Counting Calories

NeedsToDoIt · 09-20-04, 10:25 AM

OK, I've read in many places that a pound is about 3500 calories.

For the last 60 days, thereabouts, on average, I have consumed about 2200 calories per day and have burned about 3200 calories per day. So, according to simple math, I should have lost about 17 pounds in those 60 days.

But, I've only lost about 7 pounds. So, what happened?
I do feel much more tone (from exercising these 60 days) and have increased strength. Have I added about 10 pounds of muscle? I doubt it could be that much?

Or, do the type of calories come into play? While I average about 2200 calories per day on the intake, about 1000 calories per day, on average, are from carbs. Does that matter? Is that the reason for the difference between the 7 and the 17?

Anyone know why this has all broken down the way it has? TIA.

Peggy T · 09-20-04, 10:44 AM

This thread may be shut down since we're not supposed to talk about diet, but yes you do gain muscle poundage when you start strength training.

How do you know you are burning 3200 calories a day? That seems WAY high to me.

GymRatt · 09-20-04, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peggy Elliott

How do you know you are burning 3200 calories a day? That seems WAY high to me.

I was thinking the same thing... Unless you're VERY heavy or VERY, VERY active, that's kind of hard to do...

WWWendy · 09-20-04, 10:51 AM

Hopefully someone with more knowledge of metabolism than I can answer the scientific issues of your question. As you probably know by now, talking about diet specifics isn't allowed here, and discussion of types of calories is likely to cross the line into diet specifics.

My first thought (already echoed by other posters) is how do you know how many calories you are burning in a day? If you are going by averages, and estimates of how many calories your workouts are burning, then it's quite possible you have over-estimated your true calorie expenditure. Even heart rate monitors and cardio machine counts of calories burned are based on averages, and you may or may not be "average." just something to consider.

Megan · 09-20-04, 11:26 AM

Yes, definitely re-evaluate that 3200. I find that on a heavy workout day I burn somewhere around 2200 (According to FitDay, which, as with any simple method, includes some amount of human error).

NeedsToDoIt · 09-20-04, 12:19 PM

All - thanks.
No, no, no, I don't want to talk about diets, I know that's a no-no here.

To the questions on the 3200 burned a day..........it's straight from fitday. I downloaded the program and have been running it since 7/15. The averages and calorie counts come right off their software. And, I'm usually pretty conservative with the inputs. For example, if I have a piece of cake, but I think it's larger than the "average size" I will input it as 1.25 of a piece. Or, if I did an activity such as "take a shower" I don't input that (because it's not a lot of time) and just include that on a larger input "like" sleeping (where the calories burned is not at a high rate at all).

NeedsToDoIt · 09-20-04, 12:36 PM

More on the 3200..........I just checked fitday.com, according to the inputs I used online (not the program I use on the home PC), I burn about 3300 calories a day - 2000 basal and 1300 from "lifestyle." According to this: http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm
I burn about 2500 a day without factoring in any exercise.

I think it's because of my size - 5'10", 209 lbs, - and age (42) that I can burn so many calories by basically showing up.

GymRatt · 09-20-04, 12:58 PM

You might want to see if a fitness facility nearby has a BodyGem, so that you can get a more accurate count. More on BodyGem: www.healthetech.com

Jane P. · 09-20-04, 01:10 PM

I watched Cooking Thin on the Food Channel the week before last. On that episode, they showed some type of device that you breathe into. The device will then register your calorie needs. It apparently must analyze the heat you're generating, since calories are a unit of heat.

The woman who was analyzed was only burning 1100 calories a day. She was a small person, but even so that's not very much.

My own theory is that individual metabolisms have a tremendous rate of variation.

SurferGirl · 09-20-04, 01:15 PM

I had BodyGem done last year at Bally's for $20. It said I burned 1200 at rest. I'm 4'11", so I don't know if this is good or not. Right now I'm on a 1200 diet plan and don't know if I eating too little for my height and weight(113). I exercise at least 5 days, sometimes 6 days a week.

Support VF
VF Membership Subscription
Shop These Vendors
Activa	Collage Video
Amazon.com	eBay.com
Amazon.ca (Canada)	Half.com
Amazon.co.uk (UK)	Junonia
Amazon.fr (France)	Onehanesplace.com
BN.com	Overstock.com
Buy.com	Road Runner Sports
CenturyFitness.com	Sierra Trading Post

09-20-04, 10:25 AM
NeedsToDoIt Join Date: Jul 2004	Counting Calories OK, I've read in many places that a pound is about 3500 calories. For the last 60 days, thereabouts, on average, I have consumed about 2200 calories per day and have burned about 3200 calories per day. So, according to simple math, I should have lost about 17 pounds in those 60 days. But, I've only lost about 7 pounds. So, what happened? I do feel much more tone (from exercising these 60 days) and have increased strength. Have I added about 10 pounds of muscle? I doubt it could be that much? Or, do the type of calories come into play? While I average about 2200 calories per day on the intake, about 1000 calories per day, on average, are from carbs. Does that matter? Is that the reason for the difference between the 7 and the 17? Anyone know why this has all broken down the way it has? TIA.

09-20-04, 10:44 AM
Peggy T VF Supporter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Virginia	This thread may be shut down since we're not supposed to talk about diet, but yes you do gain muscle poundage when you start strength training. How do you know you are burning 3200 calories a day? That seems WAY high to me. __________________ Peg If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. -Will Rogers

09-20-04, 10:51 AM
WWWendy Community Manager Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Northern VA, USA	Hi Hopefully someone with more knowledge of metabolism than I can answer the scientific issues of your question. As you probably know by now, talking about diet specifics isn't allowed here, and discussion of types of calories is likely to cross the line into diet specifics. My first thought (already echoed by other posters) is how do you know how many calories you are burning in a day? If you are going by averages, and estimates of how many calories your workouts are burning, then it's quite possible you have over-estimated your true calorie expenditure. Even heart rate monitors and cardio machine counts of calories burned are based on averages, and you may or may not be "average." just something to consider. __________________ Wendy Niemi Kremer Community Manager DISCLOSURE: I have a professional relationship with a seller or producer of fitness videos or products. For details, please see my profile.

09-20-04, 11:26 AM
Megan VF Supporter Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ontario	Yes, definitely re-evaluate that 3200. I find that on a heavy workout day I burn somewhere around 2200 (According to FitDay, which, as with any simple method, includes some amount of human error). __________________ Megan

09-20-04, 12:19 PM
NeedsToDoIt Join Date: Jul 2004	All - thanks. No, no, no, I don't want to talk about diets, I know that's a no-no here. To the questions on the 3200 burned a day..........it's straight from fitday. I downloaded the program and have been running it since 7/15. The averages and calorie counts come right off their software. And, I'm usually pretty conservative with the inputs. For example, if I have a piece of cake, but I think it's larger than the "average size" I will input it as 1.25 of a piece. Or, if I did an activity such as "take a shower" I don't input that (because it's not a lot of time) and just include that on a larger input "like" sleeping (where the calories burned is not at a high rate at all).

09-20-04, 12:36 PM
NeedsToDoIt Join Date: Jul 2004	More on the 3200..........I just checked fitday.com, according to the inputs I used online (not the program I use on the home PC), I burn about 3300 calories a day - 2000 basal and 1300 from "lifestyle." According to this: http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm I burn about 2500 a day without factoring in any exercise. I think it's because of my size - 5'10", 209 lbs, - and age (42) that I can burn so many calories by basically showing up.

09-20-04, 12:58 PM
GymRatt VF Supporter Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: In Search of DDR	You might want to see if a fitness facility nearby has a BodyGem, so that you can get a more accurate count. More on BodyGem: www.healthetech.com __________________ ~GymRatt~ *CURRENT ROTATION * GymRatt's TaeBo PLUS: AM/PM Bikini Bootcamp! (For fat loss and FUN - Click here! )

09-20-04, 01:10 PM
Jane P. VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Colorado Springs	I watched Cooking Thin on the Food Channel the week before last. On that episode, they showed some type of device that you breathe into. The device will then register your calorie needs. It apparently must analyze the heat you're generating, since calories are a unit of heat. The woman who was analyzed was only burning 1100 calories a day. She was a small person, but even so that's not very much. My own theory is that individual metabolisms have a tremendous rate of variation. __________________ "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." Leo Tolstoy

09-20-04, 01:15 PM
SurferGirl Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Jersey	I had BodyGem done last year at Bally's for $20. It said I burned 1200 at rest. I'm 4'11", so I don't know if this is good or not. Right now I'm on a 1200 diet plan and don't know if I eating too little for my height and weight(113). I exercise at least 5 days, sometimes 6 days a week.