Exercise and Fat Loss
Exercise and Fat Loss - The Numbers Just Don't Add Up By Dan Carter, Master SuperSlow Certified Exercise Specialist It is a popular misconception that exercise burns sufficient calories to qualify as a major component of a fat loss program. Exercise does burn calories, but very few. The following example uses running and simple math to illustrate this point. 1 pound of fat loss requires a 3,500 calorie deficit. Average healthy fat loss per week is approximately 3 pounds, equal to a calorie deficit of 1,500 per day or 10,500 per week. Running, a popular form of so called calorie burning activity, requires approximately 300 calories per mile. But wait! About half of these calories represent basal metabolism! The average individual burns about 150 calories at complete rest! Therefore running increases calorie demand not by 300 per mile, but 150 per mile! Dividing the 10,500 calorie deficit to lose 3 pounds of fat per week, by the 150 calories per mile of running, equates to 70 miles of weekly running or 10 per day. Limiting caloric intake is by far a more efficient means of fat loss. Reducing caloric intake by 1,500 per day (McDonald's Big Mac Meal with Apple Pie or 6 cream filled doughnuts) provides a more reasonable approach. What if we could raise basal metabolism, burning more calories all day long, no matter what our activity level? One of the many benefits of strength training is that of adding muscle. Every additional pound of muscle raises basal metabolism between 50 and 100 calories per pound per day. Consider the following example. 3 pounds of additional muscle consumes as much as 300 calories per day, or 9,000 calories per month, an approximate 3 pound fat loss. The moral of this story is, 90 percent of fat loss is about limiting caloric intake, 10 percent is about exercise. Ask your exercise specialist to explain why the 10 percent contribution of proper exercise is absolutely necessary for a successful fat loss program. |
