To lose weight you need to burn more than you eat, so...??

RotterdamNL

i've seen this sentence many times but i must be looking at it in a wrong way because i don't get it.

My bmr is 1940, i need to eat in cut 2640kcals, yesterday i burned through exercise 1280.

So looking at it i didn't burn what i ate so with that logic it is impossible to lose weight.

So i've been thinking, if my bmr is 1940, do i need to burn more than 700 cals so that i surpass my cut to lose weight?

jacksonpt

The phrase refers to total calories burned by your body throughout the day, not just cals you burn while exercising.

diannethegeek

To lose weight you need to eat less than your body uses in a day. Look up your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) including your daily exercise. This is how many calories your body burns in a day and how many calories you'd need to eat to maintain your current weight. You need to eat less than that, but not dramatically less. About a 20% cut is usually recommended, or about 500 calories less to lose one pound a week.

If you are at too drastic a reduction you won't leave your body with enough calories to do the important things (like pumping blood, keeping your brain alive, maintaining your kidneys, etc). Keep it to a moderate deficit.

ninerbuff

i've seen this sentence many times but i must be looking at it in a wrong way because i don't get it.

My bmr is 1940, i need to eat in cut 2640kcals, yesterday i burned through exercise 1280.

So looking at it i didn't burn what i ate so with that logic it is impossible to lose weight.

So i've been thinking, if my bmr is 1940, do i need to burn more than 700 cals so that i surpass my cut to lose weight?

You do realize that you need a certain amount of calories to live right? If you anything, just eat your BMR. That should help you lose weight if you're working out.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

KarenJanine

Where did you get your 'cut' figure from?


In any case, you are forgetting NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) and TEF (thermic effects of feeding).

TDEE = BMR + NEAT + TEF + calories burned through exercise

So although your BMR + 700 cals takes you to your cut value, some of those 700 cals will be burned by just going about your daily business before you do any exercise.

MinnieInMaine

I hate that saying! It's stupid because not many people think about the fact that BMR is the minimum # of calories your body needs to consume to support basic functions, so they think they have to starve themselves in order to lose weight.

I agree with ninerbuff and that is what I do. BMR is my basic daily allowance and then I eat back most/all what I burn during exercise. Seems to be working...

cwolfman13

You need to be at a deficit of TDEE, not BMR. Those 1,940 calories are what you would burn if you slept all day and never moved....calories you burn just breathing and having your organs function. Then you have your NEAT calories...those calories you burn with your day to day hum drumb...driving the car, going to work, working, twitching, etc. Then you have exercise calories you burn. Combined you get your TDEE.

BMR + NEAT + Exercise = TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

My TDEE is around 2650...if I gross around 2,150 calories I lose about 1 Lb per week because I have roughly 500 calories deficit from my TDEE.

RotterdamNL

For real, all these abbreviations are driving me insane, every week i read a new one, maybe some are different as my native tongue is not English.

Ok
I am 171cm(5ft6)
I weight 100kg(220lbs)
28%bf
I am not starving myself as i eat around my cut sometimes a bit less around 2200/2400, my maintenance is about 3000kcals

Been working out on and off but had a alcohol addiction, since my buddy and colleague on the community gym where i work died 2 weeks ago at only 35yo ive been focussing more seriously, stopped drinking alcohol and been working out 6 days in the week (3 days, rest,3 days) mainly with weights.

I already feel a difference as i can take alot more weights and reps than the beginning but i actually gained 2 kilo's(4,4lbs) and i am only drinking water and green thea and very healthy food, with the right fats and proteins.

LolBroScience

For real, all these abbreviations are driving me insane, every week i read a new one, maybe some are different as my native tongue is not English.

Ok
I am 171cm(5ft6)
I weight 100kg(220lbs)
28%bf
I am not starving myself as i eat around my cut sometimes a bit less around 2200/2400, my maintenance is about 3000kcals

Been working out on and off but had a alcohol addiction, since my buddy and colleague on the community gym where i work died 2 weeks ago at only 35yo ive been focussing more seriously, stopped drinking alcohol and been working out 6 days in the week (3 days, rest,3 days) mainly with weights.

I already feel a difference as i can take alot more weights and reps than the beginning but i actually gained 2 kilo's(4,4lbs) and i am only drinking water and green thea and very healthy food, with the right fats and proteins.

So what is your question....?

RotterdamNL

Well, it's not a question more like than for me to understand if i get it right. So if i burn around 1000cals with working out and eating around 2400, i should be ok right?

Your back is insane btw

LolBroScience

To lose weight you need to eat less than your body uses in a day. Look up your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) including your daily exercise. This is how many calories your body burns in a day and how many calories you'd need to eat to maintain your current weight. You need to eat less than that, but not dramatically less. About a 20% cut is usually recommended, or about 500 calories less to lose one pound a week.

If you are at too drastic a reduction you won't leave your body with enough calories to do the important things (like pumping blood, keeping your brain alive, maintaining your kidneys, etc). Keep it to a moderate deficit.

This is a good answer

RotterdamNL

Ok thanks than i'm good my TDEE is 2800