It's not 3,500kcal/pound!!!

crisanderson27

So Pu_239 and I have been discussing...

This is where you lost me.

AFitJamie

WAT in humans is composed primarily (anywhere from 80 to 95%) of lipid. By lipid, I
mean stored triglycerides (TG) which are simply a glycerol molecule bound to three free
fatty acid (FFA) chains. The remaining part of the fat cell is comprised of a little bit of
water as well as all of the cellular machinery needed to produce the various enzymes,
proteins, and products that fat cells need to do their duty. As it’s turning out, fat cells
produce quite a bit of stuff, some good, some bad, that affects your overall metabolism.

For the record, one pound of fat is 454 grams and let’s assume 90% lipid on average. So
about 400 or so grams are actual stored TG. When burned by the body, one gram of fat
provides 9 calories so 400 grams of fat contains about 3600 calories of stored energy. Now
you know where the old axiom of ~3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat comes from.[/quot]

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-energy-balance-equation.html

Acg, thanks for the link, that makes much more sense. But even if we assume 90% lipids on average, that's closer to 3,700kcal than 3,500kcal. So someone who only has a 400kcal daily deficit would lose weight half a quickly as planned.

One minor comment I'd make is that even if we can be incredibly precise on the calorie burn required to lose a pound - the actual tracking of calories is based on estimates.... Someone's TDEE is only an estimate - Daily consumption is generally estimated - even for those who are disciplined (most people are not weighing every food item). And calorie nutritional labels are based on estimates and may or may not reflect that "serving" you just had... There is a risk in thinking we can make this too precise when we are using estimates of a person's daily burn to start with...

just my $0.02

wickedcricket

will this affect my relative distance to the sun at all? if I lose enough weight, will I spin off the planet?

Trail_Addict

I think it was operator error.

PEBCAK

LOL... I thought I was the only one who knew what that meant. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

BrettPGH

Oh sorry we're off by 11.89%

::calculatorforyou::

80085

Lift_hard_eat_big

One minor comment I'd make is that even if we can be incredibly precise on the calorie burn required to lose a pound - the actual tracking of calories is based on estimates.... Someone's TDEE is only an estimate - Daily consumption is generally estimated - even for those who are disciplined (most people are not weighing every food item). And calorie nutritional labels are based on estimates and may or may not reflect that "serving" you just had... There is a risk in thinking we can make this too precise when we are using estimates of a person's daily burn to start with...

just my $0.02

Very true, the average person isn't accurate or precise when it comes to measuring their caloric intake or burn. Which is why so many people spin their wheels when attempting to lose weight. Then they create threads like "what am I doing wrong, I'm not losing any weight".

yo_andi

So Pu_239 and I have been discussing...

This is where you lost me.

I LOL'd.

MissingMyOldSelf

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

StarkLark

Oh sorry we're off by 11.89%

::calculatorforyou::

80085

Thank you for this haha

JoolieW68

sorry....my ten year old just informed me that school is officially out for the summer and cannot be expected to do math until September.

I gave up math for Lent. 3 years ago.

Jules2Be

i like cake.

raystark

will this affect my relative distance to the sun at all? if I lose enough weight, will I spin off the planet?

Yes and yes.

k2quiere

One minor comment I'd make is that even if we can be incredibly precise on the calorie burn required to lose a pound - the actual tracking of calories is based on estimates.... Someone's TDEE is only an estimate - Daily consumption is generally estimated - even for those who are disciplined (most people are not weighing every food item). And calorie nutritional labels are based on estimates and may or may not reflect that "serving" you just had... There is a risk in thinking we can make this too precise when we are using estimates of a person's daily burn to start with...

just my $0.02

Very true, the average person isn't accurate or precise when it comes to measuring their caloric intake or burn. Which is why so many people spin their wheels when attempting to lose weight. Then they create threads like "what am I doing wrong, I'm not losing any weight".

Good to know I'm above average because I always estimate, hate getting stuck in the mud, will never start a "what am I doing wrong" thread, and I've lost nearly 80lbs. Thanks :flowerforyou:

k2quiere

i like cake.

Your legs ARE cake!

raystark

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

Hi Ralphie.

cantjustcant

i like cake.

do you like cake or the kcals in cake?

Awkward30

WAT in humans is composed primarily (anywhere from 80 to 95%) of lipid. By lipid, I
mean stored triglycerides (TG) which are simply a glycerol molecule bound to three free
fatty acid (FFA) chains. The remaining part of the fat cell is comprised of a little bit of
water as well as all of the cellular machinery needed to produce the various enzymes,
proteins, and products that fat cells need to do their duty. As it’s turning out, fat cells
produce quite a bit of stuff, some good, some bad, that affects your overall metabolism.

For the record, one pound of fat is 454 grams and let’s assume 90% lipid on average. So
about 400 or so grams are actual stored TG. When burned by the body, one gram of fat
provides 9 calories so 400 grams of fat contains about 3600 calories of stored energy. Now
you know where the old axiom of ~3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat comes from.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-energy-balance-equation.html

Acg, thanks for the link, that makes much more sense. But even if we assume 90% lipids on average, that's closer to 3,700kcal than 3,500kcal. So someone who only has a 400kcal daily deficit would lose weight half a quickly as planned

Seriously? 3,700/400= 9.25 days. 3500/400=8.75 days. They would lose a pound half a day slower... And even then, as others mentioned, that's assuming the calories in and calories out are completely accurate.

Edited to be nitpick proof (or at least to try)

Lift_hard_eat_big

Good to know I'm above average because I always estimate, hate getting stuck in the mud, will never start a "what am I doing wrong" thread, and I've lost nearly 80lbs. Thanks :flowerforyou:

Congrats on the great success!

MissingMyOldSelf

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

Hi Ralphie.

I FOUND A MOONROCK IN MY NOSE!!!

RonSwanson66

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

Hi Ralphie.

I FOUND A MOONROCK IN MY NOSE!!!

Me Fail English? That's Unpossible!