126,000 calories

Mr_Wang

According to a funky machine I used today, I weigh 87kg and of that 16.4kg is fat.
So, assuming there is about 3500 calories per pound of fat, and 16.4kg is 36lb then does that mean that I need to burn 126,000 calories to get rid of all the excess weight. I know it's far more complex, but at the very basics of basics is that correct?

I ask because I can burn 500 calories in about 35 minutes on the cross trainer, meaning if I did about an hour, 5 times per week it should take me about 6 months to get rid of every bit of fat. Assuming I don't want to lose it all (which I don't) then in say 4 months I could lose most of it.

Is is that complex, yet that simple? I would of course eat a healthy(ish) diet and I only drink alcohol maybe once or twice a week as it is.

Lagoon

Remember that as you lose weight, you'll burn fewer calories doing the things that you did when you started. Bigger people naturally burn more calories than slim people, and your body will also become better accustomed to the exercise you're doing.

Just_a_Girl_2

It is more complex than that. Those scales that supposedly measure your body fat are wildly inaccurate so take the reading with a pinch of salt.

It's not just about burning off calories though some people would argue with that. The body is a very complex thing and calories in, calories out does not take into account the hormonal response that eating certain foods creates, along with other stress on the body - diet, exercise, mental stress, quality of sleep are all important factors when it comes to fat loss.

Eating a healthy diet and smart exercise will definitely make a difference. I'd recommend hitting the weights too if you want to change your body composition, as just cardio will only make you a smaller version of what you are now

Just_a_Girl_2

Also, don't believe what the fitness equipment tells you that you burned off either - they too are wildly inaccurate

jenniewb

I don't want to sound as if I'm being negative, but OP, it's really not as simple as that! The rate your body burns calories for example, varies per activity, per day, depends on your own body weight (you burn more if you weigh more) and that's even before you bring in things like fat loss and muscle loss (one you want to lose, the other you don't want to lose) the estimates on how many calories you use to do certain activities varies- the more you do an exercise the better you become at it, the more your body becomes used to it and the fewer calories you burn when doing that same activity....and then just to complicate things more, as a ex-addict of a gym and all the machines inside and a heart rate monitor wearer, all I can say is...an exercise calorie, is not the same as a food calorie. Just to rain that in a bit more: you burn less then you think you do when you exercise, do not equate it to what you eat or you will put on weight!

I'd say make sure your diet is in top form; healthy, balanced and reduced enough to lose weight, but not to starve or put your body into storage mode. It's a fine balancing act and seems to vary at times considerably person to person. When your all set with what your eating, then add in exercise. I'd get your food sorted first as you can find exercise makes you hungry and having just changed your eating habit it can be very easy to un-set things because your hunger levels increase. Do things step by step and they tend to stay changed for the better for longer.

And see if you can get some people in with you on this- having moral support can go a long way.

Fire_Fox

Mr_Wang wrote: »

According to a funky machine I used today, I weigh 87kg and of that 16.4kg is fat.
So, assuming there is about 3500 calories per pound of fat, and 16.4kg is 36lb then does that mean that I need to burn 126,000 calories to get rid of all the excess weight. I know it's far more complex, but at the very basics of basics is that correct?

I ask because I can burn 500 calories in about 35 minutes on the cross trainer, meaning if I did about an hour, 5 times per week it should take me about 6 months to get rid of every bit of fat. Assuming I don't want to lose it all (which I don't) then in say 4 months I could lose most of it.

Is is that complex, yet that simple? I would of course eat a healthy(ish) diet and I only drink alcohol maybe once or twice a week as it is.

Sort of, but if you are currently overeating by say 100 calories a day at present and don't eat any more the net extra is only 400. If you eat 100 calories more (people tend to get hungry) then the net will be 300. When you get fitter the body becomes more efficient so burns fewer calories when doing the same activity so the net could be 200. If you burn any muscle off instead of fat your metabolism may drop you could end up with no benefit. Many variables.

Try doing a mix of different exercises: intensive strength/ weight training, hard cardio interval training (10-15 mins on treadmill or cross trainer), group exercise like BodyPump, Boxercise or Circuit Training. Most people can't go more than four hours of intense exercise a week, they certainly cannot do a full hour of the same thing five times a week without reducing the intensity well below the most effective level.

Alcohol is an absolute killer for weight management and the metabolism, you really should not be exercising the day after drinking. Not sure what you mean by healthy-ish but honestly it's far more effective to focus on the nutrition aspect than the exercise aspect. Also consider the body's needs for every nutrient increases with regular exercise, five times a week could be up to double. You won't get enough vitamins, minerals or essential fatty acids to repair and regenerate all your cells from a healthy-ish diet.

thor

If the op can gradually cut down calorie intake and maintain an exercise regime of cardio and weight training then I believe they can avoid the dreaded 'starvation mode' state that the body can switch to.
This is not very simple BUT it is not over complicated either and if done correctly(i.e. without cheating) I cannot see how you could not lose weight following this strategy.