Where Does the Weight Go?

[Poly Pal]

O.K., you know the whole principle of "conservation of matter" from high school science. So, when we lose weight, where does the weight go?

If I'm burning calories (like a furnace) is the weight leaving my body when I exhale? Or perhaps the weight gets packaged as waste and leaves via the bathroom? (sorry! I couldn't think of a nicer way to say that!)

 

[MelanieC]

Hmm,

Good question. I have always thought about it like "the fat is melting away".

I believe that your body is using the stored fat as energy, and that's how it just melts away.

Melanie

 

[anniet]

good question!!!!

http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=57797

 

[LuvTigger]

anniet,

Thank you for posting that link! I guess most of us like to be able to imagine things in a tangible sense.

Personally, with my weight management program we tell people to drink more water to "flush the fat!" I know we say it more as an encouragement rather than a fact, but I thought that fat was expelled "via the bathroom" as Poly Pal said!

I guess the bottom line is it's gone and hopefully it doesn't come back!

 

[nativetxn]

Very interesting. My answer was going to just be "away" but I was wrong

 

[jimmytammy]

That was a great question and a great link. Very interesting to read and learn about. Thanks!
Tammy

 

[TigH]

Thanks for the link, Annie! That was some very interesting reading!

I'm not much up on physics, but isn't there a theory that all the matter in the world (universe) has already been created, so that no ADDITIONAL matter will ever be created? I have always thought that for every person who gains weight, there is someone who is losing weight (that was how I used to explain my weight gains, ha ha, just balancing out the universe!) Of course that means lots of other people have been putting on all the weight we WISHers have lost...

I really like the part of the explanation that talks about people thinking of a calorie as a thing and not a unit of energy. That is really neat! I guess I always thought of calories as things too, until now.

This was a good read, very timely for us. We just got back from the Kona Cafe and my plan to eat light was thwarted by a delcious bowl of very creamy clam chowder (with lots of clams!) and I'm not saying what else I had! Thank goodness for all the exercising I have done though - I am hoping the new muscle mass will decide to burn all those calories I consumed tonight!!!

 

[Minniespal]

What an interesting link and a wonderful answer!!!!!!

 

[d.kurz]

Originally posted by TigH
I have always thought that for every person who gains weight, there is someone who is losing weight (that was how I used to explain my weight gains, ha ha, just balancing out the universe!)

Balancing out the Universe!!! LOL!!! That's GREAT! Thanks for the laugh!!

anniet, thanks. That was really interesting.