Final answer:
To burn fat, the body needs a sufficient supply of oxygen for aerobic metabolism, along with a balanced diet including proteins for muscle support and fats for energy. Exercise, particularly cardio which increases oxygen intake, is essential, and proper diet ensures the body can sustain the metabolic processes required for fat burning.
Step-by-step explanation:
To burn fat, your body must have a sufficient supply of oxygen because fat burning is an aerobic process. When engaging in exercise, especially vigorous exercise, the body increases its use of oxygen to meet the demand for energy.
Activity that raises your heart rate, like cardio or aerobic exercise, enhances the body's ability to deliver oxygen to tissues, thus aiding in fat burning.
In addition to oxygen, maintaining a balanced diet with adequate amounts of proteins and fat, as well as staying hydrated, is important for supporting metabolic reactions that generate ATP, which is used for energy during exercise.
Apart from physical activity, the macronutrient intake is crucial. Proteins are necessary for metabolic reactions and to support muscle maintenance, growth, and repair during exercise.
On the other hand, fats are necessary for energy, with recommendations for athletes ranging from 20-35% of their energy intake to avoid deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.
It is important to strike a balance; consuming too many calories leads to excess body fat, while not consuming enough can deplete energy stores and lead to health problems like muscle wasting.