Where does the weight actually go?

[Magrat]

This may be a stupid question, but I have asked it of other people and not gotten a real answer.

Where does the weight you lose actually go? Do you burn it as fuel? Excrete it? I understand that you can lose weight and fat but not the mechanism.

 

[MRC_Hans]

This may be a stupid question, but I have asked it of other people and not gotten a real answer.

Where does the weight you lose actually go? Do you burn it as fuel? Excrete it? I understand that you can lose weight and fat but not the mechanism.

Yes, you burn it as fuel. Though, some of it is water, which you sweat or pee out.

Basically, your body is an engine. If it gets more fuel than it uses, it stores it. If it gets less than it uses, it burns its depots.

Hans

 

[Little 10 Toes]

Expend more energy than what you intake. If you intake 500 calories and only burn 490 calories, you gain weight. If you limit your intake to 500 but burn 510, you can loose weight. The main concern is that you have to burn fat through the correct type of exercise and you may gain weight because muscle weights more than fat.

 

[MikeG]

I think that RogueKitten understands well that food is a fuel, and can be stored as fat, and that those reserves can be used up if there is an excess expenditure of energy compared with food intake. I think her puzzlement lies in the actual physical whereabouts of the waste products from the combustion of that fat.

 

[Toke]

There is a complicated chemical process in your cells by which sugars are converted into CO2, water and energy for your cells. Kind of a combustion at body temperature.
Fat and protein is converted into sugar and then used.

The assorted surplus chemicals are excreted or used as building materials for bone, muscle mass etc.

 

[Earthborn]

SciShow:


TedX Talk:


Short Answer:

You breath it out.

 

[Magrat]

There is a complicated chemical process in your cells by which sugars are converted into CO2, water and energy for your cells. Kind of a combustion at body temperature.
Fat and protein is converted into sugar and then used.

The assorted surplus chemicals are excreted or used as building materials for bone, muscle mass etc.

Yes, this is what I was asking. Thank you!

 

[Magrat]

SciShow:


TedX Talk:


Short Answer:

You breath it out.

It becomes CO2! That's super interesting. Thank you!!

I wonder if dieters exhale more CO2 than non dieters?
Eta we are literally internal combustion engines!

 

[fuelair]

This may be a stupid question, but I have asked it of other people and not gotten a real answer.

Where does the weight you lose actually go? Do you burn it as fuel? Excrete it? I understand that you can lose weight and fat but not the mechanism.

Excretion, yes, (including pores and lungs and the obvious), burning as fuel, yes, and that is co-with excretion. More detail???

 

[Beerina]

I think the point is the amount (of mass) converted to energy is negligible. Ergo it leaves the body after chemical conversion.

 

[fuelair]

I did not watch the video but I suspect it covers what is important to know. There is a lot of physics and biochem involved, but you now have the layperson version and it is as full as you likely need. But continue asking if you find detail you want missing!!

 

[fuelair]

I think the point is the amount (of mass) converted to energy is negligible. Ergo it leaves the body after chemical conversion.

This is why it takes longer to lose weight than it did to gain it without doing weird stuff to your body. Mostly bad idea weird stuff.

 

[Magrat]

I actually would be interested to see the chemical equations if possible, do you have a link?

I teach high school chemistry every few years and the kids invariably ask this question. I know this is beyond the scope of my class but it is fascinating.

 

[GodMark2]

Sugar + Oxygen = Water + Carbon Dioxide

C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ = CO₂ + H₂O

Balancing the equation is left as an exercise for the reader

 

[Magrat]

Sugar + Oxygen = Water + Carbon Dioxide

C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ = CO₂ + H₂O

Balancing the equation is left as an exercise for the reader

Uuhhhhh okay hold on I need a piece of paper.

 

[Magrat]

C₆H₁₂O₆+ 9O₂=6CO₂+6H₂O

I would like warning before the next test sir

Eta also thank you!

 

[MRC_Hans]

It becomes CO2! That's super interesting. Thank you!!

I wonder if dieters exhale more CO2 than non dieters?
Eta we are literally internal combustion engines!

No they don't. It depends on the energy you expend. Where the fuel comes from is not important.

Hans

 

[Magrat]

No they don't. It depends on the energy you expend. Where the fuel comes from is not important.

Hans

Wouldn't people with higher usage of fuel breathe more though?

 

[MRC_Hans]

Wouldn't people with higher usage of fuel breathe more though?

Yes, but a diet does not give you higher usage of fuel. It gives you a lower input of fuel.

A lot of exercise gives you a higher usage of fuel.

(I know some diets claim to increase your metabolism, but.... )

Hans

 

[RecoveringYuppy]

C₆H₁₂O₆+ 9O₂=6CO₂+6H₂O

Only 6O₂ required there. One for each "C" on the left since the existing H and O are already in the right ratio for oxygen.