How much calories i need to burn to lost 1 lbs. of body fat?

In summary: In weight loss, other factors such as metabolism, water held in fat, etc... will affect how quickly and effectively you lose the weight. One pound of fat is 3,500 calories. To lose a pound, in essense, you need to eat 3,500 calories less than you need. I saw 3500 on some pediatrics website, and wolfram alpha said about ~4000. Is there a better source?It has always been 3,500 calories since that unit of measurement came into use, to my knowledge.
  • #1
arabianights
62
7
as title says
 
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  • #2
About 4000.
 
  • #3
if you use energi and e= mgh and remember that the body is about 75% efficient. you can burn as much calories you want. just by lifting things over your head. which is about 2m.
 
  • #4
One pound of fat is 3,500 calories. To lose a pound, in essense, you need to eat 3,500 calories less than you need.

In weight loss, other factors such as metabolism, water held in fat, etc... will affect how quickly and effectively you lose the weight.
 
  • #5
Evo said:
One pound of fat is 3,500 calories. To lose a pound, in essense, you need to eat 3,500 calories less than you need.

I saw 3500 on some pediatrics website, and wolfram alpha said about ~4000. Is there a better source?
 
  • #6
KingNothing said:
I saw 3500 on some pediatrics website, and wolfram alpha said about ~4000. Is there a better source?
It has always been 3,500 calories since that unit of measurement came into use, to my knowledge.

Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take into lose 1 pound

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calories/WT00011

It takes 3500 calories to make 1 pound of stored fat.

http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih4/energy/activities/508/dbalance/reference/dbalance_ref.htm#sec2c

I have no idea what wolfram alpha is doing to come up with a different value, I have never seen 4,000 calories.
 
  • #7
i swim twice a week, hike 10 miles every weekend, but still not losing much weight. in fact, i gained 3 lbs since Thanksgiving, wtf

trying to figure out a realistic workout schedule to stay fit and in shape, ideally i'd like to lose 5~10 lbs
 
  • #8
arabianights said:
i swim twice a week, hike 10 miles every weekend, but still not losing much weight. in fact, i gained 3 lbs since Thanksgiving, wtf

trying to figure out a realistic workout schedule to stay fit and in shape, ideally i'd like to lose 5~10 lbs
How many calories do you consume per day? How many calories do you estimate you burn per day? There are guides all over the internet that will help you calculate your calorie expenditure for certain activities based on your gender, height and weight. There are factors to consider such as metabolism, for example, a person with more muscle will normally burn calories more efficiently than a person with more fat.
 
  • #9
my typical daily meal intake is like this:

1 cup of oatmeal in the morning
1 footlong sandwich with all the bells and wistles (sometimes buffet or hamburger)
dinner i usually skip, just some fruits and maybe a ramen cup noodle

i'm a guy in my 30s, weight about 155 lbs, height 5'7''
 
  • #10
arabianights said:
my typical daily meal intake is like this:

1 cup of oatmeal in the morning
1 footlong sandwich with all the bells and wistles (sometimes buffet or hamburger)
dinner i usually skip, just some fruits and maybe a ramen cup noodle

i'm a guy in my 30s, weight about 155 lbs, height 5'7''
If you are more muscle than fat, that's not a bad weight for your height. Why are you concerned?
 
  • #11
arabianights said:
my typical daily meal intake is like this:

1 cup of oatmeal in the morning
1 footlong sandwich with all the bells and wistles (sometimes buffet or hamburger)
dinner i usually skip, just some fruits and maybe a ramen cup noodle

i'm a guy in my 30s, weight about 155 lbs, height 5'7''

I'm about your height, about the same weight, and I don't work out nearly as much as you do. I'm betting that you are mostly muscle, not fat. So no need to lose any weight!
 
  • #12
arabianights said:
as title says

Keep in mind that the human body stores energy as fat, which has a dietetic calorie content of 9 kcal/g. Thus, to 'lose a pound of fat' implies that 4032 kcal worth of stored fat is used.

Now: loss of fat also entails loss of water (the blood that supplies adipose tissue is decreased), 9 kcal/g is the energy content of some sort of fat burned in a calorimeter and may not be truly equivalent to the fat content of adipose tissue and the process of metabolism, energy is not only stored as fat but also glucose, glycogen, and ultimately ATP.

So, numbers between 3500 and 4000 kcal (or Calories) are *very* reasonable.
 
  • #13
Andy Resnick said:
Keep in mind that the human body stores energy as fat, which has a dietetic calorie content of 9 kcal/g. Thus, to 'lose a pound of fat' implies that 4032 kcal worth of stored fat is used.

Now: loss of fat also entails loss of water (the blood that supplies adipose tissue is decreased), 9 kcal/g is the energy content of some sort of fat burned in a calorimeter and may not be truly equivalent to the fat content of adipose tissue and the process of metabolism, energy is not only stored as fat but also glucose, glycogen, and ultimately ATP.

So, numbers between 3500 and 4000 kcal (or Calories) are *very* reasonable.
When you lose weight, you lose glycogen first. You don't burn stored fat first, stored fat is actually the last thing you burn.
 
Last edited:
  • #14
Evo said:
When you lose weight, you lose glycogen first. You don't burn stored fat first, stored fat is actually the last thing you burn.

The body typically has a total of 700 g (3000 kcal) worth of glycogen at any moment- it is a tiny fraction of the total amount of stored energy. Although you do indeed catabolize glycogen first to extract energy, glycogen stores are then replenished by conversion of lipid stores.
 
  • #15
Andy Resnick said:
The body typically has a total of 700 g (3000 kcal) worth of glycogen at any moment- it is a tiny fraction of the total amount of stored energy. Although you do indeed catabolize glycogen first to extract energy, glycogen stores are then replenished by conversion of lipid stores.
Correct,
Mainly I wanted the OP to know that contrary to all off the internet "burn fat instantly" hype that stored fat is the last to go. I'm a woman, we know these things. :tongue2:
 
  • #16
Evo said:
I'm a woman, we know these things. :tongue2:

I think I'm offended by your blatant sexism ;)
 
  • #17
Evo said:
Correct,
Mainly I wanted the OP to know that contrary to all off the internet "burn fat instantly" hype that stored fat is the last to go. I'm a woman, we know these things. :tongue2:

Andy Resnick said:
I think I'm offended by your blatant sexism ;)

Be offended later...I need to write this down...Evo...Woman...Fat...got it.
 
  • #18
Drakkith said:
Be offended later...I need to write this down...Evo...Woman...Fat...got it.
Drakkith...member...soon to be non-member... :tongue2:
 
  • #19
Evo said:
Drakkith...member...soon to be non-member... :tongue2:

I'm confident I can outrun your-[Error: Member Deleted]
 
  • #20
Drakkith said:
I'm confident I can outrun your-[Error: Member Deleted]
:biggrin: :rofl:
 
Last edited:

1. How many calories are in 1 pound of body fat?

One pound of body fat contains approximately 3,500 calories.

2. How many calories do I need to burn to lose 1 pound of body fat?

To lose 1 pound of body fat, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories. This can be achieved by burning 500 calories per day for 7 days.

3. Is it possible to burn 1 pound of body fat in one day?

No, it is not possible to burn 1 pound of body fat in one day. It takes a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of body fat, and it is not recommended to create such a large deficit in just one day.

4. How long will it take to lose 1 pound of body fat by burning calories?

The time it takes to lose 1 pound of body fat by burning calories depends on a variety of factors, such as your current weight, metabolism, and exercise intensity. On average, it takes about one week to lose 1 pound of body fat by burning 500 calories per day.

5. Are all calories equal when it comes to burning body fat?

No, not all calories are equal when it comes to burning body fat. The type of food you eat can affect your metabolism and the way your body burns calories. It is important to focus on a balanced diet that includes whole, nutrient-dense foods to support healthy weight loss.

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