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traineo Community / Exercise & Training Tips / How many calories do you need to burn to lose a pound?
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Dustin M
traineo Newbie
Posts: 5
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 # Posted: 8 Oct 2006 00:26


How many calories do you need to burn to lose 1 full pound?

Just wondering because I have been working out on stationary bikes and treadmills and various other machines that count how many calories you burn.

I read 3500 somewhere but I am not sure about that number... if so thats intimidating...
Ron Bell
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 119
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 # Posted: 8 Oct 2006 02:00


That's about right--3,500. Easier to put it on quickly than to take it off quickly.
Brandon Wood
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Posts: 160
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 # Posted: 8 Oct 2006 02:10


I just got back from Las Vegas where I went to the Bodies Exhibit (which was amazing, I highly recomend it!), and it said 3500 calories there also.

This works both ways: you have to burn 3500 calories more than you consume to lose a pound, and you have to consume 3500 more calories than you burn to gain a pound.
grep -
traineo Newbie
Posts: 17
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 # Posted: 8 Oct 2006 03:26


Quoting: bcwood
I just got back from Las Vegas where I went to the Bodies Exhibit (which was amazing, I highly recomend it!), and it said 3500 calories there also.


I went and saw that with my wife when it was downunder earlier this year and also recommend it.
Nick Richards
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 123
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 # Posted: 8 Oct 2006 11:52


9 calories per gram of fat

454 grams is a lb

454 * 9 = 4086 calories

that is assuming all of the 'calories' burnt are fat calories.
Christopher Harrison
traineo Regular
Posts: 46
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 # Posted: 8 Oct 2006 13:37 - Edited by: Xophmeister


Quoting: nickatbristol
that is assuming all of the 'calories' burnt are fat calories.


Which is extremely unlikely, even in the most controlled situations. At least I would have thought -- fat calories are burnt when you do aerobic exercise; however, even at a low VO2max levels (say 25% -- about the normal walking level), you'll still be burning some carbs and maybe even a tiny amount of protein.

However, I've heard the 3,500kcal = 1lb fat thing so often and it's regularly quoted and even referenced in books that I would take it as a pretty good rule of thumb.
With regards to it being intimidating, look at it like this... 3500kcal over a week is 500kcal deficit per day. In other words, to lose 1lb of fat per week, you've got to consume 500 less calories than you expend every day (of course, this doesn't work if all you consume is butter and cake -- but you see what I'm getting at!). That shouldn't be a problem and 1lb/week is an ideal weight-loss rate.
Dustin M
traineo Newbie
Posts: 5
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 # Posted: 8 Oct 2006 14:14


Thanks for the help... i appreciate it... time to get back to the treadmill!
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