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Exercise To Lose Fat
Exercise to Lose Fat
Fat-burning at the cellular level
When carrying out exercise to lose weight, it must be understood that at the cellular level in the liver which is the primary site of metabolism, the MCFAs and LCTs, are treated differently. When you want to lose fat and gain weight, inside the cell, fat molecules are burned in cellular furnaces which are called mitochondria. LCTs require a special transport system which is called the "nitine shuttle" when they want to enter the mitochondria. However, LCTs can't get in when carbohydrates are being burned in the mitochondria. This is because the carbohydrate metabolism creates a by-product that inhibits the carnitine shuttle. Therefore, LCTs can be used only after carbohydrate fuels have depleted. This is the reason why (when you exercise to lose weight) fat tends to be stored rather than being used for energy. On the other hand, MCFAs can diffuse through mitochondrial wall and into the chondria, without being ushered in through the carnitine shuttle. Inside the chondria, MCFA’S are burned for energy even in the presence of carbohydrates. This allows you to lose fat and gain weight.
This is the reason why MCFAs unlike LCTs are not stored as body fat. MCFAs, because they are burnt with carbohydrates, help the carbohydrate fuel to last longer and produce a carbohydrate-sparing effect. The more carbohydrate fuel you have available, the harder you can train. When carrying out exercise to lose weight, supplement your diet with MCFAs. This allows you to spare carbohydrates for longer for more intense workouts.
MCFAs and Muscular Energy
When you want to lose fat and gain weight, the fats and other nutrients that are burnt inside the mitochondria release energy. This energy given off is captured by a molecule called ATP. This is the direct source of energy used for all body functions, including muscular contraction. As fat is burned, it enters a series of chemical reactions known as the Krebs Cycle, which ultimately generates A TP. MCFAs are burned so quickly inside the mitochondria that the Krebs Cycle can't handle it all. As a result, some of the energy is converted into ketones, which are by-products of fat metabolism.
This process can occur when you exercise to lose weight with conventional fats also. During fasting conditions, your body produces ketones from your own body fat. However, normally LCTs do not produce ketones because they are not as consumed as rapidly as MCFAs. Ketones that are produced are released into the blood stream and are taken up by the muscles to be used for energy. Inside the muscle cells, the ketones are reconverted and further metabolized in the Krebs Cycle to generate ATP. This is a result of the metabolism that takes place and is a direct resultant of the exercise to lose weight.
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