3500 calories = 1 lb lost?

Fgillies
Fgillies Posts: 194
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
So, maybe I am over analyzing this..But if it takes 3500 calories to burn 1 lb ( i believe i read that somewhere) and my goal is to lose 2 lbs a week, i'd have to burn 7000 calories a week?????????????? OR...is it with the combination of the 1200 calories ( plus some of the "earned" calories) AND exercize that will make a deficit. I just looked at my calories ive burned so far this week and was somewhat happy...then realized im only half way to a POUND!! ahhh...

am i way wrong?..or am i right?...B/c if i have to burn 7000 calories in a week, i'll have to quit my job and workout 8 hours a day, haha/ slash/:frown:

Replies

  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    it is the combination of limiting your calories to 1200 AND exercise that will bring you up to that goal. To maintain your weight you should likely have about 1800 calories or more (ballpark), so by eating only 1200 and logging some exercise you can potentially have the correct defecit each day to get to that weekly total.
  • m00tmike
    m00tmike Posts: 248 Member
    Hmm... I just googled it and found this http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_pound.php It looks like you are right. 3500 cal = 1 pound lost. So if you have a calorie deficit of 500 a day you would loose 1 pound a day. The thing is you could do that with just counting calories alone. Throw in a little exercise and poof! Skiny! lol
  • lotty1987
    lotty1987 Posts: 176 Member
    hey chick I read that on yahoo too - what a loada crap i think x
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    the total deficit has to be 7000 for 2lb... which proportion of that comes from exercise versus diet is up to you.
  • Ben2118
    Ben2118 Posts: 571 Member
    What have you put in as your goal?, if you have put 2lbs a week as you goal in MFP, then it has already worked it all out for you and taken it into consideration. So you calorie goal is you target, if you exercise, you can eat back what you have burned through it.

    Put simply if you stick to your calorie goal and eat back what ever exercise you do then you will lose your weekly goal weight each week, its not an exact science as everyone is different, but what ever you do, do not drop below a net of 1200 calories a day, will do more harm that good! :smile:

    Good Luck,

    Ben.
  • m00tmike
    m00tmike Posts: 248 Member
    Hmm... I just googled it and found this http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_pound.php It looks like you are right. 3500 cal = 1 pound lost. So if you have a calorie deficit of 500 a day you would loose 1 pound a day. The thing is you could do that with just counting calories alone. Throw in a little exercise and poof! Skiny! lol

    Woops, I meant 1 pound a week, not a day. lol
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
    It's all about deficit. You want to take your BMR and subtract 3500 a week for your 1lb a week, or 7000 for 2.

    For example, for me I burn about 3000 a week and I have a 2100 deficit just in food, for a total of 5100 weekly. So I *should* be losing about 1.5lbs a week.

    It's exercise and diet, not just exercise. It would be darn hard to burn 1000 a day! LOL!

    Hope that helped.
  • drmario09
    drmario09 Posts: 9 Member
    Take into consideration that MFP places you at a 1000 calorie deficit per day, already. That said, diet alone, following this deficit you could lose weight.
  • SMarie10
    SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
    go to the Message board - general diet and nutrition and read the Newby information - this should help you understand better how it works.
  • yasdnilear
    yasdnilear Posts: 78 Member
    It's 3500 calories below your basal metabolic rate = 1lb loss. In other words, mfp ALREADY sets your calorie goal lowered at 1200 so that you will lose between 1-2 lbs a week. Your basal rate (the calories you need to eat to MAINTAIN your weight) is probably around 1800-2200ish? Then any exercise you do is above and beyond that deficit mfp already gives you...meaning you could lose MORE than the 2 lbs if you exercise. Just be careful to at least eat a little over your 1200 if you're burning a large amount of calories from exercise.
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
    You are right about the 7000 calorie equaling two pounds. After that though, almost everything is wrong.

    The 1200 goal for you takes into account you wanting to lose 2 pounds. So if you stay at 1200 net calories a day, you should lose 2 pounds (However, because 1200 is the lowest MFP will let it go, your actual deficit may be less than 1000 a day). The best way for you to figure out your maintenance calories is to go to settings and recalculate your goal. There MFP will give you 2 numbers, one will be your maintenance calories, and the other is your goal calories. The number of net calories you consume below your maintenance calories is your deficit.

    The second thing to note is that for your weight, your goal is not realistic. Because you are only trying to lose 20 pounds, that means your body doesn't have a lot of fat on it. Therefore, burning 2 pounds of fat a week is too lofty a goal. Your body won't be able to support it. You shouldn't target more than 1 pound a week (There's a reason why MFP highlights "Recommended" next to that). Losing 1 pound a week will give you a healthier and more sustainable weight loss.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    You have a calorie deficit calculated already, that's part of what determines your daily calorie goal. So if you stick to your calorie goal you should be able to lose your desired amount of weight, even if you don't exercise or if you eat all your exercise calories.

    That said, it may not be possible for you to lose 2 pounds per week. Your body may need more calories per day to function properly and to keep burning fat. You have to do what is best for your body. The weight will come off, but some people have to be patient and take it a little slower.
  • tiffvea
    tiffvea Posts: 51
    A pound of body fat equates to approximately 3500 calories. So if you have a calorie deficit of 500 calories (meaning that you burn 500 calories more than you eat each day) you would lose approximately one pound per week:

    500 x 7 = 3,500

    It's easy to see that a calorie deficit of 1000 calories would mean that you'd lose approximately two pounds per week. And that's a good number to remember, because two pounds a week is commonly accepted as the maximum rate of weight loss that is healthy



    I had that question one time too, and this is what I found which helped me not freak out! :smile:
    Not to get in trouble for plagiarism (you never know), I took this info. from caloriesperhour.com, which is promoted by Live Strong.
  • Fgillies
    Fgillies Posts: 194
    Okay, that makes a bit more sense..I didnt know if it was a deficit of 7000 cals in JUST exercise alone...I burn about 300-600 at the gym when i go, and i go 5 days a week. I think i have gone over calories one day ( ive only been here almost 2 weeks) by 83 calories, but the night before i was under like 250 ( with my extra earned calories) I was just afraid i was defeating myself, b/c if i was only burning, at MAX 3000 calories a week, i'd never hit my goal of 2lbs weekly!!

    okay, whew...I feel a bit better!! :) I think.

    Thanks everyone
  • dhutt2011
    dhutt2011 Posts: 77 Member
    I just heard this from a friend and she made it sound like burning 3500 calories. Your body needs a certain number of calories to just function and maintain a certain weight so if you lower your calorie intake, the calorie deficit plus calories burned would be included in that 3500 calories to lose a pound. That is why MFP plan works for whatever goals you want to accomplish.

    I just looked at my calories burned for last week which was 3362 calories and then combined with my calorie deficit I ended up losing a pound.

    Sorry for the long winded message. Hope that helps?:smile:
  • lizzys
    lizzys Posts: 841 Member
    your wrong your body can burn alot in a day from normal activity you can burn that much by just going to work if not more do a30 min work with weight one day do with out the next day your body will start burning all the time
  • brityn
    brityn Posts: 443 Member
    hey chick I read that on yahoo too - what a loada crap i think x

    It's common knowledge that 3500 calories equals 1 lb. gain or loss.... If you eat 3500 more calories than your body can burn then you'll gain a pound. If you combine diet and exercise to equal 3500 calorie deficit then you'll lose a pound. Unless you have some underlying condition like a thyroid issue or autoimmune issue this should be the standard. You need to figure out how many calories your body burns in a normal day just from normal activity first, then cut back from there
  • brityn
    brityn Posts: 443 Member
    You are right about the 7000 calorie equaling two pounds. After that though, almost everything is wrong.

    The 1200 goal for you takes into account you wanting to lose 2 pounds. So if you stay at 1200 net calories a day, you should lose 2 pounds (However, because 1200 is the lowest MFP will let it go, your actual deficit may be less than 1000 a day). The best way for you to figure out your maintenance calories is to go to settings and recalculate your goal. There MFP will give you 2 numbers, one will be your maintenance calories, and the other is your goal calories. The number of net calories you consume below your maintenance calories is your deficit.

    The second thing to note is that for your weight, your goal is not realistic. Because you are only trying to lose 20 pounds, that means your body doesn't have a lot of fat on it. Therefore, burning 2 pounds of fat a week is too lofty a goal. Your body won't be able to support it. You shouldn't target more than 1 pound a week (There's a reason why MFP highlights "Recommended" next to that). Losing 1 pound a week will give you a healthier and more sustainable weight loss.

    This is sooo right on. When you get down to the last few pounds your body slows down. If you lose the weight too fast you're probably not just burning fat, but tapping into your muscle also. My trainer always says 1 lb a week is max for my last ten pounds. It's frusterating, but it'll be easier to sustain once you get down to your goal weight if you're slow and steady. You want to keep as much lean body mass as you can and get rid of the fat
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