# Could you lose five pounds in one week for a million $? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853 "2010-08-20T09:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/81 "2010-08-21T18:54:49Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I’ve been going to the gym 4 times a week for about 45 minutes and eating about 2000 calories a day, i lost four pounds last week. For a million i think i could add 15 mins to my workout, i guess… Yeah, I was thinking for a million, I could just walk away from work for a week, join a gym, eat about half what I do now and spend a couple hours a day on a treadmill. Win win. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/82 "2010-08-21T19:23:38Z")
> [@supergoose](#): > > Because 1 pound is about 3500 calories, so 500 calories less per day x 7 days is 1 pound and 1000 calories less per day would be 2 pounds. Really? Do you have a cite, please? See, I tend not to eat very much (which I discovered after doing a calorie checker and being very honest on it); to drop 1000 calories per day I would have to be eating nothing whatseoever. But some weeks I’m a few pounds lighter than other weeks, so clearly I _am_ losing weight in some weeks. ---
**Author:** ![supergoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/83 "2010-08-21T19:32:08Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > > [@supergoose](#): > > > > Because 1 pound is about 3500 calories, so 500 calories less per day x 7 days is 1 pound and 1000 calories less per day would be 2 pounds. > > Really? Do you have a cite, please? > > See, I tend not to eat very much (which I discovered after doing a calorie checker and being very honest on it); to drop 1000 calories per day I would have to be eating nothing whatseoever. But some weeks I’m a few pounds lighter than other weeks, so clearly I _am_ losing weight in some weeks. Sure: [Kailey Wright Site - Your SUPER-powered WP Engine Site](http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_pound.php) ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/84 "2010-08-21T19:33:28Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > > [@supergoose](#): > > > > Because 1 pound is about 3500 calories, so 500 calories less per day x 7 days is 1 pound and 1000 calories less per day would be 2 pounds. > > Really? Do you have a cite, please? > > See, I tend not to eat very much (which I discovered after doing a calorie checker and being very honest on it); to drop 1000 calories per day I would have to be eating nothing whatseoever. But some weeks I’m a few pounds lighter than other weeks, so clearly I _am_ losing weight in some weeks. You also burn calories through exercise so if you are eating 1k less and also burning more then the weight loss will show that. The personal trainer at the gym told me a pound of muscle burns about 50 calories a day, and 10 pounds of muscle would burn a pound a week. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/85 "2010-08-21T20:03:38Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > > [@supergoose](#): > > > > Because 1 pound is about 3500 calories, so 500 calories less per day x 7 days is 1 pound and 1000 calories less per day would be 2 pounds. > > Really? Do you have a cite, please? > > See, I tend not to eat very much (which I discovered after doing a calorie checker and being very honest on it); to drop 1000 calories per day I would have to be eating nothing whatseoever. But some weeks I’m a few pounds lighter than other weeks, so clearly I _am_ losing weight in some weeks. Yes, to lose 2lbs of fat (not water) a week you need to have a daily 1000 calorie deficit, basically. Those calorie counters are just estimations. Everybody’s body is a bit different. You may have a higher basal metabolic rate than other people. You might burn off more calories than average in your daily routine. Etc. Basically, figure out what your daily calorie needs are to maintain weight, then subtract 1000 from that if you’re aiming for 2 lb/week. As you get lighter, you will have to adjust your calorie intake downward to keep the pace, as the lighter you get, the lower your calorie needs to maintain weight. Also, weight fluctuates dramatically based on your hydration levels, how much salt is in your diet (which makes you retain water), when and how big your last meals were, etc. I can (and do) fluctuate up to 8-10 pounds in a 24-hour period. Typically, if I go out and run six miles in hot weather, I will lose about five pounds in water weight if I don’t rehydrate along the way. So the challenge in the OP, if it’s strictly based on scale readings, I can accomplish right now if I wanted. But I am a particularly prodigious sweater. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/86 "2010-08-21T21:35:11Z")
Thanks for the cite. That is only about losing fat, though, not losing weight. I know most people would most like to lose fat, but weight loss isn’t quite as precise as that. Ximenean, I’m still not sure why you’re surprised at people saying that it’s possible to lose 5lbs in one week. The OP never said the weight had to be fat, the OP never sad it was to be without extra exercise (I had assumed, originally, that you guys meant 1000 cals net less, not just _eating_ 1000 cals less), and the OP never said it had to be sustainable. Maybe someone actually was talking about that kind of weight loss over a longer period and scanning back over the thread I’m missing their post (stranger things have happened). The only one I see was posted after you, and was about extremely obese people. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/87 "2010-08-21T21:55:03Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Thanks for the cite. That is only about losing fat, though, not losing weight. I know most people would most like to lose fat, but weight loss isn’t quite as precise as that. But that is what people aim for, generally. You want to lose fat, while maintaining or adding muscle. After all, fat is how excess calories are stored. Weight loss in and of itself is not a good measure of how your dieting is going. You want to measure fat loss. Many books and dietitians will even tell you: don’t look at the numbers, how your clothes fit on you is a better barometer of how your dieting is going. If you’re doing a heavy muscle-building regimen, you may maintain or even gain weight, while reducing your body fat. It’s the body fat percentage that’s the important number, not the scale. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/88 "2010-08-21T22:03:56Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@scifisam2009](#): > > > > Thanks for the cite. That is only about losing fat, though, not losing weight. I know most people would most like to lose fat, but weight loss isn’t quite as precise as that. > > But that is what people aim for, generally. You want to lose fat, while maintaining or adding muscle. After all, fat is how excess calories are stored. Weight loss in and of itself is not a good measure of how your dieting is going. You want to measure fat loss. Many books and dietitians will even tell you: don’t look at the numbers, how your clothes fit on you is a better barometer of how your dieting is going. If you’re doing a heavy muscle-building regimen, you may maintain or even gain weight, while reducing your body fat. It’s the body fat percentage that’s the important number, not the scale. Well, yes, I agree, it’s what most people aim for and it’s healthier to do so, but it’s not as easy to measure at home and it’s not what the OP was asking about. How do you find out what your body fat percentage is, do you know? I’d say mine is probably fine, but I’m curious because I’ve seen this mentioned before. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/89 "2010-08-21T22:31:50Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > How do you find out what your body fat percentage is, do you know? I’d say mine is probably fine, but I’m curious because I’ve seen this mentioned before. [Read here for the various techniques.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage) The most common ones that don’t require much specialized equipment is using calipers or scales with electric impedance analysis (which many home scales these days have.) Their accuracy is all over the map, though. As far as the scales go, their numbers might not be right, but they do tend to accurately track trend. So if you go from 23% to 20% body fat, the exact numbers may not be accurate, but you have lost about 3% of body fat. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/90 "2010-08-21T22:53:46Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@scifisam2009](#): > > > > How do you find out what your body fat percentage is, do you know? I’d say mine is probably fine, but I’m curious because I’ve seen this mentioned before. > > [Read here for the various techniques.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage) The most common ones that don’t require much specialized equipment is using calipers or scales with electric impedance analysis (which many home scales these days have.) Their accuracy is all over the map, though. As far as the scales go, their numbers might not be right, but they do tend to accurately track trend. So if you go from 23% to 20% body fat, the exact numbers may not be accurate, but you have lost about 3% of body fat. Thanks. I had calipers in mind, but they do seem pretty specialised to me, so I wondered if there was anything simple that I’d missed, and I guess the scales are that - though expensive. I guess calipers aren’t difficult to use if you have serious weight/health/fat problems. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/91 "2010-08-22T00:07:13Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Thanks. I had calipers in mind, but they do seem pretty specialised to me, so I wondered if there was anything simple that I’d missed, and I guess the scales are that - though expensive. Expensive? Not really. The basic models are around $30, and the general range is $30-$100. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/92 "2010-08-22T00:30:04Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@scifisam2009](#): > > > > Thanks. I had calipers in mind, but they do seem pretty specialised to me, so I wondered if there was anything simple that I’d missed, and I guess the scales are that - though expensive. > > Expensive? Not really. The basic models are around $30, and the general range is $30-$100. I think we have different, um, scales for ‘expensive’ when it comes to scales, then. Worth it if you have a real problem, but not something for the ordinary bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/93 "2010-08-22T00:39:57Z")
I could lose 5 pounds in 20 minutes if I’ve recently had a milk product. I’m serious, folks. It ain’t pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/94 "2010-08-22T04:26:22Z")
I’m very fat, and am doing Weight Watchers. In 12 weeks, I’ve posted losses of 5 pounds or more four times. So, yeah. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/95 "2010-08-22T04:44:07Z")
> [@j66](#): > > … > Every-one over 50 knows how. Okay, I could do it, but I’m curious about this. I’m over 50. I have NO IDEA what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/96 "2010-08-22T06:14:33Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > I think we have different, um, scales for ‘expensive’ when it comes to scales, then. Worth it if you have a real problem, but not something for the ordinary bathroom. Um, I guess. $30 is expensive for an ordinary bathroom scale? A normal scale is usually around $20. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/97 "2010-08-22T06:39:48Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@scifisam2009](#): > > > > I think we have different, um, scales for ‘expensive’ when it comes to scales, then. Worth it if you have a real problem, but not something for the ordinary bathroom. > > Um, I guess. $30 is expensive for an ordinary bathroom scale? A normal scale is usually around $20. Well, the last one I bought were about £7, about 6 or so years ago - ordinary scales that just show your weight but look quite nice. $30 is significantly more than that at any exchange rate, and that was the lower end of your estimate. But anyway, I agree that scales that show fat loss would be useful for people who need to track fat loss, and I hope that you’d agree that they’re not really relevant to this thread, unless the Archie challenger decided to suddenly move the goalposts, which would, tbf, a good way of avoiding paying out a million dollars to lots of hopefuls. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/98 "2010-08-22T06:43:18Z")
I got shingles at 19. I think I could do 20 lbs in a week, possibly more if I could cheat and donate blood or something. My weight regularly fluctuates by +/- 5lbs daily. I think about 10lbs is just water and poop. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/99 "2010-08-22T21:04:02Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > > [@j66](#): > > > > … > > Every-one over 50 knows how. > > Okay, I could do it, but I’m curious about this. I’m over 50. I have NO IDEA what you’re talking about. Really? Hmm. Well, it’s a colonoscopy; I thought it was standard preventive examination for people over 50 - my doctor told me it was. Anyhow, it’s necessary to remove all material that has not been absorbed by your intestinal tract before the examination. And you can’t drink any think the day of the exam. And there is only one appointment first thing in the morning. Lunch time to lunch time, I dropped seven pounds. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853/100 "2010-08-22T21:11:16Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > > [@pulykamell](#): > > > > [Read here for the various techniques.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage) > > Thanks. I had calipers in mind, but they do seem pretty specialised to me, so I wondered if there was anything simple that I’d missed, and I guess the scales are that - though expensive. I guess calipers aren’t difficult to use if you have serious weight/health/fat problems. Circumference measurements are, if not accurate, consistent; [Here’s one](http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html), but there’s another one that uses the wrist measurement - probably best indicator of frame. If I find it, I’ll post back. The BMI is just a height-weight chart complicated and doesn’t account for frame size or muscle mass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-lose-five-pounds-in-one-week-for-a-million/550853.md?page=6)