What if you burned 3500 calories in a day?

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  • erockem
    erockem Posts: 278 Member
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    On 200 mile bike ride weekends that's 8000 calories. I weigh the same come Monday and then Tuesday and for several days after I weigh 4 lbs more due to muscle swelling from over using them and water retention due to dehydration. By the end of the week I am at the exact same weight prior to the previous weekend.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    on a related note, I also wonder what happens to those who fast like a week or longer. even your metabolism is slowing down on the fourth day, it's still burning right? so if you fast 7 days or a month, you should lose a lot of weight, too. Is this right?

    Yes. If you fast for a month, you will lose a lot of weight. Your body will burn fat as fast as it can, but over that kind of timeframe it won't be enough and you will also be burning lean body mass, decreasing bone density, etc.

    Survivable, but not recommended.
  • dmiivanov
    dmiivanov Posts: 49 Member
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    Every once in a while I'd do a cross country hike that ends up on a peak of some mountain with 20lb bag and some scrambling involved. MFP says 8 hrs of such hiking burns about 4-5k calories.. I found by experience that eating raisins every 30 min and protein bars every hr or so generally helps to prevent the loss of muscle... I'd loose like 1 rep in each set or so on the bench press a couple days later but it'd come back in a week.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
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    On 200 mile bike ride weekends that's 8000 calories. I weigh the same come Monday and then Tuesday and for several days after I weigh 4 lbs more due to muscle swelling from over using them and water retention due to dehydration. By the end of the week I am at the exact same weight prior to the previous weekend.

    I guess you also ate food during this period of time, correct?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    on a related note, I also wonder what happens to those who fast like a week or longer. even your metabolism is slowing down on the fourth day, it's still burning right? so if you fast 7 days or a month, you should lose a lot of weight, too. Is this right?


    Maybe. But humans potentially can go months without eating (varies by person of course) so if calories in and calories out were true, why are those people not dropping dead rather quickly? With all the "establish your TDEE, and eat at a deficit" advice you'd think that's exactly what would happen and it doesn't. Because of the low calorie bs I now have a very slow metabolism (it can be fixed over time) and I'm currently eating well under my TDEE (supposedly) and I am gaining weight (but not really getting physically bigger). I know what I eat, I know what I do, but a bunch of people will be quick to assert that I'm lazy, lack willpower, am not tracking accurately, not tracking everything, not weighing my food, blah blah blah. They can go fly a kite.

    I'm not sure you understand what is meant by calories in calories out based on this statement. Why would you think, given CICO, that people would drop dead "rather quickly" under fasting conditions?

    You seem to be making this points from a place of bitterness, may I ask why?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    I've burned about 4000 calories per day for 14 days straight before. At the end I had lost about 10 pounds but about 4 of that came back immediately probably due to glycogen replenishment.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
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    Well that would be the logic of those who think everything is ONLY "calories in and calories out". Unfortunately, biological systems are a little more complex than that (for one, we have an endocrine system), and for good reason: to avoid starvation. That same complex biological system even helped prevent obesity before humans were consuming a diet composed primarily of processed junk. Hint: the body needs many nutrients and micro-nutrients to operate at it's healthiest and properly manage metabolism and fat burning/storage.

    But they'll be a bunch of people here to tell you I'm just full of bs, it's only "calories in and calories out". Do whatever works for you. I'll do what works for me.

    I think I know where you come from, and I feel I can relate to somewhat level...I hope you figure out what works for you soon~
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
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    Biggest Loser territory ?

    zeg0071289770003.jpeg
    What is this? Looks interesting... can you elaborate?
  • Ainsleigh_W
    Ainsleigh_W Posts: 17
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    on a related note, I also wonder what happens to those who fast like a week or longer. even your metabolism is slowing down on the fourth day, it's still burning right? so if you fast 7 days or a month, you should lose a lot of weight, too. Is this right?
    My moms husband barely eats anything because of his food issues and his metabolism is as slow as molasses.He's also always cold, tired and weak (He is only 40 something). Your body starts consuming mussel tissue when you dont eat.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    Maybe. But humans potentially can go months without eating (varies by person of course) so if calories in and calories out were true, why are those people not dropping dead rather quickly?
    Because their bodies have stores of energy in fat, muscle, and other tissue.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
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    People here say that it's not like you can do a marathon everyday... This is possible... check out Dean Karnazes who did 50 marathons in 50 days and have ran ultra distances up to 500 KM non stop. He isn't the only ultra runner to burn so many calories... there are people out there that run ultras and train for ultras. I myself have burn up to 6000 calories one go. You may or may not lose weight depending on consumption... but one thing I do know is that your body becomes built to adapt.

    Dean is awesome. One of these days I need to copy his idea of ordering a pizza mid run to be delivered at a specific time/intersection based on his speed/route. I have been practicing eating while running lately and it does get easier.

    As others have stated, weight loss is not linear due to fluctuating glycogen, hydration levels, etc. However, yes over time if your true deficit to TDEE is 3500 you will lose about 1 pound a day. As other have pointed out, losing weight at that pace is not healthy or sustainable long term.

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