Losing weight requires that you burn more calories than you are consuming daily. Eating a healthy diet can help you maintain a calorie deficit, which helps promote weight loss. Similarly, exercising can contribute to this deficit and also help you shed pounds. The question that remains is, how long does it take to burn 1000 calories? While some believe this may take a day, others think it should take several days to weeks.
Understanding how many calories you burn daily can help you stay with your weight loss practice. It could either be a dietary practice or exercise program, or both. Likewise, understanding this concept can help you estimate how long it will take you to shed weight. Many factors come into play when it comes to the burning of calories.
In this article, we will discuss what these factors are and how they influence the calorie-burning process. Similarly, we will discuss how you can calculate the calories you burn and how to increase the calories you burn, even while sleeping. Lastly, we will provide you with an answer on how long it takes to burn 1000 calories.
How Many Calories Do You Need?
We all need energy to perform various body functions. These range from breathing, thinking, walking to maintaining our body posture. We receive energy from the calories in the foods and drinks we consume. This means the more we consume, the more calories we attain for energy. A calorie is then a unit of energy (3).
Every one of us requires energy in different amounts. Your daily energy requirements will depend on factors such as your age, body size, sex, and activity level (4). This means that your daily calorie needs will also primarily depend on these factors.
For example, the recommended amount for women between 19 and 25 years is 2000 calories a day. However, this decreases to 1600 once they hit 51 years and above (4). On the other end of the spectrum, the calorie requirements for an active male between 16 and 18 years is 3, 200 calories (4).
Read More: Workouts That Burn 1000 Calories: Effective Weight Loss Exercises
The Calorie Burning Process
Your body breaks down the meals you consume for energy production. The more calories you burn in this process, the more weight you will likely lose. The calories you burn in a day will depend on several factors, most of which are out of your control. They include (1):
- Your age. Younger people burn more calories in a day compared to older adults.
- Your sex. Men generally burn more calories compared to women.
- Your body size. Larger individuals will tend to burn more calories compared to smaller people, even while sleeping.
- Your daily activity. You will burn more calories if you move more compared to a person who spends most time sitting.
- Your body composition. More muscular people tend to burn more calories compared to those with less muscle mass.
- The thermogenesis process. This refers to the amount of energy your body uses to break down food. The more energy your body spends, the more calories your body burns.
- Pregnancy. Pregnant women need more calories than women who are not expectant.
How Do You Calculate The Calories You Burn?
You might be aware that you can burn extra calories through diet and exercise. However, you might not be aware of how to calculate the calories your body burns in a day. Knowing this calculation is vital as it can help you modify your diet or exercise programs to meet your weight loss goals.
According to Medical News Today, one important aspect you need to calculate are the calories you burn daily which is known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR) (1). This portrays the number of calories your body burns by normal maintenance. Your BMR is affected by factors such as your age, body size, height, gender, and genetics (7).
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To calculate your BMR, you will need your height measurements (in inches), body weight (in pounds), and age (in years). Using these you then can follow the following formulas (7):
Men
66 + (6.2 x weight) + (12.7 x height) – (6.76 x age)
Women
655.1 + (4.35 x weight) + (4.7 x height) – (4.7 x age)
You may see other versions of these formulas that use height and weight measurements in cm and kg. Just make sure you input the measurements in the correct units depending on which equation you are using.
After calculating your BMR you have to multiply it by your average daily activity. Typically, you can determine these activity levels using points. These predetermined points are used to indicate various activity levels include (1):
- 1.2. These are points awarded to people who do little or no exercise.
- 1.37. This is the point awarded to a slightly active individual who tries to perform light exercise one or three times a week.
- 1.55.These points are given to a moderately active individual who performs moderate exercise 3 to 5 times a week.
- 1.725. These are points awarded to a very active person who works out hard 6 to 7 days a week.
- 1.9. These points go to an extra active person. This is an individual who is either quite active and with a very challenging exercise program or one with a physically demanding job.
After determining your activity point, take the figure and multiply it by your BMR. The answer you get is the total number of calories you burn on average every other day. Let us use an example to illustrate this concept further.
Take a 37-year old gentleman who is 6 feet tall and weighs 170 pounds. He is also moderately active. We will first calculate his BMR. It will involve applying the BMR formula calculation for men, which is: 66 + (6.2 x weight) + (12.7 x height) – (6.76 x age)
This will appear as follows: 66 + (6.2 x 170) + (12.7 x 72) – (6.76 x 37).
It is stated that the guy in question is moderately active. So, we will award him 1.55 points as he ranks at this activity level. We will then take his BMR and multiply it by 1.55 to get his average daily calorie limit. The formula will be as follows:
(66 + (6.2 x 170) + (12.7 x 72) – (6.76 x 37)) x 1.55 = 2,765 calories/day
Is It Possible To Burn 1000 Calories?
Yes, it is. Most beginners to either diet or exercise programs for weight loss may view burning 1000 calories as tricky or unattainable. Truth be told, this limit is achievable if you do everything needed to help initiate such calorie loss.
You do not have to struggle to burn these calories only through diet and exercise. You can contribute to losing 1000 calories every day by also implementing other simple practices. They include (6):
- Taking the stairs. Whether you live or work on the 10th or 7th floor, take the stairs if you want to burn more calories. This will certainly take more time than using the elevator. However, it will help you reach your target of burning 1000 calories daily.
- Sitting less. If you spend most of your time sitting down, change this norm and sneak in some breaks. During these breaks, you can stretch or take some brisk walks. It all depends on your schedule. You can also try working at a standing desk or alternating between sitting and standing.
- Increasing your walking pace. Whether you are in a rush or not, you can increase your walking pace to burn more calories.
- Walking more. Some people drive or take cabs to destinations that they could walk to. Although there is nothing wrong with this, walking to such destinations can help you burn some extra calories. So, start walking more if you get the opportunity. Sneaking in brisk walks will burn calories and eventually help you lose weight.
Read More: Burn 1000 Calories a Day: Fact or Fiction? Here Is What The Experts Say
How Long Does It Take To Burn 1000 Calories Walking?
Most people undermine the benefits of walking when it comes to weight loss. The reality is that walking can help you lose weight as it triggers the fat-burning process. According to Medical News Today, regular walking can lead to fat loss and a reduction of waist circumference (8).
Walking is classified as moderate aerobic activity. Typically, experts recommend that you get at least 150 minutes of such moderate aerobic activity every week (2). As mentioned earlier, the calories you burn will depend on individual factors such as your age and body size.
This means that the amount of time it will take you to lose 1000 calories while walking will be dependent on such factors. A 160-pound man walking at a speed of 3.5 mph for one hour can burn about 314 calories (2).
To burn 1, 000 calories, this man would be required to walk an extra 3 or 4 hours at the same pace. If he doesn’t do this, the same result might mean walking for one hour at the same pace for the next four days to burn over 1000 calories.
How Long Does It Take To Burn 1000 Calories Jogging And Running?
As with walking, the calories you burn while jogging will also depend on your age, body composition, and sex. The same also applies if you are running for weight loss. Since running tends to increase your heart rate more than jogging, you get to burn more calories while running.
According to Mayo Clinic, a man weighing 160 pounds and running at 5 mph for at least an hour will burn 606 calories (2). This means that if they were to maintain that speed and run for two hours, they would burn 1212 calories (606 + 606).
This case means that such an individual would need only two hours to burn 1000 calories. However, if they were tired, they would likely plan on running the following day, at the same speed and for the same duration. If this were the case, it would take them two days to burn 1000 calories. It’s worth noting how long it takes you to lose 1000 calories is dependent on several factors. These include the intensity of your exercise, duration, and type of exercise.
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How Long Does It Take To Burn 1000 Calories Swimming?
Although most people swim for fun, it is in reality, an aerobic activity which can help you burn calories. We will continue with the former example to illustrate the calorie-burning process using the individual weighing 160 pounds (roughly 73 kgs).
Suppose this individual was to swim for one hour. In doing so, this person would burn approximately 423 calories. To lose an estimated 1000 calories through swimming, the individual would have to swim for an extra one and a half hours. As a result, they would get to burn 1, 057.5 calories (423 + 423 + 211.5).
Calories Burned Lifting Weights
Weight lifting is also a great exercise to help you burn calories. The number of calories you burn with this exercise routine will also be influenced by your weight and exercise intensity. A person weighing 125 pounds and lifting weights for only 30 minutes will burn 90 calories (4).
If you are targeting more than 1000 calories, this means that you will have to put in a lot of work. That might mean increasing your workout duration and intensity. However, it would be best if you were very cautious when it comes to weight lifting exercises. Combining weight lifting with other activities such as aerobic exercise is a more realistic way to burn a significant amount of calories.
Although these exercises do help in increasing your muscle strength and mass, they can potentially be harmful. They may lead to injuries, knee pain, and fatigue (5). Always consult with a professional before and after starting a weight lifting program.
The Bottom-Line
How long does it take to burn 1000 calories? It primarily depends on several factors. These include the type of exercise program you have chosen, the exercise duration, and intensity. You are more likely to burn 1000 calories if you are doing an intense routine for a longer period of time.
You can determine if you are burning 1000 calories each day by calculating the calories you could burn. All you need to make this calculation is your BMR and an understanding of your activity level. Remember to seek professional help before starting any diet or exercise program to help you burn 1, 000 calories or more daily.
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DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Calculating how many calories are burned in a day (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Exercises for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour (2019, mayoclinic.org)
- How many calories do you need? (2017, medicalnewstoday.com)
- How many calories should I eat a day? (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Study finds varying the amount lifted can increase muscle strength (2002, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Ways to burn more calories every day (2020, medlineplus.gov)
- What to know about basal metabolic rate (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- What to know about walking for weight loss (2019, medicalnewstoday.com)
