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“Are fat cells forever?” This is a question that the majority of the people have queries about, especially when they are losing weight. But, while you have that question in your mind, have you ever wondered what happens to fat cells after weight loss? Not likely, right?
Well, your fat cells or the storage house in your body undergo a lot of changes when you are working out trying to get rid of the excess fats from your body. But, is it folklore that your fats are converted into energy or do you end up losing them some other ways?
That is exactly what we are going to be discussing about in here and find better answers to what happens to the fat cells after weight loss.
What Happens to Fat Cells When You Lose Weight?
So, you went from a size 20 to size 16 in two months. But, what do you think happened to the fats that you accumulated around your belly and your other body parts over the years?
The fat cells in our body are responsible for storing a lot of things aside from just the fat that is absorbed from the food or produced by the tissues. Apart from the fats, the fat cells also store vitamins, hormones and a lot of toxins in them.
The adipose tissues are responsible for soaking up the excess to keep you healthy. These little pockets are responsible for producing energy for you when you need it.
But, when you are working out and following a strict diet to lose weight, the fat cells undergo a lot of change.
The fat cells are stimulated and they undergo shrinking, thereby releasing its contents of fats and lipids into the bloodstream.
Everything that is then released into your bloodstream is broken down and metabolized into smaller molecules following which it leaves the body either via breathing or via your urine.
Sounds weird, right? Well, that is what happens in reality.
An average human body has over 10-30 billion fat cells in their body, the same varying depending on their lifestyle and dietary choices.
How Do Fat Cells Leave Your Body When You Lose Weight?
As we mentioned, when you are losing weight, the body undergoes quite a lot of changes, not just physically but internally too.
The shrinkage in the fat cells push out all the contents into the bloodstream and while there are prior studies that suggested that the fat that you burn during weight loss is converted into energy, the same is actually not the case.
But, a new study (R) conducted by the researchers from the University of New South Wales found that the same is not what happens. Instead, when you lose weight, the fat is converted to carbon dioxide and water.
The reason why the researchers on the study, Ruben Meerman and Professor Andrew Brown don’t theorize that the burnt fat is converted into energy is that it violates the Law of Conservation of Matter.
For the study, the researchers analysed 150 participants, all of which included doctors, personal trainers, and dieticians.
The researchers further clarified in their study that when you lose weight, the fat that you burn is either exhaled out in the form of carbon dioxide or excreted via your urine.
In an interview with The Conversation (R), the researchers stated saying, “If you lose 10kg of fat, precisely 8.4kg comes out through your lungs and the remaining 1.6kg turns into water.”
This suggests that majority of the fats that you lose during weight loss is lost via you breathing.
The research also depicts that in order for you to propel your weight loss results, it is necessary for you move your muscles and indulge in some form of exercise.
What About Waste Products?
We now have an idea about the fats and their fate after your weight loss results but what happens to the waste products and toxins that are stored inside the adipose tissue and the fat cells. What happens to them?
Much like the fat cells, even the other toxins and the unwanted substrates in the body are eliminated from your body either via urine or exhaling.
How Can You Aid A Healthy Weight Loss Result?
When it comes to losing weight, there are ample diets and exercise routines that you will likely come across. But, to be honest, it is all about the choices you make that make all the difference.
From the food that you eating to the kind of movement that you are indulging in on a regular basis, the options are quite extensive.
If you want a healthy weight loss result for yourself, it is important to keep a check on a number of factors. The last thing you want is to overdo any part of the process.
Weight loss is not linear. You might lose drastically in the beginning and face a hard time losing weight after that. Know for a fact that it is normal for your weight loss to plateau.
In situations like this, you need to change up your approach to your weight loss programs. You can try different exercises or even different diets.
Irrespective of the results, it is extremely important for one to realize that having realistic goals for your weight loss is the only way to notice results.
FAQs
Do Fat Cells Disappear When You Lose Weight?
Kinda? The reason being that your fat cells are either excreted via urine or they are exhaled out in the form of carbon dioxide.
Does Fat Leave the Body Through Feces?
No, the fat doesn’t leave the body through feces. Instead, it is excreted out of the body in the form of urine.
If you have been wondering what happens to fat cells after weight loss, we hope this answers your queries. Remember that in order for you to get rid of fat cells after weight loss, it is important that you stay consistent with your journey. Don’t give up once you feel like you have reached your weight loss goal. You want to keep going and ensure that you maintain your weight loss.
