Where Does Fat Go When You Lose Weight?

Given that obesity is one of the major public health concerns worldwide, many people are looking to lose fat.

Still, a lot of confusion exists around the process of fat loss.

How fat loss works

Excess consumed energy — usually calories from fats or carbs — is stored in fat cells in the form of triglycerides. This is how your body preserves energy for future needs. Over time, this excess energy results in a fat surplus that can affect your body shape and health.

To promote weight loss, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. This is referred to as a calorie deficit .

Though it varies from person to person, a daily 500-calorie deficit is a good place to start to see noticeable fat loss .

By maintaining a consistent calorie deficit, fats are released from fat cells and transported to the energy-producing machinery of the cells in your body called mitochondria. Here, the fat is broken down through a series of processes to produce energy.

If the calorie deficit continues, fat stores from your body will continue to be used as energy, resulting in a reduction in body fat.

SUMMARY

Over time, a consistent calorie deficit frees fat from fat cells, after which it’s converted into energy to fuel your body. As this process continues, body fat stores are reduced, leading to changes in body composition.

Where does it go?

As the process of fat loss progresses, fat cells drastically shrink in size, resulting in visible changes in body composition.

Byproducts of fat loss

When body fat is broken down for energy through complex processes within your cells, two major byproducts are released — carbon dioxide and water.

The carbon dioxide is exhaled during breathing, and the water is disposed of through either urine, sweat, or exhaled air. Disposal of these byproducts is greatly elevated during exercise due to increased breathing and sweating .

Where do you lose fat first?

Commonly, people desire to lose weight from the belly, hips, thighs, and butt.

While spot reduction, or losing weight in a particular area, has not been shown to be effective, some people tend to lose weight from certain areas faster than others do .

That said, genetic and lifestyle factors play a significant role in body fat distribution .

Moreover, if you have a history of weight loss and weight regain, body fat may distribute differently due to changes in fat cells over time .

Why is it so hard to keep weight off?

When you eat more than your body can burn, fat cells increase in both size and number .When you lose fat, these same cells can shrink in size, though their number remains roughly the same. Thus, the primary reason for changes in body shape is a reduced size — not number — of fat cells .

This also means that when you lose weight, fat cells remain present, and if efforts are not made to maintain weight loss, they can easily grow in size again. Some studies suggest that this may be one reason why maintaining weight loss is so difficult for many people .

SUMMARY

During weight loss, fat cells shrink in size as their contents are used for energy, though their numbers remain unchanged. Byproducts of fat loss include carbon dioxide and water, which are disposed of through breathing, urination, and sweating.

The bottom line

Fat loss is a complex process influenced by a number of factors, with diet and physical activity being two of the major ones.

With a sufficient calorie deficit and proper exercise regimen, fat cells shrink over time as their contents are used for energy, leading to improved body composition and health.

It’s important to consult your healthcare provider prior to starting your weight loss journey to prevent any potential negative side effects.

Thankfully, Lifespace has a product so once you can get in Shape and stay in shape without exercise, you don't need to be on an unhealthy diet, eat foods you don't like, or worry about not having the time to exercise. The product is Shape B420™ Probiotic.

Most of the weight loss products on the market are concept products, which may be able to lose weight in a short time (water + muscle) and reduce the basic metabolic rate, so it is easier to rebound again.

Fat loss is a complex process influenced by a number of factors, with diet and physical activity being two of the major ones.

With a sufficient calorie deficit and proper exercise regimen, fat cells shrink over time as their contents are used for energy, leading to improved body composition and health.

It’s important to consult your healthcare provider prior to starting your weight loss journey to prevent any potential negative side effects.

Thankfully, Lifespace has a product so once you can get in Shape and stay in shape without exercise, you don't need to be on an unhealthy diet, eat foods you don't like, or worry about not having the time to exercise. The product is Shape B420™ Probiotic.

Most of the weight loss products on the market are concept products, which may be able to lose weight in a short time (water + muscle) and reduce the basic metabolic rate, so it is easier to rebound again.