Where Does the Fat Go When You Lose Weight?

When you lose weight, have you ever wondered where the hell the fat actually goes? Sure, it "burns up," but it is a little more scientific than that. Actually, it is quite interesting!

Fat is a store of energy. When you need energy, you break down the fat. That breaks down into a component called free fatty acid and goes into the liver for energy. When you have a lot of excess fat, it generates so much free fatty acid, the liver can't handle it, so it stores it.

When people consume more energy or calories than they can burn, guess what happens? The fat cells become larger. And when people burn more calories than they consume and lose weight-they shrink!

When we lose weight or body fat, we lose it from all over. This is the main reason why spot reduction is a myth!

Fat cells (aka adipocytes), store excess energy from foods in the form of fatty acids called triglycerides. As the triglycerides are stored within a cell, they force it to expand, increasing the cells diameter.

Humans carry about 10 billion to 30 billion fat cells. People who are obese can have up to 100 billion. Though we can increase the number of fat cells in our body, when we lose weight, we don't lose the number of fat cells. Tragic, right? 

The size of the cells shrinks, but the capacity to expand is always there. Meaning, it is easier for you to gain that weight back! The only way to remove the fat cells would be through a liposuction procedure.

Whether or not your fat cells shrink or become larger ultimately depends on your diet and fitness.