This is what you need to burn

__Di__
__Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
In a few simple paragraphs, this is what you burn when you are at a deficit of calories, the body has to get energy from somewhere and it will be the fat stores that it has in its cells.

Not bone, not muscles, not your liver (joke), it is fat:

Article from http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/lost-weight.htm

With 66 percent of the adult American population either overweight or obese [source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], a lot of people are trying to drop some pounds. Through dieting, exercise, surgery or a host of other alternatives, they hope to reach the goal of a smaller body. But to where does that weight disappear when the hard work pays off?

The short answer is that our bodies convert molecules in fat cells to usable forms of energy, thus shrinking the cells. But getting this to happen isn't just about sweat bands and short shorts. Understanding how our bodies perform this tummy-trimming trick requires a little more detail.

We know that weight loss hinges on burning calories. Calories measure the potential energy in food you eat in the form of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

If our bodies were cars, energy would be the gas to keep everything running. Lounging in front of the television is like cruising the strip, while sprinting around a track is more like drag racing at maximum speeds. In short, more work means more energy.
The body uses some of those calories to digest food. Once the food is broken down into its respective parts of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, it either uses the remaining energy or converts it to fat for storage in fat cells. Fat cells live in adipose tissue, which basically acts like an internal gas station, storing away fuel reserves.

To lose weight, you must burn more calories, or energy, than you consume to start using up that fuel reserve. Essentially, you're not ingesting enough calories to fuel your additional exercise, so your body must pull from fat stores.

Replies

  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    So this BS article is telling me that in order to lose weight I need to not eat more than I work off? I workout to the tune of 1000 cals or more a day.... usually about 1100. So I'm only allowed to eat about 1000or less then according to this so my body can burn fat instead? Wow.... hardly healthy, hardly good for anyone.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    So this BS article is telling me that in order to lose weight I need to not eat more than I work off? I workout to the tune of 1000 cals or more a day.... usually about 1100. So I'm only allowed to eat about 1000or less then according to this so my body can burn fat instead? Wow.... hardly healthy, hardly good for anyone.

    That isn't what it says at all....
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    So this BS article is telling me that in order to lose weight I need to not eat more than I work off? I workout to the tune of 1000 cals or more a day.... usually about 1100. So I'm only allowed to eat about 1000or less then according to this so my body can burn fat instead? Wow.... hardly healthy, hardly good for anyone.

    Where the hell does it say any of that???

    Eat LESS than you use up is what it says, it does not give any figure LOL
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    To lose weight, you must burn more calories, or energy, than you consume to start using up that fuel reserve
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    To lose weight, you must burn more calories, or energy, than you consume to start using up that fuel reserve

    Correct. So if you eat less than your TDEE you will be using up 'reserves' and lose weight.
  • zhvah18
    zhvah18 Posts: 158 Member
    Beat me to it ^^^^ This.
  • tori240to140
    tori240to140 Posts: 27
    "To lose weight, you must burn more calories, or energy, than you consume to start using up that fuel reserve. Essentially, you're not ingesting enough calories to fuel your additional exercise, so your body must pull from fat stores."

    I believe that is saying to eat less calories than you burn? But if you think about it pretty much day to day activity you burn abot 2000 calories. So maybe this just means eat your normal healthy intake but any extra calories you burn through exercise should remain burned and dont eat your exercise calories? Is this correct? That seems to make sense to me! =]
  • healthytanya1
    healthytanya1 Posts: 198 Member
    Pinkraynedrop your body burns calories doing everything. Your body is burning calories as so sit on the internet. If you are burning 1000 calories just in exercise you are probably burning another 1500 to 2000 just by sitting, standing and whatever else you do during the day
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member


    I believe that is saying to eat less calories than you burn? But if you think about it pretty much day to day activity you burn abot 2000 calories. So maybe this just means eat your normal healthy intake but any extra calories you burn through exercise should remain burned and dont eat your exercise calories? Is this correct? That seems to make sense to me! =]

    On MFP if you have your diary set to a calorie deficit, say a loss 1-2 lbs a week, your calorie intake is already set up for weight loss and therefore you SHOULD eat back the majority of your exercise cals.

    Pay attention to your NET cals and could someone post a link to the road map.

    If I get flamed for this reply I don't care as long as you provide a more accurate solution as I am a novice at best.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    To lose weight, you must burn more calories, or energy, than you consume to start using up that fuel reserve

    Yes that is exactly what it is saying.

    Did you actually read it at all??

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