Yes, I could have done an internet search, but then I wouldn't have learned about the aliens or the fat fairies. :) LOVE it!!
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    I dunno about the rest of you, but I know where mine went. Kevin Federline, have you seen him lately? He's over 3 bills. I'm sure of it.
  • tripod271
    tripod271 Posts: 112 Member
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    this
  • robinskv
    robinskv Posts: 107 Member
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    From my knowledge as you burn fat away the fat cells shrink. The fat is used for energy when on a calorie deficit and as it's burned away those cells shrink in size.

    This. You can never get rid of fat cells, only shrink them in size.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    Oh no! Not this again!! Are we going to start talking about white bits in pee again?
    I... Uh. Well. That... You know, if I never eat again, it's all your fault.

    (White bits in pee? wtf?)

    Sorry about that :smile:

    No joke, it was someone's very serious answer to the very same question posed not too long ago. Havoc and melee ensued....
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
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    The only way to remove fat cells is by surgery and get them cut out / with liposuction.
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
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    On a serious note...is the whole "fat cells shrink but you can't get rid of them completely" the reason why some of us still have cellulite even after losing lots of weight? I've lost 40 pounds...the cellulite has dissipated, but definitely still have it in certain areas.

    Short of liposuction, the fat hangs out...they just have smaller homes now. In my case, my fat cells went from a 6 bedroom house to a double-wide trailer. I'm shooting for studio apartment :tongue:

    LMAO. Loooove it.
  • trishahedrick
    trishahedrick Posts: 10
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    At night the fat fairy comes, takes it away and delivers it to McDonalds for the preparation of their burger patties.

    ^ This:D
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    Seriously? Somebody asks a question and these are the kinds of answers they get?

    To the OP: I lack complete knowledge in this department but from my understanding, fat is basically fuel stored by the body and with exercise and calorie deficit, you can "use up" the stored fat. So if you spend about 3,000 calories per day with normal activities (breathing, moving around, cleaning house, brushing teeth, etc) and are eating back only 2,000 calories, your stored fat provides the extra 1,000 calories. 3,500 calories makes up about a lb. of fat.

    Hope that answers the question. I'm sure somebody more knowledgeable will be able to explain better than me

    To be fair, a lot of people answered the question well. You don't want us to get too serious, you know, things get dark on here when we get too serious...

    Why_so_serious__by_Tyrite.jpg

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