Burning one pound of fat

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chubbyandawkward
chubbyandawkward Posts: 71
in Fitness and Exercise
I was thinking that if I burned 500 calories every day for a week then that would equal 3500 calories burned for the whole week which is equal to a pound. I've been on here since April and have yet to lose any weight so I want to try this.
What do you guys think? What exercises could I do to burn that much each day? I'm already doing C25k (I'm on Week 3)

Replies

  • carolineJ82
    carolineJ82 Posts: 12 Member
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    Zumba burns between 500 & 800 cals per hour, I go to sesions 2/3 times a week but if I cant make a session I do it on the wii at home instead. I believe it has really helped my weight loss and the shape of my body has transformed dramatically x
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
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    Um. If you have your settings set to lose 1 pound a week here on MFP, the 500 calorie a day deficit is already worked in.
  • chubbyandawkward
    chubbyandawkward Posts: 71
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    Um. If you have your settings set to lose 1 pound a week here on MFP, the 500 calorie a day deficit is already worked in.

    I have it set to 2lbs a week, I'm always under my calories but I haven't lost anything :-/ I don't really know what's up
  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
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    I've noticed that when people are 20 lbs or so to a goal weight that it is harder to lose weight.

    Make sure you are drinking lots of water and eating enough! If you are consistently under your calorie goal on MFP it may be working against you.

    Also add some strength training if your not doing so already.. muscle will help burn fat.
  • jnwl905
    jnwl905 Posts: 14
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    I agree Zumba burns several calories but if that class is not available you may also try Kickboxing and Lifting Weights. I know many woman are nervous about weight lifting but doing so three times a week will burn the fat faster once you body becomes used to the weight. I recommend starting with 3 to 5 lbs weights then working you way up when the current weights begin to feel light. If you can do an open chest fly with ease then I would say it is time to move on but listen to your body because it knows what it can or cannot take. I hope this helps. :glasses:
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
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    Um. If you have your settings set to lose 1 pound a week here on MFP, the 500 calorie a day deficit is already worked in.

    I have it set to 2lbs a week, I'm always under my calories but I haven't lost anything :-/ I don't really know what's up

    i don't think you are eating enough

    Are you eating to enough?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


    This is just a part of it! please read the link above


    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


    Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



    Good luck on your journey
  • chubbyandawkward
    chubbyandawkward Posts: 71
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    I definitely eat enough, I rarely eat less than 1400 and I'm only under usually by 50-200 calories :S
    Perhaps I'm eating too much?
    My BMI is somewhere between 22 and 24, I'm not sure :/

    I mess around with my 3lb dumbells every now and then but I don't know how to use them. How long should I use them for and what exercises should I do?
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
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    Trick is not to eat the extra calories allowed by your cardio work. You should see the weight drop off then! I'll probably get flamed for that advice, but it's worked for me (hit my target weight in only 12 weeks and feel great.)

    Less strenuous exercise that's helped me is walking (lots, at the best speed you can manage), cycling (ditto), skipping, swimming and jogging up and down stairs. When you feel up to it weights, calisthenics (situps etc) and rowing are good calorie burners. 60 minutes a day, mixed up, should defo help. Luck!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)

    The whole BMI chart is fuzzy. By it, I'm pretty much borderline obese, or was a few weeks ago. By the way, its not like I've put in tons of muscle...I've just shed a lot of fat.

    Losing fat isn't a perfect equation of calories in versus calories out. If it were, this whole thing would be much easier, everyone could just do stupid amounts of cardio (which primarily burns muscle btw), and we would all be skinny. Losing fat is work...manipulation of rest periods, and hormonal response. Diet is important, but in my experience not as critical as many believe. I've lost the last 8+lbs eating Taco Bell almost daily, as my main calories.

    I'm NOT saying you should do that. I'm saying do some research...and don't blindly take for granted the advice you get here...even mine. You can get REALLY screwed up by what looks like very good common sense.

    Good luck!
  • badbradclark
    badbradclark Posts: 47 Member
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    A couple thoughts: 1, the body is more complicated that a simple machine where you can deduct 500 calories per day and lose exactly a pound a week. There are so many other factors and variables that go into your body such as food quantity, food type, water, exercise, stress that if you get into number crunching to that macro of a level, I can easily see it becoming frustrating to the point where you give up - or you end up trying some crazy fad diet or exercise that will allow you loose a handful of pounds quickly, but not in a way that will allow you to keep it off. 2, if you truly have been on here since April and you haven't lost any weight, then it is time to take a closer look at how you are managing your calorie intake and your exercise. If you are truly diligent with tracking your calories in, coupled with at least 30 minutes of aerobic level exercise per week (heart rate above 125 or so), then you will begin to see results.

    Now, to your question, an easy 5mph jogging pace will burn about 75/80 calories per 10 minutes for my weight. An hour of easy jogging would get you your 500 calories. Ramp up the intensity, and you could burn 100-125 calories per 10 minutes. If running isn't your think, invest in a nice high quality bike and get out on the road. For me, I'll burn 1000 calories per hour because of the intensity that I ride, but I ride fairly fast and have hilly routes. You may not be able to, or want to, reach that intensity, but you can burn several hundred calories with an hour on the bike at a slightly faster than leisurely pace.

    As you ramp up any sort of exercise, remember that your body needs rest in order to recover and rebuild muscle. Don't plan on high intensity exercises seven days a week. Take an off day which could either be truly and off day, or maybe a day where you just take a nice long casual walk.

    Whatever you do, don't give up and keep at it!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    By the way, I'm still losing 1-3lbs a week, as per the last month or so. Eating mostly Taco Bell (about 1500cal worth of fast food a day, along with 300-500cal of healthier foods), and exercising ONLY three days a week for 30-45 minutes a day.

    I refuse to do traditional cardio...and I refuse to create huge 'burns' via ANY form of cardio. 1200cal worth of cardio in one session does relatively little for fat loss, with the only real value being that it improves your cardiovascular health (not a negative of course!). 300-500cal worth of strength training (which I get in that sub-1hr workout) will shed fat specifically via the calories burned, build muscle which process continues to help shed fat, and promote growth hormone production...which basically shuts off your bodies response that tells it to burn muscle along with the fat. Add to that that it takes up to 72hrs to repair those muscles you worked, which process also uses calories...and you have a win/win/win.

    *shrug*...just a suggestion.

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