Do you burn less when you lose weight?

violetpurdy
violetpurdy Posts: 39 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I use a calculator to estimate my total calorie burn and for me, it's always said about 2300 a day. But now that I've lost 50ish pounds, it's saying I burn about 2200.
Do you think it's true that I burn less now? I work out daily and I also have a significant amount it muscle on me, so I've always imagined I'd be burning more. The calculator doesn't take that into account, but does it matter when it comes to how much you burn?

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Yes. Since there's less weight, your body needs fewer calories to run off of.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    In general, even if you do build muscle mass, you burn less as you get lighter. All your daily activities get easier since you're moving less body weight around.
  • violetpurdy
    violetpurdy Posts: 39 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Yes. Since there's less weight, your body needs fewer calories to run off of.

    That makes sense. I eat 1800 calories to stick with the 500 less suggestion and to lose 1lb a week. Do you think it'd be smart to drop to 1700 now?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    violetpurdy wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Yes. Since there's less weight, your body needs fewer calories to run off of.

    That makes sense. I eat 1800 calories to stick with the 500 less suggestion and to lose 1lb a week. Do you think it'd be smart to drop to 1700 now?

    In order to keep the same deficit, yes. I always recalculate my TDEE every month to account for my new weight.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Yes.
    It takes less energy to move less mass.
    Muscle does require extra calories to maintain but not a significant amount. Fat also requires calories to maintain.

    You are correct. The estimates are based on the average muscles mass of average individuals. Those with higher muscle mass will burn more.

    Many people overestimate how much muscle mass they actually have and how much of a factor it will be.

    Follow the general recommendation. If you lose more than expected, then you adjust as needed.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    violetpurdy wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Yes. Since there's less weight, your body needs fewer calories to run off of.

    That makes sense. I eat 1800 calories to stick with the 500 less suggestion and to lose 1lb a week. Do you think it'd be smart to drop to 1700 now?

    I observe my actual rate of loss and then make changes based on that. Calculators are accurate at the population level, but we're not populations, we're individuals. Once you have sufficient data, it's likely to be more accurate than any calculator.
  • EddieP50
    EddieP50 Posts: 192 Member
    Yes, as you lose weight you will burn less calories for the length and intensity of exercise since you are no longer carrying around all that extra weight. Check it out with the calorie burn calculators below. Note: The calculators will give you the average range for the intensity level that you choose, same for the exercise section here on MFP. The most accurate method is to use a chest heart rate strap. Then you what heart rate zone (intensity level) your are in.

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/tools/calories-burned
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-fitness-calorie-counter
    https://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

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