Have you ever asked yourself this question? When you lose weight or get rid of cellulite, where does the fat actually go? You probably suspect it doesn’t simply vanish into thin air… But how does it really work? We explain everything!
What people think about how fat and cellulite disappear…
As a reminder, the fat that makes up those unwanted bulges has the same composition as the fat that settles into our adipocytes to form stubborn cellulite dimples. When we reduce our daily calorie intake and exercise, fat is released into our bloodstream. With cellulite, it’s slightly different — eating better and working out isn’t enough. You also need to “break up” fatty deposits through massage techniques like palpate-roll, so that the fat can be released into the blood.
Once that fat reaches the bloodstream, let’s be honest — a great many of us assume it gets eliminated by being converted into energy used by our muscles and body… Right? Others believe it turns into muscle, and others still think it’s flushed out when we use the bathroom. Well, none of these ideas are actually true!
… And what is actually true about how fat and cellulite disappear!
Two Australian researchers, Ruben Meerman and Andrew Brown, looked into this very question. They published their findings in November 2014 in the British Medical Journal. They also noted that 95% of the dietitians, doctors and fitness coaches they surveyed on the topic were unable to give the correct answer!
To understand how fat is eliminated, it helps to know that fat is made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules. When fat is released into the bloodstream, it comes into contact with the oxygen we breathe. On contact, the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are converted into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).
Once this transformation takes place, the CO2 is expelled through breathing, while the water is eliminated through perspiration and urine.
In the Meerman and Brown study, it is explained that to eliminate 10 kilograms of fat, the body must burn 94,000 calories, inhale 29 kilograms of oxygen, exhale 8.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide and expel 1.6 litres of water. Quite something…
So, if you’ve been following along, you now know that fat is primarily eliminated through… breathing!
But does that mean breathing helps you lose weight?
Stop hyperventilating right now — you’re far more likely to feel dizzy than to slim down! Fat is only eliminated through breathing once it has entered the bloodstream, not before. And for it to get there, it first needs to be released from those stubborn bulges and cellulite deposits… And for that, there’s no secret: regular physical activity, a balanced diet, targeted slimming treatments and effective palpate-roll massages!
If you want to slim down and tackle stubborn fat, targeted treatments can make a real difference! When chosen wisely, they help prevent fat storage, reduce localised fatty deposits and burn away settled fat. The result: a slimmer silhouette and more beautiful skin. For the best results, combine a day treatment and a night treatment for round-the-clock action. You could, for example, opt for the cryo slimming gel in the morning — ultra-refreshing and perfect for summer — and apply the Night Slimming Cream in the evening.