Hello Heather. I have been very unhealthy for years now due to severe depression. I am now getting my life back on track and have been going to the gym for the past month now. Now I am (as embarrassing as it is to say it publicly) 22 years old (male), 362 lbs (I am thick and most don’t think I am that big), 5’11” and I walk the treadmill every morning (before I eat Breakfast) usually at 3.0-3.4 at an incline at 3.0 (for 55 mins/+5min cool down so 1 hour)…any idea about how many calories I am burning and I eat when I get home (usually less than 350 calories in food) so am I doing right? I eat roughly 1900-2300 (depends) calories a day with my fat intake at or below 25 grams…. am I doing good and do you have any suggestions for me? – T.
Dear T,
Thanks for your comment and question on How Many Calories Do You Burn While Walking? and for sharing your story with us. Congratulations on taking control of your fitness and heading in the right direction. According to the information your provided, you are burning about 717 calories while on the treadmill. You probably burn an additional 50 to 100 calories more over the next hour after the workout.
To lose 1 pound, you have to burn 3,500 calories per week more than you consume. So if you are walking five days a week and burning that 3,500 calories, you need to eat around 1500 to 1800 calories a day, cutting back on excess sugar and empty calories. You should also drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day and go for icy cold water because this helps burn more calories as your body ‘warms’ it up once it is inside your system.
As you get more comfortable with your walking program, you should add some weight training to build muscle. Muscle will burn the fat more efficiently than just cardio alone. Now all that being said, as a 22 year old male, your chances of burning off this excess are much higher than a female of the same age because your body doesn’t need to store a lot of excess body fat. Men respond really well to weight training in combination with their cardio program.
Be sure to check with your doctor and get a physical if you haven’t already. They can also give you some tips and advice on anything you need to keep an eye on. I think you’re doing fantastic and I hope you share more of your story with us as you progress!
Heather