How many calories must I burn to LOSE a pound?

**Mole** · 11-26-2001, 04:07 PM

Well I guess the subject line says it all: "How many calories must I burn to lose a pound".
I expect losing pounds is not the issue for most people here, but I thought maybe someone would know.
I'm around 237 right now, and doing minimal weight training (120-200 push ups daily)but 60-90 minutes of jogging 4 or 5 times a week and taking in an average of 2000-2400 calories per day. I figure I burn a NET of 2500-3200 a day. About 150 grams of carbs. The only supplement I'm taking is ECA (a Xenadrine knock-off), and clenbuterol is on the way.
Thanks for any help.

Mole

**PaPaPumP** · 11-26-2001, 06:18 PM

3500 is roughly a lb of fat...but be sure not to lose weight too fast or say bye bye to your muscle as well...i learned this the hard way a year back...i looked sick looking...

**MarkyMark** · 11-26-2001, 07:42 PM

By burning 500 calories over your BMR you should lose 1 lb of Fat a week ... and so on ... Papa is right its 3500 calories .... the assumption is to burn 500 calories over and eat 500 calories less to drop roughly 2 lbs a week ... thats about where you want to be ..... good luck

**Mole** · 11-27-2001, 12:05 AM

I am assuming the best way to avoid losing lean muscle is to basically not starve myself, correct?
I figure with my high level of activity I will be losing only fat. In addition to the running I also walk an average of 2-5 miles daily.
My diet is basically chicken-based, so I don't think I have to worry too much at this stage about losing muscle.
Unless I'm wrong in my assumptions somewhere?

Mole

**PaPaPumP** · 11-27-2001, 05:34 PM

Get a whey protein supplement powder for after your runs to feed your starving muscles, chicken is good to keep yourself from going catabolic, but is garbage for post training nutrition IMO.

**Tobey** · 11-27-2001, 09:09 PM

You are correct to not try to strave your self. your body will only hang on to the body fat that you currently have and burn muscle instead. It is as I have said before that it is one of those damn primitive gentic traits that we all have handed down to us from out ancestors. It takes energy to burn of body fat so you need to try to feed your body only you need to feed it with the proper diet. Good luck as this is one of the hardest things to master in the world of bodybuilding. The other guy's have pretty much answered your questions.
IC