Very few of us knows how a kilo of fat disappears. The most common misunderstanding is that fat turns directly into energy, which is not quite right ….
Shaping, slimming and weight losing are top popular treatments at many spas. But where does the disappearing fat go? We consulted 150 professional doctors, nutritionists and personal trainers and their answers were different. Some interviewees said they thought that fat turns to muscle, which is basically not possible, while others said fat flees via the colon. Only 3% of them give a correct explanation. Which means that 97% of our trusting health experts don’t know exactly what happens during the weight-losing process.
Since fat can’t turn to energy or muscle, where does the fat go? The fact is that it turns into carbon dioxide and water.
We can breathe out carbon dioxide, and our body delivers water to the blood which is then expelled through urine or sweat. If you have lost 10 kilograms of fat, then 8.4 kilograms are removed from your body through your lungs while 1.6 kilograms turn to water. In other words, most of the fat is eliminated by our exhalation. Isn’t that surprising? Indeed, we need our lungs to participate in the metabolism of all the food we take in.
Every carbohydrate and nearly all the fat, as well as alcohol and protein, that we eat will finally become carbon dioxide and water. The food we take is digested and absorbed into the blood and organs. It will not go elsewhere before turning into carbon dioxide and water and are evaporated. The only food that cannot be digested by the colon is dietary fiber, such as maize.
In VS Out
We have learned the Law of Energy Conservation in high school, namely that overall energy input is equal to output. However, energy is a “notorious” concept today, and even health experts and scientists who study weight loss agree. If we record our intake by “kilogram” instead of the more fashionable “kilojoule” or “calorie”, it will be much easier to count the weight gain or loss.
A recent research issued by the Australian government showed that Australians take in 3.5 kilograms of food and beverages every day. Among them, 415 grams are solid nutrient substances, 23 grams are fibers and the rest 3 kilograms are water. Don’t forget that we will also take in 600 grams of oxygen through our lungs, which is also significant to our waistline.
Therefore, if we have taken in 3.5 kilograms of food and water, as well as 600 grams of oxygen, it means we need to expel 4.1 kilograms of substance out. Otherwise, we will gain weight. So how can we expel the 4.1 kilograms? Most Australians every day take in 415 grams of carbohydrates, fat, protein and alcohol and meanwhile generate 740 grams of carbon dioxide, 280 grams of water (about one glass of water), 35 grams of carbomide and other substances expelled through urine. A body of 75 kilograms generates about 590 grams of carbon dioxide if it maintains a resting metabolic rate. The resting metabolic rate refers to the body’s rate of consuming energy when it stays still. The good news is that you will breathe out 200 grams of carbon dioxide while sleeping every night. So every day, before you get up, you have already completed 1/4 of the goal.
Eat Less and Exercise More
Since fat can turn to carbon dioxide, can we lose weight just through breathing? Of course not. If you exhale more than needed, you will suffer from headaches and become feeble. The right way to increase carbon dioxide release is to consciously practice your muscles. And you can do more exercise and seek opportunities to increase the body’s metabolic rate. For instance, every morning, you can stand up to put on clothes, which will double the metabolic rate as doing it lying on the bed. If you keep changing clothes for 24 hours, you will breathe out over 1,200 grams of carbon dioxide.
Likewise, walking will increase the metabolic rate by three times, while cooking and cleaning will also help. Metabolizing 100 grams of fat will consume 290 grams of oxygen and at the same time generate 280 grams of carbon dioxide and 110 grams of water. The food you take in will not change the results. Therefore, in order to lose 100 grams of fat, you must breathe out 280 grams of carbon dioxide.
Surely, if the energy amount in the food you have taken is less than what you are able to burn, it will benefit your weight loss plan. As is often said: restrain your mouth and move your legs. The goal of exercising is to expel the carbon dioxide, and remove water through sweating.
