Question:

I read on here (not sure who posted it) that a pound of fat has 3,500 calories. So in order to gain a pound over night, you would have had to consume 3,500 calories the previous day. My scale is up and down by about a pound every other day. Hovering between 142 and 143. I'm assuming it's water weight (based on the fact that I'm certainly not eating that many calories) but my question now is....if I want to lose 15 lbs, and each pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, do I really have 52,000 calories to burn before I'll be at my goal?! I feel like I'm stuck because my scale isn't moving.....and that calculation certainly isn't motivating!

I've been thinkin' about this one, and I'm not sure I have an answer, but I'll bite!
First of all, it's not an exact science. If it were, we wouldn't all be here.
Example: Let's just say a gallon of water weights 5 pounds. If you were to drink a gallon and not use the little girls room, you could be 5 pounds heavier w/o actually gaining any weight or consuming ANY calories.
Example: If you were to eat a snicker's bar (250 cal) while walking on a treadmill (for 250 cal) would it be a wash? No, because your body uses the calories (fat/carb/prot) in different ways.

An added real pound (whether it be fat or muscle) of body weight occures when you retain +or- 3, 500 calories.
I believe this to be a guideline, because I think many here have proven this wrong.

Good luck, HTH,
Peace,
Bren

Don't weigh yourself so often.