? about burning fat : Newbies' Questions Forum : Active Low-Carber Forums

#1 ^

Thu, Jul-25-02, 11:50

Em221

Registered Member

Posts: 48

Plan: Atkins
Stats: 384/376/285
BF:
Progress: 8%

Location: Missouri, USA

? about burning fat

from the Dr. Atkins Site

Quote:

Ketosis is really a shortening of the term lipolysis/ketosis. Lipolysis simply means that you're burning your fat stores and using them as the source of fuel they were meant to be. The by-products of burning fat are ketones, so ketosis is a secondary process of lipolysis. When your body releases ketones in your urine, it is chemical proof that you’re consuming your own stored fat. And the more ketones you release, the more fat you have dissolved.

If you are restricting the amount of carbohydrates you eat, your body turns to fat as its alternative source of energy. In effect, lipolysis/ketosis has replaced the alternative of burning glucose for energy. Both are perfectly normal processes.

If I am eating fat, and (in ketosis) my body is burning fat, what happens to the fat the I eat? Is it possible to be in ketosis just from burning the fat that we eat instead of burning up the fat stores? Does the fat that we eat have to be burnt before the stored fat is burnt?

Thanks,
Emily

Sponsored Links

#2 ^

Thu, Jul-25-02, 21:49

doreen T doreen T is offline

Forum Founder

Posts: 37,232

Plan: LC, GF
Stats: 241/188/140 Female 165 cm

BF:
Progress: 52%

Location: Eastern ON, Canada

hi Emily,

Good question

Another member asked this a while ago, and here's my reply:

Quote:

Originally posted by doreen T

Yes, ketones are also made from the fat you eat.

Dietary fat is broken down into long-chain fatty acids in the small intestine. They're then absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the liver, where they are further processed into ketones, short-chain fatty acids and other compounds. Your body fat is broken down to fatty acids also... these too must be transported to the liver for further processing into ketones. Your liver has no way of knowing whether the fatty acids came from food or your fat cells, it just processes 'em!

However, not to worry ... if you're eating low carbs then eating fat won't make the burning of body fat stop .. in fact, it can and will speed it up. For an explanation of what becomes of your body fat and the fat you eat ... read this post.

Hope this helps to explain,

Doreen