Science behind calories & losing weight! Help please :-)

shaun_george

Is there a way of calculating how many calories I have to eat and burn to lose x amount of weight?

For example I watch Extreme Weight Loss. Chris Powell says 'you have to lose 5lbs this week, so you have to eat x amount of cals and burn this amount of calories a day'.

So if I wanted to lose 1lb.

How do I calculate this please?

I'm 5'3 and weigh 190lbs. My BMR is 1500 cals.

Thanks for your help :-)

HollisGrant

One pound is 3,500 calories. A safe loss is about 1-2 pounds a week. That comes out to 500 calories less than you would usually eat per day over 7 days for a 1 pound loss, or 1,000 calories a day for a 2 pound loss.

It's easier for most people to reduce calories for part of that amount and use exercise for the rest.

Edited to say I don't think that's what you're asking. Are you looking for this type of chart?

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement

shaun_george

Thank you for the reply and your link. It's very useful :-)

I'm just wondering how do people on Biggest Loser for example lose so much weight a week like double digits?

Are they working out for 6 hours a day??

Hows that possible?

ndj1979

a lot of it initially is water weight...

then, since they have so much too lose a very low calorie deficit will help them drop weight faster...however, as they lose weight it starts to become harder to lose the weight. This is why you see people initially drop a lot of weight 20-30 pounds and then it tends to slow down as your body wants to hold onto said weight more and more...

if you go into MFP settings you can set it at 1pd per week or 2pd per week loss....

shaun_george

oh, great! Thanks!

It made me feel so much better :-)

I'll just try with my 2lbs a week and slowly get rid of stubborn fat :-)

Thank you.