Why 2lb/week limit?
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My BMR is about 2100. My TDEE is about 3700. I think if I ran every morning rather than just three days, I could get over 2000 a day. I think it would be sustainable if I ate for it, but definitely not in the OP's scenario.SherryTeach wrote: »I realize that my point of view is that of a 60-year-old woman who at 5'1" weighs 105 pounds. 40 minutes on my treadmill burns 200 calories. But even for a large, athletic male, a 2000 burn daily seems unsustainable.
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Whats the reason for 2lb/week weight loss limit? If my BMR to maintain is 1500 and i eat 1500 a day and i exercise and burn and extra 2000/day, thats 4lb/week.
Your BMR has nothing to do with maintenance, but is the amount of calories that you need to survive.
Your TDEE is the maximum amount of calories you need to stay at a maintenance weight and includes exercise.
You will not burn an extra 2000 a day above your TDEE unless you are obese or you are doing intense exercise for long periods of time.
Two pounds is the maximum for someone who has 75 pounds or more to lose, but the smaller you are and the less you need to lose, the smaller your deficit gets to .5 pounds per week. If you have:- 1-25 pounds to lose, .5 pounds per week.
- 25-50 pounds to lose, 1 pound per week.
- 50-75 pounds to lose, 1.5 pounds per week.
- 75 or more, 2 pounds per week.
The slower you lose your weight, the more sustainable it is because you are learning new eating habits instead of just doing a quick-fix.
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The best scientific guess is that a normal person (athletic individuals might violate this) can probably oxidize 31 calories per pound of body fat per day. Beyond that, you either need to get energy from carbohydrates, or amino acids, which could come from muscle / lean tissue wasting. So if you're on a 2,000 calorie deficit, you'd probably need over 65 pounds of pure body fat on top of the amount of body fat you'd need to be oxidizing for all the other calories you're burning but aren't part of a deficit.
It just generally isn't advised, and having a strong interest in losing that much weight sounds a little like a some level of eating disorder. To do it while not morbidly obese and meeting the recommended minimum calorie might border on hypergymnasia.
I do have an eating disorder. I like to eat. So i burn that extra 800 calories on the treadmill so i can eat that BK dbl whopper w/cheese.
My Q in my original post is, why is there a 2lb limit per week. It seems that if i count my calories and calculate a 2lb per week loss, then burn that extra 500 calories per day, it would seem that 3lb's per week is not impossible. I just want to hear scientific reasons why this is/isn't possible.
A burger king double whopper has anywhere from 770 to 1,070 calories . . . not sure of the range, maybe to allow for condiments but that's as per their own website.
I know I've done it before - work out a little longer, run a little faster, run that extra 1/2 or full mile just to get that calorie burn in. Whatever the case may be . . . but I think that's a really unhealthy relationship with food to have. You're not working out to be healthy or increase lean body mass, you're working out so you can eat extra things.
At least 70 % - but probably closer to 80% - of my success thus far has been from changing how I look at food. Maybe you can lose weight with the method you have but I would think that you need to work on ow you view the food you put into your mouth above all else. Food is fuel for your body . . . some of it tastes better than others, some of it is easier to digest and process than others, some of it is better for your body than others - but it's all fuel. You can lose weight eating anything as long as you're still within a deficit but is it healthy? Probably not. If you just want to look good and drop the weight, staying within your calorie limits is ultimately the way to go. If you want to be healthier . . . you might need to change your life style.
Also - it's very possible to lose a ton of weight in a short period of time. But as others have said, you will get tired/fatigued, grumpy, irritable, your work outs will suffer, you will lose hair and your nails will become brittle, your vital organs might lose some function, etc if you sustain it for a long period of time to keep losing.
If you have done this before (as you said, it's not your first rodeo) and you're back again, clearly the whole "burn 800 cals. on the treadmill juuuuuuuuuust for that BK double whopper 5 minutes of enjoyment" theory is just not working. I run because I enjoy it. I lift because it makes me feel powerful. I work out because I feel amazing about myself after I do it. I choose the foods I do because my body feels better when I do than when I eat not-so-great-nutrition-wise foods. I could lose weight on anything as long as I'm within a deficit, but by choosing better foods and simply looking at them like fuel for my body and not having that emotional attachment to them I focus on other things in life and it's working really well for me, so far. Everyone is different, but this is my first attempt (3 years strong!!!) at the rodeo, and I haven't left yet . . . I've been steadily losing for 3 years, with small slow downs here and there which happen naturally I feel . . . but general trend is down and my fitness is way better.0 -
Whats the reason for 2lb/week weight loss limit? If my BMR to maintain is 1500 and i eat 1500 a day and i exercise and burn and extra 2000/day, thats 4lb/week.
Your BMR has nothing to do with maintenance, but is the amount of calories that you need to survive.
Your TDEE is the maximum amount of calories you need to stay at a maintenance weight and includes exercise.
You will not burn an extra 2000 a day above your TDEE unless you are obese or you are doing intense exercise for long periods of time.
Two pounds is the maximum for someone who has 75 pounds or more to lose, but the smaller you are and the less you need to lose, the smaller your deficit gets to .5 pounds per week. If you have:- 1-25 pounds to lose, .5 pounds per week.
- 25-50 pounds to lose, 1 pound per week.
- 50-75 pounds to lose, 1.5 pounds per week.
- 75 or more, 2 pounds per week.
The slower you lose your weight, the more sustainable it is because you are learning new eating habits instead of just doing a quick-fix.
THIS, all day, every day, and twice on Saturdays!0 -
Biological systems don't always react well to theoretical concepts. The math may work, but you are limited to metabolic pathway capacity and as previously stated lose muscle mass.
Why the hurry? Don't sacrifice your long term goals for immediate gratification.0 -
queenliz99 wrote: »Food is energy and all you would be doing is hijacking your muscle mass. Eat the 1500 and eat back all your exercise calories.
This^
With 25 pounds to go a 2 pound a week goal is already aggressive. All weight loss is not 100% fat loss......the percentage of lean muscle loss is something most people try to limit.
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Don't have your stats or anything like that, but I'm male, 35, 5"7 and currently weigh around 160lbs. For me to burn around 2000 calories in a day, it takes about 3 hours of running at an average pace of 5.5mph.
So yes you can burn 2000 calories a day, you just have to run around 16 miles at a constant pace. I can tell you 100% that if you do that and only consume 1500 calories a day, you will not be running 16 miles after maybe the 3rd day if you are lucky, because you would have zero energy and your body would start to break down muscle.
Not only that but you wouldn't even be able to repair the current muscle you have from the beating it would take from the exercise required to burn the 2000 calories.0 -
Don't have your stats or anything like that, but I'm male, 35, 5"7 and currently weigh around 160lbs. For me to burn around 2000 calories in a day, it takes about 3 hours of running at an average pace of 5.5mph.
So yes you can burn 2000 calories a day, you just have to run around 16 miles at a constant pace. I can tell you 100% that if you do that and only consume 1500 calories a day, you will not be running 16 miles after maybe the 3rd day if you are lucky, because you would have zero energy and your body would start to break down muscle.
Not only that but you wouldn't even be able to repair the current muscle you have from the beating it would take from the exercise required to burn the 2000 calories.
Furthermore... why the hell would you want to?
Don't you want to enjoy life? Don't you have better things to do? Seems to me that a life lived this way would feel like living in hell. What is the point of that?0 -
I don't know the OP's full stats. But he's listed as wanting to lose 25 lbs. I put some average male numbers into here and used the highest setting for activity. The calculator spit out ~3500 as the TDEE.
So basically @Werk2Eat if you had an active job where you walked and hauled things... let's say farmhand... 5 days a week and on top of that you did some extra exercise like run a 10k every day, and if you only ate 1500 calories per day, then sure, you'd lose 4 lbs a week. But I don't think you'd last a week before exhausting yourself.
I do Roofing and Siding. Some days i am very active and some days i am mostly stationary working a cutting board and metal bending brake. Also some days it rains and i am not working. There is no real accurate way to calculate my activity level. I set MFP to lightly active and MFP says i should eat 1600 to lose 2lb/week. I am eating 1600 but after work i walk on my treadmill at a 8 incline and burn a good 500-750 cal i am not eating back.
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Whats the reason for 2lb/week weight loss limit? If my BMR to maintain is 1500 and i eat 1500 a day and i exercise and burn and extra 2000/day, thats 4lb/week.
You would find it hard work burning 2000 a day. Go for it and I bet you cant sustain it. Most people who cna burn that or even the disputed 1000 calories a day are already fit and dont need to.
It doesnt sound like you have actually tried to do it. If you did then id think you wouldnt be posting such a question.0 -
I don't know the OP's full stats. But he's listed as wanting to lose 25 lbs. I put some average male numbers into here and used the highest setting for activity. The calculator spit out ~3500 as the TDEE.
So basically @Werk2Eat if you had an active job where you walked and hauled things... let's say farmhand... 5 days a week and on top of that you did some extra exercise like run a 10k every day, and if you only ate 1500 calories per day, then sure, you'd lose 4 lbs a week. But I don't think you'd last a week before exhausting yourself.
I do Roofing and Siding. Some days i am very active and some days i am mostly stationary working a cutting board and metal bending brake. Also some days it rains and i am not working. There is no real accurate way to calculate my activity level. I set MFP to lightly active and MFP says i should eat 1600 to lose 2lb/week. I am eating 1600 but after work i walk on my treadmill at a 8 incline and burn a good 500-750 cal i am not eating back.
Where is the 500-750 caloreis on the treadmill coming from? Most exercise equipment's numbers and even the numbers MFP gives for an activity is overestimated. Burning 500 calories is usually going to take an hour of at least moderate activity.0 -
Don't have your stats or anything like that, but I'm male, 35, 5"7 and currently weigh around 160lbs. For me to burn around 2000 calories in a day, it takes about 3 hours of running at an average pace of 5.5mph.
So yes you can burn 2000 calories a day, you just have to run around 16 miles at a constant pace. I can tell you 100% that if you do that and only consume 1500 calories a day, you will not be running 16 miles after maybe the 3rd day if you are lucky, because you would have zero energy and your body would start to break down muscle.
Not only that but you wouldn't even be able to repair the current muscle you have from the beating it would take from the exercise required to burn the 2000 calories.
Same age, same height, but i am 170lbs. I usually keep a running pace of 5.5mph but at a 2-3 incline. I dont go for 3 hours, but i can go for 1 hour twice a day (when im not working those days) maybe not 2000 calories but a good 1600-1700.
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Same age, same height, but i am 170lbs. I usually keep a running pace of 5.5mph but at a 2-3 incline. I dont go for 3 hours, but i can go for 1 hour twice a day (when im not working those days) maybe not 2000 calories but a good 1600-1700.
Can and do are different.
Everyday and everyday im not working are different.
You are not burning 800-850 calories an hour.0 -
At a constant HR of 175bpm i am. And yes i DO run twice a day for an hour each time when i am not working. I work 9-5 five days a week, do you work EVERYDAY?
Can and do are different.
Everyday and everyday im not working are different.
You are not burning 800-850 calories an hour.0 -
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At a constant HR of 175bpm i am. And yes i DO run twice a day for an hour each time when i am not working. I work 9-5 five days a week, do you work EVERYDAY?
Can and do are different.
Everyday and everyday im not working are different.
You are not burning 800-850 calories an hour.
Heart rate has little to do with it. At 190 pounds, 800 calories in running requires a running distance of 7 miles. Scale for your actual weight.
Vast majority of people will not be able to do this on a daily basis, but it is certainly possible.0 -
Because it's sensible. One can do whatever they want to lose weight. There's no stopping anyone from doing it to the extremes. It's just not sensible to do it that way.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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My Q in my original post is, why is there a 2lb limit per week. It seems that if i count my calories and calculate a 2lb per week loss, then burn that extra 500 calories per day, it would seem that 3lb's per week is not impossible. I just want to hear scientific reasons why this is/isn't possible.
Even with 2 lb/week loss rate many people hit the 1200 calorie bottom stop and the maths goes to pot.
IIRC the obese guy who fasted for a year lost about 0.7 lb/day on average by eating zero, so you're correct that more than 2 lbs is possible, He was very obese to start with.
Biggest Loser participants (again, obese) apparently eat around 1200 and expend around 3200 so they too have a higher deficit than MFP would set up. They also have a somewhat extraordinary lifestlye and I guess MFP is targetting the more typical free living adult.0 -
Dropped down another 4 lbs in a week. I take whole food vitamins so Energy level is non issue. If nobody has heard of the Warrior diet i suggest you look it up. I have been using this diet for almost a decade and it works when you want to use it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrior_diet-3
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Dropped down another 4 lbs in a week. I take whole food vitamins so Energy level is non issue. If nobody has heard of the Warrior diet i suggest you look it up. I have been using this diet for almost a decade and it works when you want to use it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrior_diet
To restrictive
I stick to my CICO
And lost fine the last 11 months
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ncboiler89 wrote: »SherryTeach wrote: »It would not be possible to burn an extra 2000 calories a day. Most people can manage no more than about a 500 deficit per day.
This makes no sense. I have no trouble with a 1000 caloric deficit per day. My body is accustom to the warrior diet which makes it very easy to stay in normal and extreme deficit's.
What is extreme and how do you know your body is accustom to it? Because you aren't dead?
Haha0 -
My withings scale estimates I have 97 lbs of fat (I weigh 210). According to the 31 calories per pound of fat, that would mean I could lose as much as 6 lbs a week and still be "safe".
That estimate sounds too high to me. But it does make me worry less if my rate bounces up a bit while I'm still around my current weight.
In any case, over the past 70 days I've averaged 2 lbs every 10 days. I'd rather that was 7 days, but 10 days will still get me there eventually.
I intend to use fat % rather than weight as my endpoint. Current estimate if I didn't lose any muscle mass (which I know is unrealistic unless I add weight training) would put my target weight around 145 lbs, but I'll keep re-assessing as I get closer, and re-adjusting my weight target to reflect a healthy body composition.
I hope this is the right way to do it...0 -
The 31 calories / lb of body fat isn't a safe range. It is an estimate of the theoretical maximum fat that can be oxidized for energy in the typical person.My withings scale estimates I have 97 lbs of fat (I weigh 210). According to the 31 calories per pound of fat, that would mean I could lose as much as 6 lbs a week and still be "safe".
That estimate sounds too high to me. But it does make me worry less if my rate bounces up a bit while I'm still around my current weight.
In any case, over the past 70 days I've averaged 2 lbs every 10 days. I'd rather that was 7 days, but 10 days will still get me there eventually.
I intend to use fat % rather than weight as my endpoint. Current estimate if I didn't lose any muscle mass (which I know is unrealistic unless I add weight training) would put my target weight around 145 lbs, but I'll keep re-assessing as I get closer, and re-adjusting my weight target to reflect a healthy body composition.
I hope this is the right way to do it...
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/16869653/#Comment_16869653 has the text that was originally written by Lyle McDonald.0 -
ncboiler89 wrote: »What is extreme and how do you know your body is accustom to it? Because you aren't dead?austinsneeze wrote: »Haha
Laugh, but it works, and im still kicking and running 5 miles/day.
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