Tropical Weight Loss
Photo by Dmitriy Ganin Pexels Logo Photo: Dmitriy Ganin

Where body fat ends up when you lose weight?

The correct answer is that fat is converted to carbon dioxide and water. You exhale the carbon dioxide and the water mixes into your circulation until it's lost as urine or sweat. If you lose 10 pounds of fat, precisely 8.4 pounds comes out through your lungs and the remaining 1.6 pounds turns into water.

What can I drink to lose belly fat naturally?
What can I drink to lose belly fat naturally?

13 Drinks That Melt Belly Fat, Say Dietitians Green Tea. Kombucha. Protein Water. Coffee. Black Tea. Raw Apple Cider. Ginger Tea. Raw Vegetable...

Read More »
Does honey and warm water reduce fat?
Does honey and warm water reduce fat?

Many people start their day with a glass of warm water and honey on empty stomach to lose weight. It is said to help in absorption of cholesterol...

Read More »

Story highlights If it isn't turned to energy or muscles and doesn't go into the toilet, where does fat go? Fat is converted to carbon dioxide and water The world is obsessed with fad diets and weight loss, yet few of us know how a kilogram of fat actually vanishes off the scales. Even the 150 doctors, dietitians and personal trainers we surveyed shared this surprising gap in their health literacy. The most common misconception by far, was that fat is converted to energy. The problem with this theory is that it violates the law of conservation of matter, which all chemical reactions obey. Some respondents thought fat turns into muscle, which is impossible, and others assumed it escapes via the colon. Only three of our respondents gave the right answer, which means 98% of the health professionals in our survey could not explain how weight loss works.

So if not energy, muscles or the loo, where does fat go?

The enlightening facts about fat metabolism

The correct answer is that fat is converted to carbon dioxide and water. You exhale the carbon dioxide and the water mixes into your circulation until it’s lost as urine or sweat. If you lose 10 pounds of fat, precisely 8.4 pounds comes out through your lungs and the remaining 1.6 pounds turns into water. In other words, nearly all the weight we lose is exhaled. This surprises just about everyone, but actually, almost everything we eat comes back out via the lungs. Every carbohydrate you digest and nearly all the fats are converted to carbon dioxide and water. The same goes for alcohol. Protein shares the same fate, except for the small part that turns into urea and other solids, which you excrete as urine.

Why is obesity getting worse in America?

The only thing in food that makes it to your colon undigested and intact is dietary fibre (think corn). Everything else you swallow is absorbed into your bloodstream and organs and, after that, it’s not going anywhere until you’ve vaporised it.

Do fat freezing belts work?
Do fat freezing belts work?

Fat freezing belts aren't proven to be effective and can be unsafe due to inaccurate temperature control. No clear answer as to how much fat...

Read More »
How do you get a flat stomach?
How do you get a flat stomach?

Techniques that may help people get a flat stomach include: Add cardio. Share on Pinterest Running is effective in trimming a person's midsection....

Read More »

Kilograms in versus kilograms out

We all learn that “energy in equals energy out” in high school. But energy is a notoriously confusing concept, even among health professionals and scientists who study obesity. The reason we gain or lose weight is much less mysterious if we keep track of all the kilograms, too, not just those enigmatic kilojoules or calories. According to the latest government figures, Americans consume 3.55 kg (125 ounces) of food and beverages every day. Of that, 430 grams (about 15 ounces) is solid macronutrients, 17 grams (0.6 ounces) is fibre and the remaining 3.11 kg (110 ounces) is water. What’s not reported is that we inhale more than 660 grams (23 ounces) worth of oxygen, too, and this figure is equally important for your waistline. If you put 3.55 kg (125 ounces) of food and water into your body, plus 660 grams of oxygen (23 ounces), then 4.2 kg (148 ounces) of stuff needs to come back out, or you’ll gain weight. If you’re hoping to shed some weight, more than 4.1kg will have to go.

Want to fix America’s health? First focus on food

The 430 grams (15.2 ounces) of carbohydrates, fats, protein and alcohol most Americans eat every day will produce exactly 770 grams (27.1 ounces) of carbon dioxide plus 290 grams (10.2 ounces) of water (about one cup) and about 31 grams (1.1 ounces) of urea and other solids excreted as urine. An average 75kg (165 pound) person’s resting metabolic rate (the rate at which the body uses energy when the person isn’t moving) produces about 590 grams (21 ounces) of carbon dioxide per day. No pill or potion you can buy will increase that figure, despite the bold claims you might have heard. The good news is that you exhale 200 grams (7 ounces) of carbon dioxide while you’re fast asleep every night, so you’ve already breathed out a quarter of your daily target before you even step out of bed.

How do you get a thinner stomach?
How do you get a thinner stomach?

Here are 29 science-backed methods to help you lose extra belly fat. Cut calories, but not too much. ... Eat more fiber, especially soluble fiber....

Read More »
Is 100 pushups a day good?
Is 100 pushups a day good?

Pushups are one of the most effective exercises to increase your strength and build up your upper body muscles like the chest, shoulders, and...

Read More »

Ruben Meerman

Eat less, exhale more

So if fat turns into carbon dioxide, could simply breathing more make you lose weight? Unfortunately not. Huffing and puffing more than you need to is called hyperventilation and will only make you dizzy, or possibly faint. The only way you can consciously increase the amount of carbon dioxide your body is producing is by moving your muscles. But here’s some more good news. Simply standing up and getting dressed more than doubles your metabolic rate. In other words, if you simply tried on all your outfits for 24 hours, you’d exhale more than 1,200 grams (42 ounces) of carbon dioxide. More realistically, going for a walk triples your metabolic rate, and so will cooking, vacuuming and sweeping. Metabolising 100 ounces of fat consumes 290 ounces of oxygen and produces 280 ounces of carbon dioxide plus 110 ounces of water. The food you eat can’t change these figures. Therefore, to lose 100 ounces of fat, you have to exhale 280 ounces of carbon dioxide on top of what you’ll produce by vaporising all your food, no matter what you eat. Any diet that supplies less “fuel” than you burn will do the trick, but with so many misconceptions about how weight loss works, few of us know why.

What happens to your body when you stop eating sugar?
What happens to your body when you stop eating sugar?

Cut added sugar and you could lower calories and body weight, which could improve your cholesterol. But it's not just the weight loss. Even at the...

Read More »
What is the closest thing to phentermine over the counter?
What is the closest thing to phentermine over the counter?

TrimTone is a choice OTC phentermine alternative if you're constantly putting in the work with dismal results. This weight loss supplement will...

Read More »
How to lose 8 pounds in one month?
How to lose 8 pounds in one month?

Start by cutting out processed and packaged foods, alcohol, added sugar and refined carbs as much as possible. Your kitchen should be stocked with...

Read More »
Why haven't I lost weight on a vegan diet?
Why haven't I lost weight on a vegan diet?

A whole food plant-based diet often leads to healthy weight loss, but if you're not seeing the scale move, these reasons could be why: You're still...

Read More »