When you lose weight, where does the lost weight go?

[MaeJoMTB]

Just wondered if anyone knew without using google.

It isn't as obvious as most would think.

Do you burn it as energy?

Does it come out as poop?

Does it come out as sweat?

In your urine?

I never really thought about it before.

So let's say, you lose 10Kg ........ where did that 10Kg go?

[pinkpanther99]

I could be wrong (probably am) but I'm sure I read that you never actually lose fat cells, they just reduce in size and it's this reduction in size which results in weight loss.

You can of course also lose weight from loss of muscle mass and water weight etc

[MaeJoMTB]

I could be wrong (probably am) but I'm sure I read that you never actually lose fat cells, they just reduce in size and it's this reduction in size which results in weight loss.

You can of course also lose weight from loss of muscle mass and water weight etc

You answered where did it come from.

The question was, where does it go.

[AhFarangJa]

It seems to go straight to the wife....

[Briggsy]

Glucose + Oxygen --> Carbon Dioxide + Water

There are many stages in the respiratory cycle but the above is a neat and concise basic explanation.

[partington]

It (fat) is used in chemical reactions to produce energy to fuel muscle contractions and other energy requiring body processes, by being reacted with molecular oxygen.

During this production of chemical energy the carbon hydrogen and oxygen that fat is made of are converted to carbon dioxide and water and breathed out or excreted.

The weight is therefore largely lost as CO2 and water.

[MaeJoMTB]

So there you have it.

10Kg of fat = 8.4Kg of carbon dioxide + 1.6Kg of water.

The only way to lose weight is to breathe faster and deeper = exercise,

no exercise = little or no weight loss.

(you need to breathe in an extra 29Kg of oxygen to release the 8.4Kg of carbon dioxide)

Breathe in 29Kg O2 + 10Kg stored body fat = breathe out 28Kg Co2 + excrete (wee/breathe/sweat) 11Kg water

That's a lot of puffing and panting!

[mommysboy]

It doesn't go anywhere. Because there is less energy available from food, the body utilises the stored fat. Refer to previous postings for the science.

[HidyHo]

no exercise = little or no weight loss.

Utter non-sense, based on my personal experience.

My profound weight loss came from changing what I eat (more unprocessed "fresh" vegetables and meat) and when I eat (low or no eating after sundown) without any change to my exercise routine. I would think more applicable equation is something like "calories out > calories in".

[MaeJoMTB]

how much exercise for 29Kg of oxygen.

Normal respiratory rate = 20l of air/minute ..... 20% oxygen = 4l oxygen/minute.

Heavy exercise rate =120l of air/minute ...... 20% oxygen = 24l oxygen/minute.

Now as we all know, molecular weight of oxygen = 16, 22l of anything = 1 mole

So 22l of oxygen weighs 16gm .....

Heavy exercise uses 16gm oxygen/minute = 1Kg/hour

Normal breathing uses 3gm or oxygen/minute = 200gm/hour.

To lose 10Kg fat, you need to use 29Kg of oxygen so assuming 3 meals a day as normal

29+ hours of heavy exercise, or

150+ hours of not eating (6 days), or

300+ hours missing 2/3 daily food (13 days), or

450+ hours of missing 1/3 daily food (19 days).

Any errors in my calculations?

(all calculations are rough minimums)

[singa-traz]

[h90]

how much exercise for 29Kg of oxygen.

Normal respiratory rate = 20l of air/minute ..... 20% oxygen = 4l oxygen/minute.

Heavy exercise rate =120l of air/minute ...... 20% oxygen = 24l oxygen/minute.

Now as we all know, molecular weight of oxygen = 16, 22l of anything = 1 mole

So 22l of oxygen weighs 16gm .....

Heavy exercise uses 16gm oxygen/minute = 1Kg/hour

Normal breathing uses 3gm or oxygen/minute = 200gm/hour.

To lose 10Kg fat, you need to use 29Kg of oxygen so assuming 3 meals a day as normal

29+ hours of heavy exercise, or

150+ hours of not eating (6 days), or

300+ hours missing 2/3 daily food (13 days), or

450+ hours of missing 1/3 daily food (19 days).

Any errors in my calculations?

(all calculations are rough minimums)

your respiration example is based on intake air has 20 % O2 and your body takes 100% of it. I strongly doubt you can snatch more than a few % of it.

It is interesting, but calculating it all over the energy and don't worry how you oxidize it is much easier.

1 kg fat has approx. 7000 kcal

your body if not doing anything needs 2000-2500

So 3 days of not eating costs 1 kg if no exercise.

[Emster23]

Crikey! All that Co2 released when fatties drop weight! How were we to know they were acting as "carbon storage units" and sacrificing themselves to slow global warming?

[slipperylobster]

Crikey! All that Co2 released when fatties drop weight! How were we to know they were acting as "carbon storage units" and sacrificing themselves to slow global warming?

If they were not sacrificing, they would then just be oxygen thieves, like most members of TV. Contributing co2 and methane (in excess) for the rest of us.

[Mudcrab]

Do you burn it as energy?
Does it come out as poop?
Does it come out as sweat?
In your urine?

A fair bit comes out as crap.....mostly posted on TVF...but some posters also take the piss.

[Monkeyrobot]

It goes to the cloud like everything else these days .

[jdlancaster]

Fat at its simplest is a glycerol back bone a 3 long chain fatty acids (can be more complicated). Just carbon hydrogen and oxygen. The energy converts adp and gdp (less so) into atp and gtp. The glycerol eventually goes through glycolosis and then the krebbs cycle and then oxidative phosphorylation. The long chain fatty acids are cleaved bit by bitthrough beta oxidation and then enter the krebbs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. ... end result is water and co2 with perhaps a few minor byproducts. .. but many products created along the way and many reincorporated into the body.

[h90]

Crikey! All that Co2 released when fatties drop weight! How were we to know they were acting as "carbon storage units" and sacrificing themselves to slow global warming?

yes but they die...for storing CO2 you would put them in some sealed coffin. Or generate gasoline out of their belly (technically no problem to make Diesel). So you would go to the funeral of your overweight grandpa and get 40 liter Diesel instead of an urn.

[NickJ]

So its dieting fat people that have caused global warming......... maybe its a good thing to keep em all fat then......

[akentryan]

Since June, 2014 I have gone from 128kg to 100kg. I spend 1.5 to 2 hours a day at the gym and eat and drink whatever I want. I have mostly resigned myself to eating two meals a day with a very good breakfast. I recently started a physical project at home that lasted 3 weeks. In those 3 weeks I gained 4 kg minus the gym work. The gym works for me and when I say I eat and drink what I want I mean beer, champagne, vodka & tonic, and Bacardi with Coke Zero. I used to use Pepsi Maxx but that new crap is undrinkable. I'll be 77 next week so I'll do the best I can to stay a little lighter. Most of the weight lost seems to reside in my wallet and bank accounts.

[Jeffkp]

I'm sorry, but I feel compelled to point out that you folks seem to have way too much free time.

[steven100]

it just goes into the air ...........

[PattayaPhom]

This is similar to when asked where do I put the dirt when I dig a hole, I dig another one and put it in there.

[h90]

Since June, 2014 I have gone from 128kg to 100kg. I spend 1.5 to 2 hours a day at the gym and eat and drink whatever I want. I have mostly resigned myself to eating two meals a day with a very good breakfast. I recently started a physical project at home that lasted 3 weeks. In those 3 weeks I gained 4 kg minus the gym work. The gym works for me and when I say I eat and drink what I want I mean beer, champagne, vodka & tonic, and Bacardi with Coke Zero. I used to use Pepsi Maxx but that new crap is undrinkable. I'll be 77 next week so I'll do the best I can to stay a little lighter. Most of the weight lost seems to reside in my wallet and bank accounts.

Note that when you work hard, no matter if it is training or house building and eat plenty + gain weight it doesn't mean you got more fat. It is most probably also a lot muscle. And muscle is heavier than fat.

A good indicator is the belt on the trouser, if you are still on the same hole but gained 4 kg, you might just got stronger.

[h90]

I'm sorry, but I feel compelled to point out that you folks seem to have way too much free time.

If you have 1 hour per day to watch TV, play games or sit in the bar, you also have 1 hour to do some exercise.

[pauleddy]

At 60 with a podgy belly and it just won't go.

I swim every day and do brisk walking in the water.

I don't understand this, because I was a swimmer and lifeguard until I was 45. Also a keen cyclist. I had a great body from 25-45.

Yes I do drink but not much beer. mainly dry red wine. What can I do?

[LNKDES1]

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/where-does-your-fat-go-when-you-lose-weight

[wabothai]

if it doesn't leave this planet, it will still be out there somewhere in other forms. Quite simple.

[mommysboy]

At 60 with a podgy belly and it just won't go.

I swim every day and do brisk walking in the water.

I don't understand this, because I was a swimmer and lifeguard until I was 45. Also a keen cyclist. I had a great body from 25-45.

Yes I do drink but not much beer. mainly dry red wine. What can I do?

Well before you could exercise and not be concened about what you ate, but now food intake is important for you.

Alcoholic drinks are a major cause of wait gain in as much as it is rarely a case of one glass a night. Alcohol also makes me hungry, I guess others too.

Try a mini fasting diet where you go without food for a few hours before or after bedtime. Then resume eating normally.

[h90]

At 60 with a podgy belly and it just won't go.

I swim every day and do brisk walking in the water.

I don't understand this, because I was a swimmer and lifeguard until I was 45. Also a keen cyclist. I had a great body from 25-45.

Yes I do drink but not much beer. mainly dry red wine. What can I do?

First you should have checked your Testosterone level. Some males get very low when old, that makes you fat and weak. Still you can be slim, but it makes things more difficult.

Second the podgy belly is resistant....You need to diet it away, but when the belly starts to shrink, you gained already 10 years in your face. Removing some fat in the face makes you look old. My mother once told when women get older it is but or face.....for men it is belly or face.

Exercise helps to burn more energy, but the belly goes away only if you eat less than you need. Both beer and wine is no problem if it doesn't lead you to overeat.

And a warning: You may have some podgy belly now....If you start a good exercise regime and eat less, you may have the perfect 6 pack (yes even with 60) in say 3 month. If you than stop you may gain over the next 6 month 5kg more than you had before. So be aware that you MAY (everyone is different) have to eat less forever afterwards.