eli5: Losing weight

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I’m just confused on how losing weight actually works. So if I cut myself down to 1500 calories a day, I would have to burn like 2000 calories to lose weight? That just seems like a lot of exercising to me, especially because I’m juggling a job and highschool still. Could you guys explain it to me in a better sense?

In: Biology

13 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

In order to lose weight you need to burn more calories then your body needs. Your body consumes calories just existing. This is called your basal metabolic rate. (Your skin growing, heart beating, etc.) Any exercise and activity is a nice extra, but just exercising without considering diet is very difficult if not impossible. So, to lose weight eat less calories then your body consumes. Studies have shown we are overestimate exercise and underestimate our calorie intake.

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