Ultra-endurance athletes can burn up to 8,000 calories per day

For ultra-endurance athletes, it's not just their physical stamina that's impressive - but also the sheer amount of energy they can burn in a day. According to research published recently, these elite competitors may be burning up to 8,000 calories per day during their most intense activities.

This raises an interesting question: what is the metabolic ceiling for humans? Essentially, this refers to the maximum number of calories that our bodies can actually burn. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a good starting point - it's the minimum amount of energy we need to survive basic bodily functions like breathing and digestion.

However, even the most extreme athletes seem to hit a ceiling when they try to push their bodies too hard for extended periods. In one study, researchers tracked 14 ultra-runners, cyclists, and triathletes during various competitions and training sessions. They found that these elite athletes could burn up to six times their BMR - around 7,000 calories per day - but only for short bursts.

Over longer periods of time, though - say 30 or 52 weeks - the burn rates returned to a predicted ceiling of around 2.5 times the athlete's BMR. This means that even the most extreme endurance athletes can't keep burning energy at an unsustainable rate for long.

So what happens when they try to push their bodies too far? The researchers found that as the athletes devoted more energy to running and other activities, they unconsciously cut back on using energy elsewhere - like taking naps or fidgeting. This suggests that the human body has a remarkable ability to conserve energy when needed.

While this study may seem focused on ultra-endurance athletes, it actually has broader implications for our understanding of human physiology. It highlights just how much our bodies can push themselves in pursuit of performance, and also points to some fascinating areas of research into the limits of human endurance.

I think its wild to think about what our bods are capable of lol. I mean 8k calories a day is insane! But its funny you say that 'cause I've seen vids of ultra-endurance athletes and they just look like zombies after 20 miles or something. Like, how do they even recover from all that?

But seriously, the fact that our bodies have this "ceiling" for energy usage makes sense, right? I mean, we need to conserve energy for other things like sleep and recovery. And its interesting that they found out that athletes unconsciously cut back on non-essential activities when they're pushing themselves too hard. That just goes to show how adaptable our bodies are.

I'm actually kinda curious about what the study would say if they tested this on people who aren't ultra-endurance athletes lol. Do we all have the same limits or is it more variable? Anyway, its cool to see research into human physiology and endurance. Maybe one day we'll be able to push our bodies even further!

I think 8k calories is still just crazy , humans are not meant to burn that much energy, it's like trying to run a car on pure adrenaline !

I'm not buying the idea that these athletes are burning 8k calories a day . I mean, think about it, what's the point of all that excess energy? It just seems like our bodies are wired to waste heat or something. And what about the naps and fidgeting? That sounds like human body trying to chill out instead of conserving energy . This whole concept of metabolic ceiling feels like a myth to me. What if we're just not as efficient as we think we are?

I mean, think about it... we all want to push ourselves to be our best, right? Whether it's finishing a tough workout or crushing a marathon . But it's crazy how even ultra-endurance athletes can only burn so many calories before their bodies start to conserve energy. It's like our brains are just trying to keep us sane while we're out there burning up all those calories .

And what really fascinates me is that research showed these athletes didn't even realize they were cutting back on other things, like napping or fidgeting... their bodies just knew it was time to wind down . It's so cool how our bodies have this amazing ability to adapt and conserve energy when we need it most.

But what does this mean for us? Like, if even the pros can't keep going forever, what about us regular folks trying to get in shape or push ourselves a bit harder? Is there some kind of limit to how hard we can go too?

I'm literally blown away by these ultra-endurance athletes burning up to 8k calories a day!!! ‍ It's crazy to think about how much energy our bodies can handle, and that we even have a "ceiling" for it . I mean, who knew we could burn six times our BMR in short bursts? But at the same time, it's pretty mind-blowing that our bodies can adapt and conserve energy when needed - like those athletes taking naps instead of pushing themselves to the limit . It just goes to show how amazing (and fragile) our human physiology is . Can't wait to see more research on this topic!

I think its wild that even super fit athletes hit a burnout point, like literally can't take anymore energy . I mean 8k calories a day is insane! For me, I'd probably just pass out from exhaustion after burning that much . But its cool that their bodies are able to conserve energy when they need to, like my body does when I'm feeling tired and just wanna chill on the couch . This study actually makes sense to me because even though I love staying active, I know my limits too, like not being able to do a 10 mile hike without getting seriously winded . Its all about balance, right?

omg, 8k calories a day is insane! like what's even possible? and it makes sense that there's a ceiling - i mean, our bodies are amazing but they're not superheroes . it's cool that scientists are studying this stuff because i bet we could all learn from the human body's conservation skills... like taking naps more often . and yeah, i can imagine trying to push myself too far and then just wanting to chill on the couch . maybe next time i go for a long run, i'll try to 'conserve energy' by watching more Netflix instead of running .

the idea that there's a metabolic ceiling for humans is wild to me ... i mean, we're constantly pushing ourselves to be more efficient and productive, but our bodies are actually really good at conserving energy when needed . like, think about it - all those naps taken during intense training sessions? that's not just a cop-out, that's actually your body saying "hey, i need a break" . it's so interesting to see how the human body can adapt and conserve energy when faced with extreme physical demands. what does this say about our society and culture, though? are we pushing ourselves too hard because we feel like we have to keep up with the pace of progress?

I think its kinda cool that our bodies have a natural limit on how much energy we can burn, you know? Like its not just about pushing ourselves to extreme levels all the time , but also learning to conserve and find balance. It's like our bodies are constantly trying to optimize their own performance, and it's pretty amazing when you think about it .

I'm kinda amazed by these ultra-endurance athletes tho . I mean 8k calories a day is insane! Can you even imagine running that much energy? My body would be toast after like an hour of a decent workout lol.

But what's really interesting is that it seems our bodies have this hidden limit, like a metabolic ceiling. It's wild to think about how we unconsciously cut back on other things just to conserve energy when we're pushing ourselves too hard . Maybe I'll try some of these techniques for my own training... but I don't think I could handle 7k calories a day .

This study feels like it's giving us a glimpse into what our bodies are really capable of, and I'm stoked to see where this research goes from here .

I'm both impressed and concerned by these findings . On one hand, it's crazy to think that elite athletes are burning up to 8,000 calories a day - that's insane! But on the other hand, it also makes me wonder what's happening to our bodies when we push them too far. I mean, even the most extreme endurance athletes can't keep going forever? That suggests to me that there's some kind of limit to how much stress our bodies can take before they start to shut down.

And let's be real, if we're talking about pushing our bodies to 6 times our BMR, that's basically like asking a car to run on pure gasoline for hours on end - it's gonna break eventually . I'm not saying we should all become endurance athletes or anything, but it does make me think about how we're treating our bodies and whether we're taking care of ourselves enough.

At the same time, though, this study is also kind of cool because it highlights how adaptable our bodies are. Like, when these athletes were pushing themselves to the limit, they unconsciously cut back on other energy-sucking activities? That's like our brains trying to find ways to save us from ourselves . So yeah, I'm both impressed and a little worried by what we've learned here...

man think about this... even tho these ultra-endurance athletes are literally burning like 8k calories a day its still crazy how their bodies adapt & find ways to conserve energy lol theyre basically training their brains to cut back on non-essential stuff like naps so they can keep going what does that say about our limits as humans? is there really a ceiling for how much energy we can burn or are we just not testing it out yet?

I'm like "wait a minute" ... 8,000 calories per day is crazy! I don't think it's that simple though... what about all the variables? Like, what if you're training for a specific event and your body adapts to that specific activity? And what about nutrition? Are we really burning up all those calories just from physical activity or are our diets playing a major role too?

I need to see more data on this... where's the study? How did they account for factors like sleep deprivation, stress, and injury recovery? I'm not saying it can't happen, but I think we're oversimplifying this whole "metabolic ceiling" thing.

Can someone point me to some reputable sources that explore this further?

I'm telling ya, 8k calories a day is crazy talk! I mean, I've heard of people burning fat like it's going out of style on those diet shows, but this is on a whole different level . I wonder if even superheroes have limits like that or can just keep goin' and goin' forever. And what about all the napping? Like, isn't that part of recovery mode or something? This study is actually kinda interesting, though - it's like our bodies are trying to outsmart us with all this energy conservation stuff. I guess you could say we're all ultra-endurance athletes in our own way