How Many Calories Do You Burn In a Day?

Energy Balance is defined by a Stable Body Weight

After reading yesterdays comments I’m getting the impression that many people assume we can burn more calories in a day that we really do.

For most of the population our BMR/RMR accounts for almost all of their calories burned in a given day.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate; the amount of calories you burn lying down doing nothing)…and I guess more accurately our RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate; which is the calories you burn sitting around vs lying around)

If you don’t partake in purposeful exercise (a workout) and don’t have a physically active job (most people don’t) then you’re just not burning that many calories in a day.

So if you’re RMR is 1900, and you don’t workout or have an active job, you probably only burn around 2000 calories per day.

If you do an average workout like most gym warriors for an hour or so 3-4 days per week, you’re only burning an extra 300-400 calories on those days…that still doesn’t help with the days that you’re not working out.

I think people just grossly overestimate how many calories they think they’re burning (to justify eating more)

The bottom line is this. If you’re goal is weight loss, and you’re not currently losing weight, then you’re eating too much.

John

Posted by johnbarban in Calories, Weight Loss
Tags: BMR, calorie burning, Calories, energy expenditure |21 Comments

21 Responses to “How Many Calories Do You Burn In a Day?”

  1. Mike Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    john,

    if this is the case, how do we more efficiently gage how many calories we are burning per workout? (weight training vs. HIIT vs. walking to McDonald’s)

    thanks

  2. johnbarban Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 12:54 pm

    More work means more calories burned…but it also means greater chance of taking more rest and stimulating a bigger appetite for the rest of the day.

    So the only way exercise is useful for weight loss is if it’s combined with a controlled calorie intake and without taking naps and doing less activity for the rest of your day (to compensate for the extra work done during the workout)

    Trying to simply exercise more without watching your calories will likely just lead to eating more and result in zero net weight loss.

    JB

  3. Matt Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 1:17 pm

    Hi John,

    I’m a former big-eater-for-muscle proponent, new to this site, and boy am I glad I’ve found you and Brad Pilon! Thank you for all your hard work!

    I’m wondering if hypertrophy happens at an equal rate whether you eat at BMR or, say, 500 cals above it, assuming the workout routine remains constant and enough protein is consumed?

    How is it possible that SO many people in the fitness/nutrition industry are against the notion that building muscle and losing fat are impossible?

    P.S. Just to show those out there who still maintain that a huge calorie excess is necessary for muscle building, I’ve put size back on very quickly after a 7-month hiatus on just 2500 calories and 120 g protein a day thanks to John and Brad.

  4. Matt Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 1:19 pm

    Let me point out that I meant to type “building muscle and losing fat simultaneously is impossible” in the above post.

  5. MovieFX Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 1:46 pm

    I’ve had anorexic clients who have continued their extreme caloric deficit and gained weight and inches (circumferences)and increased definition through weight training – and I’m talking about the one’s who have been receiving the ‘starvation high’ (the release of endorphins in the brain as a result of extreme starvation) for a long time and had experienced psychotic episodes.

  6. Jason Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    What’s at the root of all of this is the genetic tendency to store fat in times of plenty and the urge to be lazy to conserve energy. What would be great is if you and Brad did a podcast on this; possibly with an ‘expert’ in the area (although I don’t know who that would be; the only people I’d listen to about getting super-lean is the people who have done it).

  7. Robert Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 6:09 pm

    You said it!!!

    “I think people just grossly overestimate how many calories they think they’re burning (to justify eating more)

    The bottom line is this. If you’re goal is weight loss, and you’re not currently losing weight, then you’re eating too much.”

    I’ve reached the point over the years that I’m results based. Look. People can rig up whatever formula they want to lose weight. If they’re losing weight, go for it. The odds are, though, that they’re not losing weight. And results are the yardstick, period.

  8. Chris R Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 10:55 pm

    To add to what Robert said, “people can rig up whatever formula they want to lose weight. If they’re losing weight, go for it.” I would add, if they’re losing weight, then they’re succesfully expending more calories then they are consuming, regardless of whatever formula (ie. diet fad) they have rigged up.

  9. Wazzup Says:
    June 2nd, 2010 at 2:36 am

    My RMR = 1900 Cal.. my daily burn is 3000+ (even more now that I’ll start training for a half marathon) and that’s with a desk job.

  10. usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
    June 2nd, 2010 at 2:38 am

    Matt,

    “How is it possible that SO many people in the fitness/nutrition industry are against the notion that building muscle and losing fat are impossible?”

    1. The fitness and nutrition industries want to reinforce the DUMB myth that you need to bulk and cut to gain muscle so you buy their dumb bulking and cutting products and services.
    2. The more they are able to confuse the shit out of consumers, the more the consumers will be hanging on to their every word, even though ironically it was their word that confused these consumers in the first place.
    3. Some people in the industry actually say it’s possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, but it’s VERY difficult and tricky but doable if you buy my products and/or services.

    SCAMS!!

  11. Matt Says:
    June 2nd, 2010 at 1:29 pm

    That definitely makes sense, coupled with the fact that most people who purport to be “in the know” about fitness and nutrition could just be repeating what their gym buddies tell them, never having looked at a medical study related to the topic.

  12. usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
    June 2nd, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    Matt,

    You nailed it right on the head.

    I’ve even had this debate with actual personal trainers and even a sports nutritionist. Whenever I ask how they know, they get really uncomfortable. Basically, they’re just parroting what they’ve heard/read. And we all know that what they heard/read cane straight from the industry rather than from legit studies.

    It sounds alarming, but for me, it’s totally not suprising. I’ve done research into other industries and this kind of propaganda and brainwashing is pretty much a universal marketing strategy employed by all industries, e.g. credit, fashion, music, film, religion, etc.

  13. Sarah Says:
    June 2nd, 2010 at 3:59 pm

    “Starvation mode?” Please… I was overweight all my life because I didn’t want to drop my calories below 1200 for fear of this “starvation mode.” Finally, I had enough of it and started lowering my calories. The problem is that people don’t eat nutritionally dense food and so they need more “calories” to make up for it. Now I’m on an all natural low carb paleo diet. Once I cut foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever like wheat and corn, it made all the difference. If food has to be “enriched,” then it’s not worth it. I fast a couple of days per week and eat around 500 calories/day the rest of the time. I still have some weight to lose, but have lost over 100 pounds to date. I think many people require less food which is why you have people losing only when they go on a VLC diet or have gastric bypass. Sadly, people need to let go of this whole “starvation mode” theory. It’s already been disproven, but people still cling to it. I also work out 1-2 hours every day, even on fasting days with no loss of energy. I used to think I had a horrible metabolism, but now I realize it’s that I’m just exceptionally good at storing fat to use during “lean” times. Unfortunately, those “lean” times never come unless I do them on my own. ;)

  14. Aditya Says:
    June 3rd, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    Can a guy who is on a 3 day Eat Stop Eat routine with a body fat of 9% feeding on a DEFICIT of 1000 Calories/Day be ripped with chiselled abs by just doing Push Ups/Crunches? Just asking!

  15. Aditya Says:
    June 3rd, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    By 3 Day ESE Routine I mean 3 Day fasts or to put it in simpler words alternate day dinner to dinner fasts.

  16. usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
    June 3rd, 2010 at 5:37 pm

    Getting your abdominal muscles visible is just a matter of lowering your body fat percentage (if you still don’t see them at 9%, you’re very close). However, for what exercises would be best for shaping your abs, I would defer to John (or whoever else).

  17. D Says:
    June 4th, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    John, what’s your response to the Body 4 Life winners who eat 5-6 meals per day (protein shakes et al) and also have the dramatic turnarounds within 12 weeks?

  18. usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
    June 4th, 2010 at 5:58 pm

    I’m not John, but it doesn’t matter how many times you eat a day. It ALL works as long as there is a caloric deficit (for fat loss) and you get at least 70-120 grams of protein (anything more than that won’t give you more muscle but it also won’t hurt you).

  19. rita Says:
    June 12th, 2010 at 10:37 am

    John

    I was reading Sarah’s input and is it ok she eats 500 cal/day and fasts couple times a week. Please respond as I too am doing same but with less calories and fasting 2-3 per week for fat loss and I don’t have a lot to lose and finding it very difficult. I find I lose 1 lb and gain it back again daily! This up down weight gain has really got me down! By eating low cal/daily and weekly fasting is she setting her body up for more efficient fat storing? How does the body work? I am 5ft 4, 44 yrs, female, no health issues. Any advise would be appreciated and also any updates/info on your new book coming this July 2010? What is the title? Will it be an e-book only?

  20. He Got Ripped without Counting Calories or Doing Cardio Says:
    November 7th, 2011 at 10:35 am

    [...] calculated that his BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is about 2500 calories, so he has a budget of 2500 x7 calories per [...]

  21. how many calories do you burn Says:
    May 3rd, 2012 at 9:12 am

    when i wanted to know how many calories does a person burn, i saw some charts , where was shown the amount of calories burned during a certain exercise..

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