Scout1idf's Journal, 08 December 2015

I read the most interesting article on how we "lose" the weight. It said we basically exhale most of it as gasses. "The whole process can be VERY BROADLY summarized in the following chemical equation: Triglyceride (C55H104O6) + 78O2→ 55CO2 + 52H2O + energy So yes, as you may have guessed at the outset, when oxidized, fat is used to create energy. However, what the formula also reveals is that 1 triglyceride molecule (with the help of oxygen) is converted to a bunch of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). In fact, according to the recent article on the topic, when somebody loses 10 kg of fat (triglyceride), 8.4 kg is exhaled as CO2 while the remaining 1.6 kg is lost as water in urine, feces, sweat, tears and other bodily fluids. So, for the most part, the answer to the question that started this discussion is as follows: When fat is lost, it is mostly exhaled as carbon dioxide (84%), with the remainder (16%) being excreted as water. Interestingly, this also means that the lungs are the primary excretory organ for fat."  

wow that is all over my head. I just know my heart feels bee's a buzzing when that scale moves in the backward position. 

Same thing that is wrong with my scale it does agree with me all the time 

Kat, you lost me "very broadly summarized"...but I kinda understand. It's something I will research. You have good information! 

its probably water weight? 

LOL sorry ~ copy/paste got broad. Basically, we EXHALE the fat we are losing that isn't being burned as energy.  

I picture literal fat coming out of my mouth when I breathe :::shiver::: 

Carbohydrates and salt will make you retain water. Other than water retention, your weight today is not necessarily based on what you ate yesterday. It takes a few days for your calories to become apparent as fat/muscle tissue. So the 1.6 lbs you are seeing are due to either having eaten higher salt 2-3 days ago than you did yesterday (and extra water with salt was excreted) and/or you are seeing the results of calorie restriction last week. Your scale isn't broken - it is very common for people to fluctuate 1-2 lbs per day. I can fluctuate up to 5 lbs in water weight in one day. 

I agree with Jesse, take day to fluctuation's with a grain of salt, you want a good several weeks of data to look at before thinking of any modification. One aspect many people fail to realize is that active gut bacteria and microbes play a critical role in food digestion and the availability of food nutrients. If you are overweight and have been on a typically heavy "brown" diet of fried/baked carbohydrates, I would suggest a course of "Align Probiotic", help get some good bacteria back in the gut. 

I am frequently amazed. Sometimes even though I have been on track several days the scales don't move then suddenly the work pays off. Enjoy! 

I'd not solely rely on the scale as well. I'm not sure whether it's the case, but weighing yourself very frequently - everyday as some ppl do - can be extremely frustrating, because yes, there are weight fluctuations... Honestly, I can tell from personal experience, that literally hiding my scale and doing the things I'm supposed to do - exercising and eating healthier, my journey has been less stressful, and even though I haven't lost a whole lot of pounds, I replaced them with muscle mass, which is 3 times heavier than fat. I still weigh myself, maybe twice a month, just to make sure that I'm on track. But don't let the scale dictate your progress. Best of luck on your journey! :) 

On the weighting everyday thang. It's the way I do it, not that it's the only or best way. I don't find it frustrating watching my weight bounce around. I do find it easier to spot trends and that helps keep me on track. If one only checks their weight once a week how do they know whether they have chosen a light or heavy day?  

I do everyday to keep me on my toes. Otherwise, I could get way off track, though at the moment it seems I am. Not that long ago I was quite a few pounds lighter and thought I was heading in the right direction most of the time. Now I seem to be heading in the wrong direction most of the time...