31 votes
Accepted

When I burn off a very large number of calories, where does the weight go?

Yes, the other 8kcal will come from the body. I am not sure if it will only purely be fat, the body can break down other tissue such as muscle tissue if it needs to. But yes it will come from burning ...
MJB's user avatar
  • 4,151
30 votes

Should an 18-year-old overweight woman take supplements?

Please not. While there might be an argument if she starts serious competitive weight lifting, I guess that the question would've been asked differently then. If she is overweight, she has to relearn ...
Raditz_35's user avatar
  • 623
26 votes
Accepted

Losing muscle despite doing exercise

Resistance training is the primary preserver of muscle mass while in a caloric deficit. Eating protein alone isn't enough, you need resistance training plus protein. The pushups will be effective at ...
David Scarlett's user avatar
20 votes

Why is it so much harder to run on a treadmill when not holding the handlebars?

The greatest factor is an elaboration to Thomas' answer. It isn't just downward force, it is also forward. You do reduce your weight if you push down on the bars, but more importantly you produce ...
richarjt's user avatar
  • 309
15 votes
Accepted

How can a obese person with a spine and leg injury lose weight?

TL/DR: Any sport (and swimming is an excellent one) will work, if done consistently, with applied hard effort and together with healthy diet and caloric deficit. No way to do it without clear goals ...
ddinchev's user avatar
  • 688
15 votes
Accepted

How do I know if I’m losing fat or muscle mass?

You're losing both, the only question is in what proportion. You could measure this using DEXA, but it really isn't practical to do so. If you're already moderately lean then you may also be able to ...
David Scarlett's user avatar
12 votes
Accepted

Would wearing a weight vest increase my calorie burn during bike riding?

Depends on the distance you are biking. Always use the physics behind every workout, to calculate the load, or calorie burn. In your example, you are adding 10 kgs to the weight of you bike. When ...
xCodeZone's user avatar
  • 1,583
11 votes

Why is it so much harder to run on a treadmill when not holding the handlebars?

It makes you "weigh" less. The answer here is simple physics. When you run on a treadmill, you still have to propel your body weight up and forward relative to the motion of the belt. When ...
Thomas Markov's user avatar
  • 3,786
10 votes
Accepted

Diet to loose excess fat that includes raising the metabolism in the morning and fasting until lunch (2pm)?

Both your friend and wife are wrong. Your friend seems to believe that fasted cardio leads to greater fat loss, but it simply doesn’t. Your body might attempt to use more fuel from fat during such a ...
JustSnilloc's user avatar
  • 4,412
10 votes
Accepted

How do calories work?

Bodypump workouts aren't the only thing you're doing all day right? You walking around your home consumes calories. You cleaning your house consumes calories. You sitting on the computer typing out a ...
DeeV's user avatar
  • 7,804
10 votes

Why is it so much harder to run on a treadmill when not holding the handlebars?

In addition to Markov's answer, the bars provide stabilization, requiring less effort to keep yourself aligned properly. It is, in some ways, similar to how someone might be able to lift more weight ...
Sean Duggan's user avatar
  • 9,109
9 votes

Walking to lose weight - what should I expect?

Diet. Don't fall for the BS low-carb, only eat watermelon on a full moon, except when dark chocolate has been conjured by a sorcerer diet. Those diet systems might work, but they're hard to sustain ...
Frank's user avatar
  • 1,297
8 votes

Fullbody vs body split workout for body transformation?

I have read lots of articles but its hard to find an optimal answer for this question It's hard to find an optimal answer, because it's no an optimal question. There is no clear cut right-or-wrong ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 17.9k
8 votes
Accepted

How do you actually, physically, lose weight?

This is the end result of a fairly complex system of interactions in the body. Your fat cell population is usually defined by adolescence/puberty, and remains relatively stable throughout your life. ...
JohnP's user avatar
  • 22.5k
8 votes
Accepted

When trying to lose body fat, is being in caloric deficit more important than % of calories from fat?

Yes, being in a caloric deficit is what drives fat loss. The proportion of calories coming from fat is unlikely to make any difference to your results, assuming similar protein intake, and assuming ...
David Scarlett's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

Is spot reduction necessarily a myth?

In my opinion, spot reduction is still a myth if you consider how spot reduction has been defined for years. The study as well as another article I found, are both pro-spot-reduction but I don't think ...
C. Lange's user avatar
  • 4,538
8 votes
Accepted

Can you lose weight by "training you brain"?

No, there are no brain workouts for weight loss, and the premise you've founded this idea on is a bit rocky. Look at Robert Sapolsky's full-quote from this ESPN article (emphasis mine): Robert ...
7 votes

Why am I not seeing any change in body composition or weight?

"almost a month ago" - Almost? ALMOST A MONTH?! I'm going to be harshly honest here; come back in a year, and give me the new numbers. If you can't stick with the program for at least a year, this ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 17.9k
7 votes

I really just want to cut and lose weight, while lifting, what should my expectations be?

Dude, don't stress it. Eat a high-protein diet without sweets or junk. Pick a lifting program with room for cardio. 5/3/1 is a common and solid choice for this. I see two templates working well. The ...
Dave Liepmann's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

Is Protein powder necessary for weight loss?

About the program We don't know your size and shape, so we're in no position to second-guess your instructor. For now, go with what he says. About the diet Protein powder is something we use when ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 17.9k
7 votes
Accepted

Are squats a bad idea if you are overweight?

Well, on the scary side, squats can lead to lower-back problems, spinal compression, torn ligaments in several parts of the body, burst capillaries, blown knees, or compound fractures of the leg. On ...
Sean Duggan's user avatar
  • 9,109
7 votes

Bulk or cut? (pics)

You are skinny-fat. Stop dieting. Lift heavy, eat more: this will make you strong. What you eat should be high-quality food; skip the soda and sweets. Don't think of it as a "bulk"--just eat as much ...
Dave Liepmann's user avatar
7 votes

What kind of interesting exercises can I do to lose weight?

As mentioned in yisrael's answer and Aequitas' comment, you're gonna need to track your calorie intake. Combining a caloric deficit by diet with exercise is going to be a lot easier than just doing ...
G_H's user avatar
  • 2,510
7 votes
Accepted

Can weight lost be sustained through exercise influenced metabolism changes?

Warning, wall of text incoming. Sorry, but there's a lot to look into. TL;DR at the end. Let's first take a look at what seems to influence (base) metabolic rate the most. For starters, when we look ...
G_H's user avatar
  • 2,510
7 votes
Accepted

Weird weight loss pattern

Learn to choose your data Yeah, you shouldn't place too much value in everyday weight measurements, because they are too impacted by small factors like how much water you drank with your last meal, ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 17.9k
7 votes

should I continue weightlifting even though it makes my body bigger?

Your muscles haven't gotten any bigger, they are slightly swollen (or "pumped") after your workout, because of inflammation. This is a standard response of your body to this new challenge you are ...
ddinchev's user avatar
  • 688
7 votes
Accepted

Is cardio really effective in fat-burning?

Not only that, but to burn the extra calories from cardio you have to subtract the amount of calories you would burn otherwise not doing anything. So really that 30 minutes of cardio only burns an ...
DeeV's user avatar
  • 7,804
7 votes
Accepted

How to maximize the benefits of a long time at the gym?

With the best will in the world, having 10 days to work on yourself isn't going to make that much of an impact. Body recomposition, which is what you're after (losing fat, gaining muscle) is a much ...
Dark Hippo's user avatar
  • 4,733
7 votes

my three minute planks do they work?

Ability to hold a plank is determined mainly by the strength and endurance of your abdominal muscles. Having a protruding stomach is determined mainly by your level of body fat. The two are not ...
David Scarlett's user avatar
7 votes

Can breathing more often over the course of the day contribute to weight loss?

No, it wouldn't. Hyperventilation doesn't cause the body to produce more carbon dioxide, instead it just reduces the amount of CO2 in the blood, which reduces the amount of CO2 passed in each breath. ...
David Scarlett's user avatar

Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible