October 2007October 2007
Q:
I want to lose 10 pounds. I’m not that overweight, just slightly less fit than I would like to be. The thing is, I don’t want to nor have time for a long workout every day. What does is really take to lose 10 pounds?
-Sandy Marshall
A:
For a mere 10 extra pounds, I wouldn’t necessarily focus on weight when designing a fitness program. That is if you actually are 10 pounds overweight. Have you had your body-fat index tested and was that result in a healthy range? Did your doctor tell you that you are 10 lbs too heavy? Are you working out to feel better, or only to look better?
I once had a thin young girl come up to me and ask me if there was anything she could do to help her fat ankles. She actually had problems with her perception, not her ankles. For people who have a lot of weight to lose, counting pounds can help set specific goals and track progress.
For people who are only slightly out of shape and don't have serious medical consitions, there are better measures and goals to focus on. Our goal can be to feel better and be healthier. Our goal can be to have more energy all day long. Our goal can be to fit into those favorite jeans that fit so perfectly just one year ago. Actually, jeans can shrink with warm water and a hot dryer, so that might not be the best idea.
It is enough of a goal to feel better everyday. To accomplish that we need a safe, supervised program which reduces our chance of injury from exercise. Also, it should be progressive to let our body build up ability over time (also to prevent injury and pain).
Finally, to actually answer your question… one pound of body fat equals 3500 stored calories. So losing 10 pounds means making your body use 35,000 calories.
For example, let’s say you and your doctor approve an exercise routine of walking twice a week. The number of calories you burn walking 30-45 minutes depends on several factors like your body weight, fitness level, speed, incline (downhill is easier, but burns fewer calories). Let’s estimate burning approximately 500 calories per workout. That would be 1000 calories per week with two workouts.
If your eating does not change at all, then after three and a half weeks you have burned 3500 extra calories, losing one pound of body fat. When we first start exercising, we build muscle as well as lose fat. Read our July article for a discussion of losing weight and why the scale can be deceptive.
So the bottom line answer to “what does is really take to lose 10 pounds,” is that you would have to maintain the same diet and burn 1000 extra calories for 35 weeks (almost 9 months). Or burn 2000 extra calories for 17 and a half weeks (4 and a half months).
-Margo, Randomosity Fitness