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# of calories to loose a pound??

valerie33
valerie33 Posts: 26 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
how many calories do u need to burn to loose a pound?? i have heard conflicting information on the issue! a website to back up any information would be great! thx!!

**i've heard 500 calories burned = 1 pound lost

** i've also heard 3,500 calories burned = 1 pound lost

BIG difference in the #'s ~

Replies

  • valerie33
    valerie33 Posts: 26 Member
    how many calories do u need to burn to loose a pound?? i have heard conflicting information on the issue! a website to back up any information would be great! thx!!

    **i've heard 500 calories burned = 1 pound lost

    ** i've also heard 3,500 calories burned = 1 pound lost

    BIG difference in the #'s ~
  • newstart
    newstart Posts: 40
    I think the numbers are both right...You need to figure out how many calories a day you would need to consume to stay at your current weight (web calculator would tell you this) and then to lose 1 lb per week you would reduce that number by 500 calories per day or 3500 per week.

    Hope that help.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    A 500 calorie deficit each DAY will burn 3500 calories by the end of the week.
    There are 3500 calories in a lb of fat, and about 1600-1800 in a lb of muscle.
    However, even if you do lose a lb of fat, your weight might not always reflect that, and you don't automatically lose exactly 1 lb of fat after burning exactly 3500 calories...some people might lose a bit of muscle, some might gain, and you also have to take into consideration that glucose is burnt along with fat, so some of those calories will come from both.

    I don't have a website, but I have an exercise physiology book and the study materials for the ACSM and NSCA CPT exams I could cite:laugh:
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