What's the best way to burn 1500 calories/day without burning muscle?
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listentobeverly wrote: »
I did some research and spoke w a personal trainer and he told me to burn more calories than I consume. I figured I start counting calories. He seemed pretty knowledgeable.
I don't think the personal trainer meant exercise more than you eat literally (I eat 1200 calories therefore I must exercise 1400 calories) ...he probably meant exercise burn as in 300 cals more than you eat or perhaps 400cals more than you eat including what your body naturally uses as calories in the day. That is eat about 500cals below the level of calories your body uses for bodily functions, incidental exercise plus deliberate exercise)
As in eat less calories than you use.1 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »ashesnposies333 wrote: »1) Burn more calories than you take in during a workout doesnt mean all day calories, it means every meal you eat should be less than the calories youre burning during your workout.
2) If you over do it with burning calories your body might enter starvation mode and store fat instead of burning it.
3) Strength training will help you burn more calories than cardio alone and the muscle will assist your burning more calories throughout the day. And with lean muscle youll still be burning all those calories on your rest day. Also if youre worried about flab, replace the fat with muscle and dont pay too much attention to weight, five pounds of muscle takes up much less space than five pounds of fat.
1) I have never heard this interpretation of that saying.
2) Starvation mode, as you are describing it does not happen.
3) 60 minutes of strength training will burn fewer calories than 60 minutes of cardio, however, it will continue to burn calories after the fact, moreso than cardio.
It does not. EPOC has been highly exaggerated and is only roughly 6 to 15% additional calories and it is mostly related to HIIT. Where resistance training is beneficial is maintaining muscle and metabolism, where LISS w/o resistance training would not have such an impact and would potentially cause for a decrease in metabolism.
OP, there are many components to burning calories. Roughly 75% of your calories burned in a day will come from your basal metabolic rate (baseline metabolism); outside of that, you will have calories burned from digesting foods (thermal effect of food (TEF)), calories burned from activity (Thermal Effect of Activity (TEA)) and calories burned from doing daily activities (Non exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)). All of these combined and you will have your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) or what is referred to as your maintenance calories.
With all that, getting the body you want is not just about eating a very low calorie diet and doing a crap ton of exercise. In fact, that often can be an issue and I have yet to see anyone achieve significant body changes with such a plan (well not one that is not using steroids at least). What you need to do is find an optimal balance between taking in enough calories for your body to perform well, and a eat few enough calories to enable your body to lose weight. Personally, I generally suggest a good weight training program (http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1), some cardio and adequate calories/protein; calories should be around a 20 to 25% reduction from your estimated maintenance and protein should be around .6 to .8g per lb of weight.1 -
If you are aiming to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. It's as simple as that. Try not to overthink this. If you are eating 2000 calories a day and maintaining your weight, a simple cut of 250 calories will help you lose .5 lb/week.
First, you need to figure out how many calories you are burning in a day then go from there. If you are currently maintaining your weight, log your food intake for about a week to get this number -- otherwise known as your total daily energy expenditure or TDEE. Be honest when you log your food. Once you have this number, subtract either 250 calories from that for a .5 lb/week loss or 500 calories for a 1 lb/week loss. If you are already exercising and/or want to add in more exercise, I would advise to eat back some of your calories. The important thing to remember here is that if your goal is weight loss, you have to aim for a calorie deficit. And you can do this through calorie elimination in your diet or the calories you burn through exercise. But remember, the smaller the deficit, the easier it will be to maintain.
I started my weight loss journey in 2013 with small caloric deficit. I had about 30 pounds to lose. I was able to lose that and more in just under a year through calorie counting. It is 4 years later, and I am still maintaining my loss. It's important to be sensible and realistic about your goals while being as healthy as possible.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »You know you burn calories just by being alive... you don't actually need to work out to 'burn more than you eat'
that's right. I think the personal trainer just confused me up a bit.1 -
I think other posters have done a great job clarifying what burn more than you eat really means. Love you MFP. If you are concerned about losing muscle ask your trainer to put together a weight lifting program for you using free weights. That is the best way to hold onto the muscle you have while losing and if you are lucky build more muscle. A good lifting program will help you look toned instead of flabby after losing those 40 pounds. Only do cardio if you enjoy it. It does create a nice buffer of extra calories to eat, but is not necessary for losing weight. Also, make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet. Shoot for 1 gram of protein per a pound of body weight.0
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listentobeverly wrote: »Thanks for your insight! I was told to burn more calories than consumed. I think that's where my confusion is coming from.
That is how you lose weight, but it doesn't mean you have to burn off that many through exercise. As others have pointed out, you burn calories all day just by living. Set up your profile on MFP with your stats and a reasonable weight loss goal (I'd suggest 1lb per week as you don't have a huge amount to lose), and eat the number of calories it gives you. If you exercise, add that to your diary and eat a portion of those extra calories, since your deficit to lose weight (the "eat less than you burn" part) is already built into your daily goal.
Be aware that most machines and MFP's own estimates for exercise burns can be very inflated (so can Fitbits and other trackers), which is why most people recommend not to eat the entire amount. As you go along, you'll learn how accurate your estimates are (based on how fast you're losing weight) and can adjust accordingly.
And 2-3 hours at the gym sounds excessive to me unless you're an athlete in training.
It's really not necessary to do that much unless you really enjoy it - you can lose weight with no exercise at all as long as you eat an appropriate amount of calories.
I so appreciate all this useful information. Thanks!
I actually end up spending that long at the gym.. I take 1-2 classes and they're an hour long each. I like to use some machines. treadmill on a high Incline for 15-30 minutes. I know the sauna doesn't really do much for weight loss but it's extremely detoxifying, or at least I like to think so. So it sums up to 2-3 hours depending on how many classes I do.
I didn't think I had to eat the calories I've "earned" BUT I will start. I work out after work and by the time I'm home I just eat a scoop of nut butter (sometimes with plant-based bread). But that doesn't even exceed the amount of calories I'm supposed to eat daily. Do you suggest I eat the extra calories before or after my work out?0 -
listentobeverly wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »Thanks for your insight! I was told to burn more calories than consumed. I think that's where my confusion is coming from.
That is how you lose weight, but it doesn't mean you have to burn off that many through exercise. As others have pointed out, you burn calories all day just by living. Set up your profile on MFP with your stats and a reasonable weight loss goal (I'd suggest 1lb per week as you don't have a huge amount to lose), and eat the number of calories it gives you. If you exercise, add that to your diary and eat a portion of those extra calories, since your deficit to lose weight (the "eat less than you burn" part) is already built into your daily goal.
Be aware that most machines and MFP's own estimates for exercise burns can be very inflated (so can Fitbits and other trackers), which is why most people recommend not to eat the entire amount. As you go along, you'll learn how accurate your estimates are (based on how fast you're losing weight) and can adjust accordingly.
And 2-3 hours at the gym sounds excessive to me unless you're an athlete in training. It's really not necessary to do that much unless you really enjoy it - you can lose weight with no exercise at all as long as you eat an appropriate amount of calories.
I so appreciate all this useful information. Thanks!
I actually end up spending that long at the gym.. I take 1-2 classes and they're an hour long each. I like to use some machines. treadmill on a high Incline for 15-30 minutes. I know the sauna doesn't really do much for weight loss but it's extremely detoxifying, or at least I like to think so. So it sums up to 2-3 hours depending on how many classes I do.
I didn't think I had to eat the calories I've "earned" BUT I will start. I work out after work and by the time I'm home I just eat a scoop of nut butter (sometimes with plant-based bread). But that doesn't even exceed the amount of calories I'm supposed to eat daily. Do you suggest I eat the extra calories before or after my work out?
eat some before and some after? you want to fuel your workouts,and feed your body after. you dont have to do it that way if you dont want to but its what I would do.
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singingflutelady wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »I need help! I'm shooting to burn 1,500 calories at the gym(daily) without attacking muscle. Anyone want to share their secrets? I've been trying HIIT on the treadmill, Zumba, and sauna. I need a new routine. I would like to do some weight training as well.
are you trying to burn off what your calorie goal is? if so thats not what CICO means.
yes. what does CICO mean? I was a little taken aback by having to burn more than consumed. Please enlighten me
What are your stats? Height?Weight? Your body burns a certain number of calories by just existing. For example my BMR is 1360. That number + activity level + exercise calories = calories out. I don't know is your stats but you should at least be netting 1200 (what you eat-calories burnt).
Right now you are aiming for - 300 (edited as I can't do math) which is a huge, huge deficit and will lead to malnutrition and serious health issues very soon. There is no way of preserving muscle at that low intake.
I am 190lbs. I am 5'5". I am unhappy (lol). Seriously, I will figure out my BMR. My daily calorie intake is 1200 calories. I WAS aiming to burn 1500 calories/day. I've only successfully burned around 1000. Since this post, I will do some more research and figure out a healthy calorie consumption to calorie burn ratio. OR, probably chill out w being obsessive about how many calories I've burned. I'll still be mindful and track them.
As far as my consumptions, I drink a gallon of alkaline water/day. Mostly Plant-based. My pre-workout meal consist of Garden of Life protein powder, flax milk, banana, and strawberries. Post workout is nut butter, plant based bread. I have plant based vega protein snack bars that I eat in between meals. a small lunch and efficient breakfast. I am only saying that to ask you do you think my ways will lead to malnutrition still? Now that you know what my "calories" consist of? If so, what are some of the things you do to preserve muscle?0 -
listentobeverly wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »I need help! I'm shooting to burn 1,500 calories at the gym(daily) without attacking muscle. Anyone want to share their secrets? I've been trying HIIT on the treadmill, Zumba, and sauna. I need a new routine. I would like to do some weight training as well.
are you trying to burn off what your calorie goal is? if so thats not what CICO means.
yes. what does CICO mean? I was a little taken aback by having to burn more than consumed. Please enlighten me
What are your stats? Height?Weight? Your body burns a certain number of calories by just existing. For example my BMR is 1360. That number + activity level + exercise calories = calories out. I don't know is your stats but you should at least be netting 1200 (what you eat-calories burnt).
Right now you are aiming for - 300 (edited as I can't do math) which is a huge, huge deficit and will lead to malnutrition and serious health issues very soon. There is no way of preserving muscle at that low intake.
I am 190lbs. I am 5'5". I am unhappy (lol). Seriously, I will figure out my BMR. My daily calorie intake is 1200 calories. I WAS aiming to burn 1500 calories/day. I've only successfully burned around 1000. Since this post, I will do some more research and figure out a healthy calorie consumption to calorie burn ratio. OR, probably chill out w being obsessive about how many calories I've burned. I'll still be mindful and track them.
As far as my consumptions, I drink a gallon of alkaline water/day. Mostly Plant-based. My pre-workout meal consist of Garden of Life protein powder, flax milk, banana, and strawberries. Post workout is nut butter, plant based bread. I have plant based vega protein snack bars that I eat in between meals. a small lunch and efficient breakfast. I am only saying that to ask you do you think my ways will lead to malnutrition still? Now that you know what my "calories" consist of? If so, what are some of the things you do to preserve muscle?
to preserve muscle you need at least.6-.8grams of protein per lean body weight. I just go with what weight I am now and multiply it by .6 and .8 and try to get at least the amount I multiplied it by .6. if Im over thats fine, weight lifting/resistance training will help preserve muscle too. go to your main page where you type in your height,weight and put in to lose 1 lb a week(for now). and eat that amount of calories. as for what you are eating,I cant say if its enough because I dont know how many calories are in each food(I weigh everything so I know).you say you eat 1200 calories but if you arent weighing then you dont know if you are eating more or less.you could probably eat more. whats the alkaline water for? it does nothing for your body just so you know,regular water is fine. if you are eating enough calories and trying to eat a balance diet your nutrition should be fine. and you dont have to work out 2 hrs a day either, its your choice but 30 min to an hr a day is enough for most people.also if you are using machines to get your calorie burned amount,most of them are way off. so dont trust them.0 -
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listentobeverly wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »I need help! I'm shooting to burn 1,500 calories at the gym(daily) without attacking muscle. Anyone want to share their secrets? I've been trying HIIT on the treadmill, Zumba, and sauna. I need a new routine. I would like to do some weight training as well.
This is 100% unrealistic, and probably really bad for your body.
Why do you want to burn 1500 calorie at the gym?
Your profile says you gained 40 pounds, why I presume is what you're trying to lose. Well, to do this all you have to do is eat at a calorie deficit. Exercise is just an added bonus, and trying to hit a certain calorie burn number, especially such a high number, is silly.
Well, it may be silly to you but i'm merely unhappy with my body is all.
I've never been obsessed w calorie counting. I ate very clean and worked out. I did some research and spoke w a personal trainer and he told me to burn more calories than I consume. I figured I start counting calories. He seemed pretty knowledgeable.
What do you suggest I do? I'm consuming around 1200 calories/ day. I drink a gallon a water a day. I spend around 2.5 - 3 hours at the gym 6 days a week.
Yes, you have to burn more than you consume...but that doesn't mean you have to do it at the gym...you burn calories 24/7...most of your burn is you being alive...making your heart pump and lungs work, etc requires energy (calories)...and a lot of it. You also burn calories just doing your day to day stuff. Exercise energy expenditure is generally relatively small compared to everything else.
1,500 calories in energy expenditure is a lot...like I'd have to ride my bike 40 miles + every single day and that's not happening because that wouldn't really be good for me either.
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nutmegoreo wrote: »Burn more than you consume does not mean working off all your daily intake and then some through exercise. Your body burns calories just by being alive. You are probably already at 1200 just through existing, those count as part of your daily calorie burn. The low calorie intake (1200 is minimal for women) in combination with the excessive exercise is very likely burning through more of your muscle mass than if you were consuming a moderate deficit. You really are going to be spinning your wheels with this plan.
Ah, well I like my wheels at a stand still. I am extremely desperate to lose weight. But I rather do it in a timely and healthy fashion. I'll proceed to consume 1200-1500 calories depending on my activity. I will work out accordingly.
I appreciate ya (;1 -
gppuddinpie wrote: »You're going to burn muscle if you're at a calorie deficit. That's just going to happen regardless of what you do. That being said, if you're a newbie to resistance training, you can actually build muscle at first. It doesn't last long, though. Your body quickly adapts. If you're not a newbie, you can continue to work muscles to try to preserve what you have. Also, make sure you get enough protein (and add some carbs in there, too, to transport the protein to your muscles). Try to get 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight per day. Coming from someone who lost 150 pounds and got to my goal weight and kept it there for 8 years, exercise isn't really a great way to lose weight, but it's a good motivator and it's good for your heart and keeps you strong. Add more calories, specifically carbohydrates, on days that you exercise. You'll be more efficient that way.
For starters, congratulations on losing 150 pounds. You're making sense. Somebody once told me to consume 1g per pound (not lean pound) and I'm sure that's why I gained half of this weight! Thanks for clearing that up.0 -
2-3 hours exercising 6 days a week seems like you'd burn out pretty quickly. You may have more luck sticking with it if you broke it up, maybe 1 hour in the morning another hour later in the day.
I find I burn a lot of calories by just being as active as I can throughout the day i.e. No sitting down, just constantly moving about... obviously you can't do this if you have a desk job, but I'm a mom and I can easily spend the whole day moving around taking care of kids, cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping... there's always stuff to be done!
I know that's not what you're looking for, but trying to burn 1500 calories in one go then sitting on your butt the rest of the day seems crazy to me.
I have a desk job which is why I "do the most" at the gym. It may seem crazy but I am trying to find a balance is all. I agree with you about burning out. That precisely how I feel today. I feel v drained. I am going to be a bit more tasteful. The trainer I consulted with must've been an extremist. If you had someone THAT fit tell you steps to take to get yourself fit, I'm sure you'd be at the gym as much too, haha. But thank you!0 -
3rdof7sisters wrote: »An average woman between the ages of 30 & 50 burns 1800 calories per day just being alive.
So I guess the best way is to just stay alive.
If you want to burn an additional 1500 calories, that is a pretty big amount, and involves probably several hours per day. A pretty big goal.
Haha, perhaps just staying alive will suffice. It's too big of a goal; I concur. 600 calories at the gym sounds a bit more realistic.0 -
Commander_Keen wrote: »It takes me less than 120 min to burn 1500 calories.
On the treadmill running at 6.0 - 6.5 incline at 3%
You must have great stamina! To constantly run for about 120 minutes at 6? Good for you. How many calories do you consume daily?0 -
listentobeverly wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »Burn more than you consume does not mean working off all your daily intake and then some through exercise. Your body burns calories just by being alive. You are probably already at 1200 just through existing, those count as part of your daily calorie burn. The low calorie intake (1200 is minimal for women) in combination with the excessive exercise is very likely burning through more of your muscle mass than if you were consuming a moderate deficit. You really are going to be spinning your wheels with this plan.
Ah, well I like my wheels at a stand still. I am extremely desperate to lose weight. But I rather do it in a timely and healthy fashion. I'll proceed to consume 1200-1500 calories depending on my activity. I will work out accordingly.
I appreciate ya (;
This sounds more reasonable. I'm happy you stayed open to the feedback!0 -
listentobeverly wrote: »gppuddinpie wrote: »You're going to burn muscle if you're at a calorie deficit. That's just going to happen regardless of what you do. That being said, if you're a newbie to resistance training, you can actually build muscle at first. It doesn't last long, though. Your body quickly adapts. If you're not a newbie, you can continue to work muscles to try to preserve what you have. Also, make sure you get enough protein (and add some carbs in there, too, to transport the protein to your muscles). Try to get 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight per day. Coming from someone who lost 150 pounds and got to my goal weight and kept it there for 8 years, exercise isn't really a great way to lose weight, but it's a good motivator and it's good for your heart and keeps you strong. Add more calories, specifically carbohydrates, on days that you exercise. You'll be more efficient that way.
For starters, congratulations on losing 150 pounds. You're making sense. Somebody once told me to consume 1g per pound (not lean pound) and I'm sure that's why I gained half of this weight! Thanks for clearing that up.
you gained weight because with that amount of protein and other foods you were over your TDEE, so you ate more calories than you burned. as for 1-1.2 g a day,you really dont need that much to retain muscle mass.0.6-0.8 is sufficient for most people.but then it depends on your goals too.if you are going to be lifting all the time then sure0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »listentobeverly wrote: »I need help! I'm shooting to burn 1,500 calories at the gym(daily) without attacking muscle. Anyone want to share their secrets? I've been trying HIIT on the treadmill, Zumba, and sauna. I need a new routine. I would like to do some weight training as well.
This is 100% unrealistic, and probably really bad for your body.
Why do you want to burn 1500 calorie at the gym?
Your profile says you gained 40 pounds, why I presume is what you're trying to lose. Well, to do this all you have to do is eat at a calorie deficit. Exercise is just an added bonus, and trying to hit a certain calorie burn number, especially such a high number, is silly.
Well, it may be silly to you but i'm merely unhappy with my body is all.
I've never been obsessed w calorie counting. I ate very clean and worked out. I did some research and spoke w a personal trainer and he told me to burn more calories than I consume. I figured I start counting calories. He seemed pretty knowledgeable.
What do you suggest I do? I'm consuming around 1200 calories/ day. I drink a gallon a water a day. I spend around 2.5 - 3 hours at the gym 6 days a week.
Yes, you have to burn more than you consume...but that doesn't mean you have to do it at the gym...you burn calories 24/7...most of your burn is you being alive...making your heart pump and lungs work, etc requires energy (calories)...and a lot of it. You also burn calories just doing your day to day stuff. Exercise energy expenditure is generally relatively small compared to everything else.
1,500 calories in energy expenditure is a lot...like I'd have to ride my bike 40 miles + every single day and that's not happening because that wouldn't really be good for me either.
I see. Makes complete sense. Thank you!0 -
listentobeverly wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »Burn more than you consume does not mean working off all your daily intake and then some through exercise. Your body burns calories just by being alive. You are probably already at 1200 just through existing, those count as part of your daily calorie burn. The low calorie intake (1200 is minimal for women) in combination with the excessive exercise is very likely burning through more of your muscle mass than if you were consuming a moderate deficit. You really are going to be spinning your wheels with this plan.
Ah, well I like my wheels at a stand still. I am extremely desperate to lose weight. But I rather do it in a timely and healthy fashion. I'll proceed to consume 1200-1500 calories depending on my activity. I will work out accordingly.
I appreciate ya (;
I just have to say thanks, OP, for restoring my faith in people! I'll admit- I cringed when I saw the title of your post. This time of year we see a ton of posts from people starting new programs, determined to under eat and not properly fuel their workouts in an effort to lose as fast as possible, and often they are very resistant to any suggestions to take a more moderate approach. It's taken me 5 years to lose a total of 75 lbs. No, it didn't have to be that slow, but it enabled me to come to grips with the changes in stages and instill good habits for life, not just for a few months. It bodes well for you that you are willing to learn and admit that you "don't know what you don't know". Honestly, I'm still a little concerned about the 6 day workout thing, but if you are doing that because that's how you like to spend your time and not because you are desperately trying to shed weight as fast as possible, then to each their own. Wishing you the best! 2
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