How come...?

Question

How come if I eat 1500 calories a day I gain weight when the calories in a pound is 3500?

If I only eat 800 calories a day, will I be anorexic?

Answer 1

This is part science and part art. People who tell you that you can do this without counting calories say this because they usually already have a pretty good idea of the nutritional content of the foods they are eating. They are the exception -- most American's underestimate the actual calories in the food they eat. That's probably what's happening with you. You also may not have an accurate idea of how many calories you need to stay at your current weight.

Until you get a good feel for how many calories are in the common foods you eat and understand portion size, it's very difficult to just "eat naturally" and meet your fitness or weight goals. So to be successful, you will initially need to weigh and measure your food and keep track of your calories. Eventually you will just know how many calories you've consumed, but that comes later.

The first step for you is to determine how many calories at your current weight, height and activity level you need to consume to MAINTAIN your current weight. To do this, go here and scroll down and use the calculator:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa64.htm

While you're there, read the article also because it will give you a deeper understanding of energy/calories.

Now, figure out a realistic fat loss target. A healthy goal is from 1-2 pounds a week. Any more than that, and you risk losing lean muscle, which you don't want to do. Unlike fat, lean muscle actually burns calories at rest, so you want to preserve it. It also gives you that healthy, toned looked.

Let's say you are aiming for the very realistic goal of losing a pound of fat a week. You simply need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories per week. That's 500 calories per day below the maintainence number the calculator referenced above gives you. Cut these calories by combination of diet and exercise. So, burn 250 each day running, biking or weight training and then consume 250 less in food.

Also, eat clean. Try to eat small meals more frequently, with lots of veggies, lean protein and water. Stay away from sugar, soda, alcohol and too many starchy carbs like potatos and white bread.

Do this and in a month, you'll have lost around four pounds of fat. You'll also feel healthier and be in a better mood because you didn't starve yourself.

For a great tool to keep track of your calories and exercise, check out:

http://www.calorieking.com

It's not free, but it's worth the $$$. They do have a free food database, however, so you can always use the site to look up the calorie content of your food and how many calories certain excercises burn and keep track of it on paper.

Good luck Cheergrl ...

Answer 2

It doesn't matter how many calories are in a pound. What matters is, are you consuming less calories than you are burning? The first thing you need to figure out is how many calories you burn in a day, any gym will have someone who can give you this information based on some simple measurements...let's just say you expend 2,000 a day. If you create a deficit by eating 1500 then you should lose weight (very slowly). But lets say you eat the 1500 and also burn an additional 500 cals then you will loose weight faster because your deficit is 1000 calories a day..that's right eating right and exercising is so critical. Also if you build muscle you will be burning more calories throughout the day than if you just do cardio. FUN FACTS :)

Answer 3

The body only takes up a certain amount of the nutrients in the food you eat and the rest is eliminated through urine and feces. Eating 800 calories is not enough to keep the body healthy. You may be eating foods that are hard for the body to digest or are fatty and get stored as fat. Maybe try focusing on healthy eating instead of counting calories. Try salads with vinaigrette dressing with grilled chicken breast, oatmeal for breakfast and eating lots of fruits vegetables and grains. Just dont chow down on junk food too often. The body knows what to do with healthy food. Dont look at your body as not thin enough, look at it as if you need to become healthier, and healthy people eat.

Answer 4

Maybe you are not counting the calories right...? And also, 1500 is still a lot when you are on a diet, unless you are very physically active. I usually eat 1500 on a normal day and I'm not even on a diet.

Answer 5

You have to burn as many calories as you eat not to gain weight. Depending on your age, weight, and activity level, you may be consuming more than you burn. Or you may be growing, if you're young, or if you're doing resistance training you may be building muscle, which is heavy but looks oh so good. Or if you're "crash dieting" and not eating enough, your body may be in "starvation mode" when it clings to every little calorie you eat because it thinks there's a famine and you're starving.

Answer 6

The body is more complex than a mass balance.

First, the calories you consume today will show on the scale next week.

Second, not all of your calories are burned for energy. Vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, etc. are extracted and used for various purposes. Fiber goes through you.

Answer 7

Probably because you are not doing enough exercise. You need to burn extra calories while dieting or your body goes into starvation mode and starts to save up fat.
Just go for walks, any aerobic exercise will help during a diet.

Answer 8

How quick do you want to lose it and how low do you want your bodyfat?

If you want a visisble 6-pack in a month follow this:

The absolute quickest way would be to cut all carbs, eating only egg whites, salmon/tuna, chicken breast, and lots of leafy greens to help you feel full. Keep calories at about 1500, divided into 6-7 small meals. You'll also have to drink large amounts of water, 128oz + a day (your urine should look like water). You'll also need 8 hrs of sleep a night. A multi-vitamin and vitamin C to help keep your immune system up, as a very restrictive diet limits the vitamins and mineral you take in. Your also going to want to lift weights to help you maintain muscle mass as your going to lose a lot of it. You cannot lose fat without losing muscle and the quicker you lose the more muscle you lose. Make sure you take a whey protein shake with water before/during and right after you set your last dumbbell down.

This is basically how a bodybuilder cuts for a competition (though with a little less care for muscle loss).

A more viable approach is:

The first things you want to eliminate from what you eat are: sugar, fried foods, and white flour. You want to eat as natural and unprocessed food as possible.

Sugar, anything with it is bad. From Coco-Crispies cereal, nearly all sodas, to a small bag a M&M's. All turn into body fat fairly quickly.

Fried foods. Chips, french fries, etc. All have very high levels of calories and fats. Cut out mayonaisse and butter while you're at it.

White flour. White breads, spahgetti, Ramen noodles, most cereals, tortillas (corn & flour).

You're going to want to eat 5-7 small meals/snacks in a day. That may seem like a lot of eating, but look at it this way. Say your lost in the woods and you need to make a fire that will last all night. Will the fire last longer throwing all the wood you've collected into the fire once or twice during the night, or if you toss a couple of logs in once every 45 minutes-hour?

Your body is pretty similar. You need to feed it a little bit every 2-3 hours to keep it burning fat. The longer you go in between meals, the more likely your body is going to store what you eat as fat. This is because your body doesn't realize that there is food everywhere in the world we live in. It still thinks your a cave-man. And cave-men didn't get to eat very often. Sometimes once every 3-5 days...starving. So our body is designed to store what we eat as fat, because fat has the most energy (calories) per pound. So, if you sleep all night, then skip breakfast and don't eat until lunch at say 11:30am...you probably haven't ate anything in 12+ hours. So, your body thinks your starving, that there is no food to eat. Then you eat a nice, greasy, calorie-loaded slice of pizza. Your body will then store most of it as fat because it thinks there is a food shortage.

Aim for 250-300 calories at each meal/snack.
Also try to eat 20-30 grams of protein at each meal. And of course, your going to want to keep even healthy carbs to a minimum (less than 80 grams a day).

The healthiest carbs are:
Yams
Oatmeal (no sugar)
Sweet Potatoes
Brown Rice

OK carbs are:
Whole-grain bread/buns/tortillas (whole-grain should be the first name on the ingredients list)
Fruits

Aside from the carbs listed above, your meals should consist of:
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Tuna
Salmon
Egg whites
Almonds
Low-fat cheese (cottage, string cheese)
Lots of vegtables
Lots of water

You need to drink 1 gallon (128oz)minimum per day. Water is what carries the toxins and fat you burn off out of your body through your urine. It also helps keep you feeling full and does wonders for your skin. If your urine isn't clear like water, drink more.

Also, take a multi-vitamin (like Centrum).

If you were to do cardio like ride a bike or jog for 20-45 minutes everyday AND diet, you'll be several sizes smaller in no time. But remember, losing weight is 90% about what you eat, not how much you exercise.

Bodybuilders and fitness models basically eat this way. Not only is it low calorie, low carb, high in protein and natural...it controls your blood/sugar levels and how your body uses the food based on the glycemic index.

And have 1 cheat meal a week. Gorge yourself on a couple burgers, pizza, or french fries...it doesn't matter. It will taste better than it EVER has and also give your mind and body a break.

Answer 9

hmm good question! but.........I LOVE PHILIP QUAST I LOVE PHILIP QUAST!!!!!!!!!!!!! and i have a sugar rush at 5 in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!