Basics of Burning Fat:

Tweet If you're trying to lose weight, knowing how your body uses calories for fuel can make a difference in how much success you will have in your weight loss program. We get our energy from fat, carbs and protein. The one our bodies draw from, depends on the kind of activities we're doing. Most people want to use fat for energy, which makes sense. The more fat we can use as fuel, the less fat we'll have in our bodies. But, using more fat doesn't automatically lead to losing more fat.

Understanding the best way to burn fat starts with some basic facts about how your body gets its energy:

The body primarily uses fat and carbs for fuel. A small amount of protein is used during exercise, but it's mainly used to repair the muscles after exercise.

The ratio of these fuels will shift depending on the activity you're doing.

For higher intensity exercise, such as fast-paced running, the body will rely more on carbs for fuel than fat. That's because the metabolic pathways available to break down carbs for energy are more efficient than the pathways available for fat breakdown.

For long, slower exercise, fat is used more for energy than carbs.

When it comes to weight loss, it doesn't matter what type of fuel you use. What matters is how many calories you burn as opposed to how many calories you take in.