Most people really dont know how fat cells work, how the fat burning process takes place or where the fat goes when its burned. Its actually quite a complex biochemical process, so by the end of this article, you will be fat burning expert! When you lose body fat, the fat cell does not go anywhere. Fat cell itself stays right where it was under the skin in your thighs, stomach, hips, arms, etc., and on the top of the muscles. Fat is stored inside the fat cell in the form of triaglycerol. The fat is not burned right there in the fat cell, it must be liberated from the fat cell through the somewhat complex hormonal /enzymatic pathways.When stimulated to do so, the fat cell simply releases its contents into the bloodstream as free fatty acids (FFAS), and they are transported through the blood to the tissue where the energy is needed. When your needs energy because you are consuming fewer calories than you are burning, then your body releases hormones and enzymes that signal your fat cell, hydrolysis, splits the molecule of triaglycerol into glycerol three fatty acids.An important enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase is the catalyst for this reaction. The store fat gets released into the bloodstream as FFAs and they are shuttled off to the muscles where the energy is needed. As blood flow increases to the active muscles, more FFAs are delivered to the muscles that need them.An important enzyme called lipoprotein lipase helps the FFAs get inside the mitochondria (cellular powerhouse) of the muscle cell, where the FFAs can be burned for energy. When FFAs are released from the fat cell, the fat cell shrinks and thats why you look leaner when you lose fat because the fat cell is now smaller. A small or empty fat cell is what youre after if you want the lean, defined look.