Q: When you lose weight, where does the fat (the weight) go?

A: A new study shows that most of the mass is breathed out as carbon dioxide!

Date: December 16, 2014
Source: University of New South Wales (Published in the British Medical Journal, December 2014)

Summary: Despite a worldwide obsession with diets and fitness regimes, many health professionals cannot correctly answer the question of where body fat goes when people lose weight. The most common misconception among doctors, dieticians, and personal trainers is that the missing mass has been converted into energy or heat. The correct answer is that most of the mass is breathed out as carbon dioxide and goes into thin air.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1216212047.htm

That is very interesting, I always wondered, I just assumed it was eliminated through the normal body functions. I love to learn new things

I was under the impression all end products of metabolism, whether fat, protein, or carb, end up as carbon dioxide and water. Protein also has nitrogen waste so that which the body doesn't recycle passes out through the kidneys.

So my question is, if we gain a few pounds, could we at least know that we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

Great article, thanks for sharing Alexandra!

Hahahahaha, good one!

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The results of that scientific study sure are interesting ...

"If you follow the atoms in 10 kilograms of fat as they are lost:
- 8.4 of those kilograms are exhaled as carbon dioxide through the lungs
- the remaining 1.6 kilograms becomes water, which may be excreted in urine, faeces, sweat, breath, tears and other bodily fluids."


I never would have guessed it.

(Interesting that you can "cry the weight away")

I had read that molecule doesn't technically burn it shrinks. But it does split into two
molecules when they get too full. The number of fat cells are established at a young age and stay the same as an adult and unless get over sized split.
I also read an adipocyte (fat cell) lives 7 years. A once large fat cell will always easily go back to the larger size it once was preferentially. Not sure on the new cell generated cell replacement.
They did sample on liposuction patients and after a couple of years they had just as many cells as before surgery just much smaller. The body gets back to the original cell count even if lean? That stucks! http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/he...5fat.html?_r=0
knowing this fat cell paradigm show why maintenance is critical because your fat monster wants out at a cellular level for 7 years minimum possibly life.

I work in energy industry and when you burn a molecule in a furnace you get 1 - heat, 2 water, 3 carbon exhaust. Co2, co . In ketosis will also contain hydrogen and sulfur hence keto breath.

To funny definitely an upside and public service LOL

That's very interesting!! I just always asssumed it came out as waste. LOL Thanks for sharing!!

I wonder if this is why aerobic exercise (where you do a lot of breathing) might be why it's so beneficial to weight loss??? If we breathe more, we lose more? I remember having my resting metabolism measured once and a lot of it was geared to my breathing rate.

I have carefully measured my weight in 3 hour increments at night. And a lot of nights I lose 1 pound every 3 hours (starting at 9pm and ending at 9am) -- a total of 4 pounds lost in 12 hours -- it should be noted that during this period I have 0 (no) intake of either liquids or food ... so it's all just breathing and some peeing. Of course I am starting from a very hydrated and "fooded" point at 9pm.

I guess being the scientist that I am -- I should weigh my pee in that period and see what it weighs -- it could provide some confirmation to this study.

I guess we are all scientists in our own way!

i guess the old adage..don't reach for your plate...reach for your mate....has more validity to it....hence the heavy breathing that is sure to follow

thanks hubby for helping me lose more weight!

You are a science and data aficionado extraordinaire, Avalon! I love that you bring this kind of info to the community!!!

Your own monitoring of weight and body behavior is a bit more OCD on this weight loss journey than I find I can do for myself, but the sharing of your scientific practices is very informative -- please continue to share your findings!

And, I was having the same thought about aerobic/cardio exercise -- is it the extra heavy breathing we do on the run or treadmill or spin bike that makes it supposedly the best way to lose fat?

LOVE this!!

YES! LOL I am definitely OCD with my weight and my weight loss journey. It's sort of my strange hobby I guess! Glad you picked up on that -- makes me feel loved (like somebody is paying attention to my inane ramblings out there!). I have to admit that some of my interest is my undying curiosity about what is going on in my body exactly. It's such a mystery. I keep looking for my personal "Owners Guide" that I must have gotten when I was born, but I can't seem to find it.

Your ramblings never seem inane to me -- I love the variety of info you share!

Until today, I would have bet my next paycheck that lost pounds go down the toilet... who knew??