What does this mean?

Muslimah1218
Muslimah1218 Posts: 65 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
"meaning that you burn 500 calories more than you eat each day) you would lose approximately one pound per week" Does that mean that if I am suppose to eat 1500 calories a day that I would want to aim to burn 2000 calories per day?????? I am kinda confused?

Replies

  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Keep in mind that "calories burned per day" means your total daily calorie expenditure, not burning that many through exercise.

    Generally speaking, to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. Many people set a general goal of eating 500 calories less than they burn per day, for a deficit of 3500 calories per week, which is said to equal one pound of weight loss.

    Also, keep in mind that how many calories you might burn in a typical day is an estimation.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    NET calories is the difference between what you eat ..... and how much you exercise. Even if you do ZERO exercise, you still get 1200 calories. The calorie deficit for weight loss is built in.

    Eat 1700 calories - burn 500 calories = 1200 calories NET

    You do NOT want to net below 1200 calories if you are a woman. That 1200 calories is required for basic bodily function. Going below 1200 will cause your metabolism to slow down in the long run. Netting less than 1200 can cause MUSCLE loss.
  • rugbygirlca
    rugbygirlca Posts: 85
    Really well explained post on this topic (sort of) was posted recently. Titled, why it is important to eat your exercise calories. I put the link in and then realized it was wrong. Will come back and fix.

    That might help to clear it up for you.

    Link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important
  • MereBear1985
    MereBear1985 Posts: 36 Member
    When you sign up it helps you calculate your BMR which gives you the calories your body burns in a day just through normal actions. It then takes 500 calories off this and that is the number of calories you should aim to eat per day with no extra exercise.

    i.e. BMR = 2000 therefore calories you should eat per day to lose 1 lb per week is 2000-500=1500

    If you burn calories through exercise, you then get to eat that many more calories that day OR just not use them and have your deficit be larger than 500 that day.

    Hope that helps.
  • abetterjune
    abetterjune Posts: 219
    I'm going to use hypothetical numbers for simplicities sake.


    SO, SAY your body burns 2000 calories a day just living and going about your normal lifestyle (not including exercise), the quote you posted is suggesting you eat 500 less than that- so eating 1500 calories. It would give you a deficit of 500/ day. If you do any additional exercise outside of your normal daily routine, you should eat those calories as well (burned 350 running at the gym? eat 350 more that 1500)


    Hope this helps.

    PS. edited because my son pushed a button on the computer and posted the reply too soon haha
  • mwimwi
    mwimwi Posts: 11
    No, because your body needs fuel to survive even though you just sit here and do nothing.
    You have to create a deficit from your initial situation.
    Let's say you eat 2200 calories a day, and you do little to no exercise. Then, in order to lose a pound in a week, you've got to burn 3500 calories, which means either by exercising or eating less.
    Since there's 7 days a week, we calculate a loss of 500 calories per day. You can either burn 500 more calories than what you burn usually, or eat 500 calories less than your usual regime. Or 250-250, or 100-400, your choice.
    Thing is, to lose weight with your starting 2200 calories a day, in order to lose a pound you need to NET 1700 calories; there you have your 500-calorie deficit.
    But anyway, if you keep reading here, you'll notice a lot of people say you better up your calories rather than diminish them. Your choice I guess!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member


    You do NOT want to net below 1200 calories if you are a woman. That 1200 calories is required for basic bodily function. Going below 1200 will cause your metabolism to slow down in the long run. Netting less than 1200 can cause MUSCLE loss.

    It depends on a woman's size, activity level, the kind of exercise she's doing.

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