burn fat instead of weight loss?

I guess technically I need to lose fat then weight... does that make sence? From what I've found burning fat and losing weight are two separate things? And apparently you can lose weight and still not burn fat?

So from what I understand is muscle burns fat. So in order to burn off my belly fat I need to gain ab muscle. So how do I gain ab muscle? The only way I know how to get ab muscle is through crunches, the plank, and other really hard ab movements. I wan to burn off my tummy fat! So if you have any suggestions for me let me know asap! 

I read that you have to burn  3500 calories in order to burn one pound of fat? Is that true? So then in a week I should have definately burned some fat!

"Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym"
   -ancient bodybuilder saying

 Fat is lost from all over and you can't control where it's lost from, spot reduction is a myth. So your best bet is to strengthen all your muscles, so you have more fat-burning tissue ;)

 You will lose both fat and muscle in about equal proportion unless you strength train to preserve your existing muscle - beginners to strength training can often add a pound or two even while in a calorie deficit when first starting, and you can do things with nutrition and periodization to extend those newbie gains for longer than 6-8 weeks if you're so inclined. But in general your body will not add muscle mass unless you're in a calorie surplus or at most a calorie balance.

 You have to eat 3500 calories less than you burn to lose a pound - exercise helps in some measure, but it's your diet that determines your results, not your workout.

Now Im really confused! I have to eat more then 2000 calories to gain muscle? And to burn fat you have to gain muscle. So I HAVE to eat 2000 calories to gain muscle... but yet have a deficit to lose weight... so technically you can't do both???? I get more confused the more I try and understand.

Im almost ready to just give up on the idea.

In some measure it's simpler when you're first starting out, because you can break the 'rules' - your body is so far away from your genetic potential that anything you do will help you move closer to it.

 Most of the really complicated stuff is only neccesary to know or care about later - it's nice to know, but not neccesary for you at this stage. Just pick a program and try it to see how it works for you, then try something else after 6-8 weeks ;)

okay, let's say you eat 2000 calories in one day. when you work out, you have to burn off those calories before you begin burning off actual fat. and although you may want to burn belly fat, there really is no way to only lose weight there. it makes sense to think that when you work out you just losefat, but thats not how it works. when they say you have to burn 3500 calories to burn off a pound of fat, they mean that AFTER you burn off any calories you have taken in, you must burn off 3500 calories extra to burn off that pound of fat. But don't automatically assume that the fat you burn will be from your belly.

Here are a few helpful bits of info for someone new to counting calories :) This is very basic.

To start:

1. One pound =3500 calories.

2. "Calorie" is the word for the specific kind of energy that our bodies use for energy.

3. Our bodies require a certain number of calories just to function: breathe, digest, move, blink, toilette, think, etc...

4. We get calories from food. For women, the lowest number of calories we should take in is 1200 each day. This is extremely low.

Thinking on an individual basis:

1. CC offers each member a personal "Eat Meter" and "Burn Meter" based on a little information: how active the member is, what their current weight is, what their goal weight is, and when the member would like to reach that goal.

2. The Burn Meter estimates how many calories the member has burned up to the minute each day. When you add exercise or activity to your burn meter, it add the calories burned to your total amount of used calories each day.

3. When you add food, it will help track how many calories you have consumed.

4. The difference between calories burned (used to support all functions) and calories consumed, is that member's daily deficit. Most folks suggest that the maximum healthy daily deficit is 500.

Those are the very basics. Weight lifting helps your body be most efficient at burning more fat than muscle. The muscle you build anywhere helps fight fat loss everywhere. The bigger the muscle, the more good work it can do for you. A diet of 1200 crappy calories will leave you feeling drained and hungry, as opposed to a diet of 1200 nutritious calories.

Healthy weight loss / fat loss takes time and a plan. This site is filled with a lot of useful information and helpful links. Browse fitness, browse health, and use the search engine to find some more info.

My apologies if the info is too basic, but I sure wish I had known it when I had similar questions.

Good luck!

Spazgirl, l am no expert in this but where did you get your facts that says you have to burn ALL the calories you EAT + 3500 calories to LOSE 1 POUND. The human body uses a certain amount of calories JUST to LIVE, hence they say eat 1200cal minimum for a woman depending on your size.  So no that is actually not a factual statement.

Calories out > Calories in = weight loss. 

In order to lose as much fat and as little muscle possible do full body resistance training while maintaining a calorie deficit.

You determine your calorie deficit by subtracting the total calories that you eat for the day with the total calories that you burn for the day.  You can get estimates for those numbers using the tools on this site.

Exercise, any exercise, increases the number of calories that you burn for the day.

You should aim for a daily deficit between 500 and 1000 calories.  This will have you on target for a loss of 1 to 2 lbs a week.  Losing more than 2 lbs a week is considered to be unhealthy.

 

I agree with KMK. 

Fabnina:  In order to lose one pound you need to burn an 3500 calories more than you consume.

For example:  If you have a 500 calorie deficit a day (you burn 500 calories more than you eat) in a week you will have a 3500 calorie deficit, therefore you should lose 1 pound a week.  Example I eat 1700 calories a day.  Which for me is also my basic burn.  So if I want to lose a pound a week I need to exercise 500 calories worth each day (for me is about an hour on the eliptical) to have a 1 pound loss a week.

Good luck.

Get a personal trainer who can help you with an individualized plan.

Original Post by kristicro:

Get a personal trainer who can help you with an individualized plan.

She doesn't need to do that necessarily. There are lots of beginners programs out there: Starting Strength, 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women. There are lots of weight programs on Stumptuous

Original Post by fabnina:

Spazgirl, l am no expert in this but where did you get your facts that says you have to burn ALL the calories you EAT + 3500 calories to LOSE 1 POUND. The human body uses a certain amount of calories JUST to LIVE, hence they say eat 1200cal minimum for a woman depending on your size.  So no that is actually not a factual statement.

I feel I should clairify, so people don't get all hung up on semantics. We do need to burn 3500 calories more than we eat to burn 1 lb of fat (over time, of course). But we include the burned calories that we use just survive in this terminology, because it is still in fact calories burned.