weight loss question...

[g222leav]

ok, nobody wants to hear it, but the only sure fire way to lose weight is basically diet and exercise. so if you were to calculate calories in vs. calories out you can tell whether or not you're gaining weight or losing weight...

here's my question, you can accuratly account for all calories gained (via eating, drinking...snorting..whatever)..but how do you account for all the calories burned (lost)...through basal activities, like walking, sitting, resting...etc...

i know there was a way to calculate the avg. number of calories lost (based on weight) from just BEING...anybody know?

[ShawnLee]

I'll first admit that I'm a lardo and so whatever I say is suspect. Furthermore, this is off what I've heard. I'll defer expertise here to anyone who claims it.

I believe it's a combination of your weight and fat percentage that you can calculate calories lost by lounging (the bigger you are, the more you burn, but assumedly at a lower overall effective rate than someone who's fit).

As for everything else, I think they have an average rate for these things and you just up it by percentage to your weight.

[g222leav]

i found it..i think....

http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt_60/61_eating_well.html

[Cubsfan]

I found that you will never get the exact number of calories taken in or burned. Therefore, what works best for me is to just eat 'healthy', and start an exercise program. Eating healthy is generally easy to start... cut out fast food, big fat greasy things, etc... The easy things to identify. Start an exercise program. I go to the gym and ride the bike for 45 min and then walk for 20 min (stupid shin splits, can't walk any more than that!).

Do this for awhile. Once you get used to this program, you can increase the exercise or increase the "healthy eating" as much as you feel is necessary. Ease into it though. I've burned out a few times by trying to go too hard too quickly. Pretty soon you crave pizza and get sick of exercizing.

[g222leav]

well, supposedly, if you calculate your BMR (basal metobolic rate) you can determine the amount of calories needed for you body to maintain it's weight...if you intake less than that you'll eventually lose weight. i tried to calculate my BMR which came to about 2,700...ok that seems alright, but then i think about it and do i really intake that much? i obviously do somehow....i'm going to have to take a look at what i eat.

right now i'm spending ~30 mins on the elipitical at my gym...that is approx 500 cals each visit...so after 7 visits, i would've lost a pound...granted i'm not over zealously intaking calories...

[brainsmile]

well I've been working out pretty regularly now and down about 10 lbs or so. It's really about eating less fats and more greens and NO LATE NIGHT SNACKING!

I am doing about 500 crunches every other night and about 100-150 pushups on alternating days. Also going to start more sprints to burn calories.

[attgig]

doesn't having more muscle burn more calories?

[g222leav]

doesn't having more muscle burn more calories?


yes, you are correct...although people who start to exercise and incorporate weight training in their workout that muscle is MORE dense than fat...and the often confuse the fact that they may not be losing "pounds" or even maintaining a certain weight when in fact they are really replacing their fat stores with heavier muscle mass.

so yea, the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn because you have more calorie-burning cells

[gugnheim]

Beginner's guides to nutrition and lifting. Excellent sports physiology.

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=550116

Gug