Where does fat go when you exercise?

You may be familiar with the term "burn fat", but do you know what that term actually means? In contrast to food waste that is wasted through feces, fat is not excreted through the same route. Fat goes through a series of processes, from absorption until finally being excreted by the body.

The process of absorption and storage of fat

First of all, the fat from the food you eat will be broken down into simpler molecules in the form of fatty acids. The process of breaking down fat is assisted by enzymes from the pancreas and bile produced by the liver.

Fatty acids are then absorbed by the small intestine and enter the bloodstream. In the bloodstream, fatty acids combine with cholesterol to form chylomicrons. Chylomicrons function as carriers of fatty acids to various body tissues.

Excess fat from digestion will not be wasted, but instead stored in the form of fat cells. The number of fat cells is fixed and cannot change. However, they can increase and decrease in size, depending on your diet and activity.

The size of the fat cells will not change if your calorie intake is always the same every day. Fat cells can become enlarged if you frequently eat high-calorie foods. Conversely, these cells can shrink when you exercise and physical activity.

Then, where is the fat wasted?

You now understand that exercise and physical activity can reduce the size of fat cells. The next question, where is this fat wasted? Research contained in British Medical Journal find an interesting answer to this question.

Fat leaves your body in many ways. As much as 84% ​​percent of fat molecules escape through respiration in the form of carbon dioxide. About 16% of the remainder is excreted through sweat, water, urine, tears and other bodily fluids.

The reason is quite simple. Fat is basically a chemical compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. After going through a lot of chemical breakdown process, most of the fat will be removed in the form of these atoms.

Since most of the fat is released through the breath, it can be said that physical activity that stimulates breathing will burn more calories. The more often you do exercises that stimulate your breath, the more fat you burn.

Powerful exercise to burn fat

The type of exercise that is most suitable for burning fat is cardio exercise, also known as aerobic exercise. This exercise not only trains the heart, but also the breathing so that more fat is wasted.

All exercises that stimulate the heart and breathing can be categorized as cardio exercises. There are various sports included in this group, from light intensity such as walking, to moderate and vigorous intensity such as:

• Cycling, both on the road and on a stationary bicycle
• Run with treadmill
• Swimming
• Climb the stairs
• Aerobics and zumba

Each type of cardio exercise has its own advantages. The key is to exercise consistently in the long term (at least 30 minutes every day) so that more fat is wasted.

The fat you get from food has various functions for the body. However, fat can also accumulate in the body and cause weight gain. This is the function of physical activity to burn fat.

The activities you do, especially sports, can shrink the number of fat cells in the body. Excess fat is then broken down and excreted through pathways that you may not have thought before, namely respiration and body fluids.

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