One pound of weight = How many calories burnt?

darla499
darla499 Posts: 402 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and are enjoying the holiday season.

I am just curious, because I heard it before, but forgot it .... How many calories do you have to burn in order to equal one pound of body fat?

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • frostiegurl
    frostiegurl Posts: 708 Member
    It's 3500 calories.
  • darla499
    darla499 Posts: 402 Member
    Thanks so much!
  • Will that 'one pound' lost be all body fat though?
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
    Will that 'one pound' lost be all body fat though?

    Probably not. I believe it is usually 75% fat lost and 25% lean muscle mass lost for the average person on a calorie reduced diet or doing strictly cardio. The percentage of muscle lost can be decreased greatly by strength training. Sometimes it is even possible to increase lean muscle mas while losing fat.
  • soze
    soze Posts: 604 Member
    Like others said 3500 = 1 lbs. Yeah, there will be some muscle loss that is why you need protein and to exercise and some exercise with weights.
  • taletreader
    taletreader Posts: 377 Member
    If you're losing 25% lean muscle and 75% fat, then 2775 cal corresponds to 1 lb weight loss. That is 25% * 600 + 75% * 3500 (with 1 lb of muscle being metabolised to 600 cal). This is why maintaining muscle mass when losing significant weight is important.

    Reference: http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Tom-Venuto-367/calories-20436.php .
  • Thanks for the info!
  • FitWithMae
    FitWithMae Posts: 68 Member
    I work for a dietitian and we had this info floating around on our computer for patients...so thought I would share.

    Weight Gain or Loss:
    What Equals 1 Pound?

    Most people know that it is not hard put on 1 pound (lb) of weight. You have to take in 3500 calories more than what you expend through activity and normal metabolism to gain 1 lb. Likewise, you either have to take in 3500 calories less than you burn off in order to lose a pound.

    Losing or gaining 1 lb
    So, how do those 3500 calories break down? The answers might surprise you.

    The following foods contain approximately 3500 calories:

    6 portions of chicken pot pie (homemade), (one piece=⅓ of a 9″ pie)
    6 cheeseburgers (large), six burgers (fast-food style)
    7 roast beef and cheese sandwiches (fast-food style)
    8 slices of cheesecake (slice=1/12 of 9″ pie)
    8 cups (C) of chicken salad (homemade)
    8 sausage-and-egg muffin sandwiches (fast-food style)
    9 slices of apple pie (homemade) (slice=1/8 of 9″ pie)
    9 C of macaroni and cheese (from mix)
    10 C of vanilla ice cream (rich)
    10 chocolate milk shakes (10-ounce [oz] shake)
    10 C of nonalcoholic eggnog
    10 C of potato salad
    12 Snickers® candy bars (2.16-oz size)
    15 packets of M&M’s® (1.69-oz size)
    16 C of long-grain rice
    17 potatoes
    18 cake doughnuts
    18 strawberry Pop-Tarts®
    18 C of enriched pasta
    19 beef franks (2-oz franks)
    19 slices of pepperoni pizza (1 slice=1/8 of 12″ pie)
    21 oz of dry roasted almonds
    22 servings of sour cream-and-onion potato chips (14 chips/serving)
    22 C of whole milk
    23 cans of cola or beer
    25 C of chicken noodle soup
    31 oz of cheddar cheese
    34 C of corn flakes (without milk)
    35 glasses (8 fluid ounces) of Kool-Aid®
    37 tablespoons of peanut butter
    39 containers of lite yogurt (6-oz containers)
    43 apples (medium)
    44 Oreo® cookies
    45 fish sticks
    50 C of carrots (boiled)
    50 eggs
    53 oz of pork chops (braised)
    69 C of watermelon
    71 oz of chicken breasts (skinless)
    73 links of sausage
    80 C of broccoli (boiled)
    95 peaches (medium)
    350 C of loose-leaf lettuce (shredded)
    955 spears of asparagus
    A person weighing 150 lb can burn 3500 calories in the following ways:

    13 hours of walking at 3.5 miles per hour (mph)
    12.2 hours of water aerobics
    8 hours of vigorous weight training
    7 hours of high-impact aerobics
    6 hours of bicycling at a moderate pace
    5 hours of jumping rope at a moderate pace
    5 hours of running at 6 mph
    5 hours of swimming freestyle at a fast pace
  • I work for a dietitian and we had this info floating around on our computer for patients...so thought I would share.

    Weight Gain or Loss:
    What Equals 1 Pound?

    Most people know that it is not hard put on 1 pound (lb) of weight. You have to take in 3500 calories more than what you expend through activity and normal metabolism to gain 1 lb. Likewise, you either have to take in 3500 calories less than you burn off in order to lose a pound.

    Losing or gaining 1 lb
    So, how do those 3500 calories break down? The answers might surprise you.

    The following foods contain approximately 3500 calories:

    6 portions of chicken pot pie (homemade), (one piece=⅓ of a 9″ pie)
    6 cheeseburgers (large), six burgers (fast-food style)
    7 roast beef and cheese sandwiches (fast-food style)
    8 slices of cheesecake (slice=1/12 of 9″ pie)
    8 cups (C) of chicken salad (homemade)
    8 sausage-and-egg muffin sandwiches (fast-food style)
    9 slices of apple pie (homemade) (slice=1/8 of 9″ pie)
    9 C of macaroni and cheese (from mix)
    10 C of vanilla ice cream (rich)
    10 chocolate milk shakes (10-ounce [oz] shake)
    10 C of nonalcoholic eggnog
    10 C of potato salad
    12 Snickers® candy bars (2.16-oz size)
    15 packets of M&M’s® (1.69-oz size)
    16 C of long-grain rice
    17 potatoes
    18 cake doughnuts
    18 strawberry Pop-Tarts®
    18 C of enriched pasta
    19 beef franks (2-oz franks)
    19 slices of pepperoni pizza (1 slice=1/8 of 12″ pie)
    21 oz of dry roasted almonds
    22 servings of sour cream-and-onion potato chips (14 chips/serving)
    22 C of whole milk
    23 cans of cola or beer
    25 C of chicken noodle soup
    31 oz of cheddar cheese
    34 C of corn flakes (without milk)
    35 glasses (8 fluid ounces) of Kool-Aid®
    37 tablespoons of peanut butter
    39 containers of lite yogurt (6-oz containers)
    43 apples (medium)
    44 Oreo® cookies
    45 fish sticks
    50 C of carrots (boiled)
    50 eggs
    53 oz of pork chops (braised)
    69 C of watermelon
    71 oz of chicken breasts (skinless)
    73 links of sausage
    80 C of broccoli (boiled)
    95 peaches (medium)
    350 C of loose-leaf lettuce (shredded)
    955 spears of asparagus
    A person weighing 150 lb can burn 3500 calories in the following ways:

    13 hours of walking at 3.5 miles per hour (mph)
    12.2 hours of water aerobics
    8 hours of vigorous weight training
    7 hours of high-impact aerobics
    6 hours of bicycling at a moderate pace
    5 hours of jumping rope at a moderate pace
    5 hours of running at 6 mph
    5 hours of swimming freestyle at a fast pace

    5 hours of jumping rope... here we go!!! :laugh:
    Thanks for sharing!
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    I work for a dietitian and we had this info floating around on our computer for patients...so thought I would share.

    Weight Gain or Loss:
    What Equals 1 Pound?

    Most people know that it is not hard put on 1 pound (lb) of weight. You have to take in 3500 calories more than what you expend through activity and normal metabolism to gain 1 lb. Likewise, you either have to take in 3500 calories less than you burn off in order to lose a pound.

    Losing or gaining 1 lb
    So, how do those 3500 calories break down? The answers might surprise you.

    The following foods contain approximately 3500 calories:

    6 portions of chicken pot pie (homemade), (one piece=⅓ of a 9″ pie)
    6 cheeseburgers (large), six burgers (fast-food style)
    7 roast beef and cheese sandwiches (fast-food style)
    8 slices of cheesecake (slice=1/12 of 9″ pie)
    8 cups (C) of chicken salad (homemade)
    8 sausage-and-egg muffin sandwiches (fast-food style)
    9 slices of apple pie (homemade) (slice=1/8 of 9″ pie)
    9 C of macaroni and cheese (from mix)
    10 C of vanilla ice cream (rich)
    10 chocolate milk shakes (10-ounce [oz] shake)
    10 C of nonalcoholic eggnog
    10 C of potato salad
    12 Snickers® candy bars (2.16-oz size)
    15 packets of M&M’s® (1.69-oz size)
    16 C of long-grain rice
    17 potatoes
    18 cake doughnuts
    18 strawberry Pop-Tarts®
    18 C of enriched pasta
    19 beef franks (2-oz franks)
    19 slices of pepperoni pizza (1 slice=1/8 of 12″ pie)
    21 oz of dry roasted almonds
    22 servings of sour cream-and-onion potato chips (14 chips/serving)
    22 C of whole milk
    23 cans of cola or beer
    25 C of chicken noodle soup
    31 oz of cheddar cheese
    34 C of corn flakes (without milk)
    35 glasses (8 fluid ounces) of Kool-Aid®
    37 tablespoons of peanut butter
    39 containers of lite yogurt (6-oz containers)
    43 apples (medium)
    44 Oreo® cookies
    45 fish sticks
    50 C of carrots (boiled)
    50 eggs
    53 oz of pork chops (braised)
    69 C of watermelon
    71 oz of chicken breasts (skinless)
    73 links of sausage
    80 C of broccoli (boiled)
    95 peaches (medium)
    350 C of loose-leaf lettuce (shredded)
    955 spears of asparagus
    A person weighing 150 lb can burn 3500 calories in the following ways:

    13 hours of walking at 3.5 miles per hour (mph)
    12.2 hours of water aerobics
    8 hours of vigorous weight training
    7 hours of high-impact aerobics
    6 hours of bicycling at a moderate pace
    5 hours of jumping rope at a moderate pace
    5 hours of running at 6 mph
    5 hours of swimming freestyle at a fast pace
    ..interesting, wanna come back to this:wink: Thanks:flowerforyou:
  • FitWithMae
    FitWithMae Posts: 68 Member
    No problem. We have all kinds of educational and informative information so I try to share when I can. :)
This discussion has been closed.