Calories vs Fat

lynwak

Just starting out and not sure if to worry more about exercising to burn calories with something like jumping rope , vs burning fat in a moderate walk .

Any advice would be helpful , thanks

amcsouth

If you are starting out with exercise I would say go for cardio that is gentle on your joints then work up to jumping rope etc. Jumping rope and walking will both be burning calories so it doesn't really matter which one. Do whichever you enjoy!

Sean_The_IT_Guy

Fat is made up of calories, and extra calories get turned into fat. Just clearing it up so you don't think one is different than the other.

In most basic terms, fat doesn't make you fat, extra calories do, regardless of whether they come from protein, carbs or fat.

If you take in 2000 calories a day, and only burn 1500 calories a day through exercise and generally staying alive, you're going to store the surplus as fat.

The more you exercise, whether that's jumping rope, walking, running, playing basketball, jumping on a trampoline, or mowing the lawn, the more calories you'll burn, and the quicker the fat will come off, if you're burning more than you're eating.

Feel free to indulge (in moderation) in full fat foods. Things marketed as "low fat" are often just as high calorie, due to extra sugars or starches or what have you. Look at the calories per serving, and the serving size, not the marketing buzzwords.

Find an activity you love, start logging your food, and the weight will come off in time, I promise.

NadDrew

You have to do what you enjoy and love to do, along the way, you will get stronger and for sure your motivation to do more will rise up, listen to your body and step out of your comfort zone...Baby steps is the right way to do it...

grimendale

MFP is set up to provide you with a calorie deficit without any exercise. You will lose weight just by watching what you eat. If you do exercise (and it is recommended for the plethora of health benefits), make sure you eat extra to make up for calories burned. MFP already has a deficit built in, and you don't want your deficit growing too large. It can lead to a host of health problems. Find something you enjoy doing and can stick to. Light exercise that you keep doing because it's fun is better than something really intense that you give up on a week later. As a previous poster said, don't be scared of fat in foods. You need dietary fat to uptake certain vitamins, so make sure you get enough protein and fat daily. Good luck.

MoreBean13

The "fat burning zone" stuff is just hogwash. At all aerobic efforts, you burn a combination of protein, glycogen and fat. Do whatever activity you like, more calories burnt will always burn more fat.

aakaakaak

Fat is made up of calories, and extra calories get turned into fat. Just clearing it up so you don't think one is different than the other.

In most basic terms, fat doesn't make you fat, extra calories do, regardless of whether they come from protein, carbs or fat.

If you take in 2000 calories a day, and only burn 1500 calories a day through exercise and generally staying alive, you're going to store the surplus as fat.

The more you exercise, whether that's jumping rope, walking, running, playing basketball, jumping on a trampoline, or mowing the lawn, the more calories you'll burn, and the quicker the fat will come off, if you're burning more than you're eating.

Feel free to indulge (in moderation) in full fat foods. Things marketed as "low fat" are often just as high calorie, due to extra sugars or starches or what have you. Look at the calories per serving, and the serving size, not the marketing buzzwords.

Find an activity you love, start logging your food, and the weight will come off in time, I promise.

QFT