What does it mean to say you are burning fat?
Have you ever really thought about what this means? We asked some people what they thought it means and got a lot of the wrong answers. Some said sweat it out, some said poop it out (hehe). It is a common misconception that many people associate a good sweat with an effective workout for weight loss. BUT we are here to tell you that 80% of fat in the body is released by your lungs through exhaling...AKA through your breath!
Fat is stored in the body as triglycerides which consists of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. A lil chemistry review for you. 20% of fat is broken down into H2O (water...but, you knew that) and leaves your body through sweat and urine, this percentage is easily replaced the next time you have a glass of water. BUT the other 80% is exhaled as CO2 (carbon dioxide...but again, you knew that) and cannot be replaced until you consume calories..aka eat food!
What does this mean...well that your lungs play an important role in fat loss😤. Turns out sweating isn't the best indicator of an efficient workout after all. If (during exercise) your heart rate is elevated, within a safe range💗 (no higher than roughly 220 - your age) and your breathing is relatively more difficult💨 (also within reason) you can assume your kicking butt! Burning fat! And winning.
Visualizing what is happening in the body enhances the mind body connection. Once I became aware of this fact I started to enjoy those moments where I pushed myself to the limits and felt my breath get harder. It's like I could feel the fat leaving my body. So next time you are bent over, huffing and puffing after a good workout, just think about all the fat you are exhaling out...or maybe not, maybe don't think about that🤣
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