Doctors will tell you, dropping too much pounds too quickly can actually be bad for you. They agree that losing a pound a week is a pretty sensible plan. To be successful you just have to balance your calories. Know how much you can eat based on your body’s specific calorie requirements.
The most important thing you need to know about calories and weight loss is that you need to burn an additional 500 calories per day to lose a pound in one week.
Balance this with how many calories you take in from your daily food intake. Burn the extra 500 calories by eating less or exercising more. Doing both would be your best bet.
Do realize that bodies differ in terms of calorie requirements. A man who is moderately active and weighs 150 pounds, can burn about 2000 calories each day. At 200 pounds, that man would be burning 2300 calories each day. In the case of a woman weighing 150-pounds, she would burn about 1700 calories a day.
You have probably noticed that men and women in general have different calorie requirements. This is because men naturally have more muscle mass than women. More muscle mass means more calories burned at rest.
This makes another good reason to encourage you to put on muscle, whether you are a man or a woman.
So, going back to calories and weight loss… if you are a 150-pound woman and you don’t want to do any exercise, you need to eat no more than 1200 calories a day.
However, if you are willing to put in some work, you can eat a little bit more, provided you engage in more calorie-burning activities.
So how exactly can you burn those calories? Do some serious cleaning at home and you can scrub, mop and vacuum 432 calories an hour. Go on for about 70 minutes a day and goodbye 500 calories. Go outside, mow your lawn and burn 324 calories. Make sure you use a push mower, not those ride-on types. Play a game of singles tennis and you can burn up to 549 calories an hour. Skiing is a great calorie-burner – just one hour at it and you lose 740 calories.
Balance your calories-in versus calories-out and you will lose weight. Controlling your food portion sizes is important. Notice how meals potions have been growing along with the ratesof obesity? In the 1930s, the average dinner plate size had an 8 or 9 inch diameter. Now, the average diameter is 10 to 12 inches. So don’t fill up that “standard” size plate or choose the salad plate when you’re out eating.
Bigger portions mean more calories of course. Go for a Teriyaki Salmon dinner in one restaurant and you’ll be eating 1240 calories worth of food. Be aware that most restaurants just serve way too much and split that giant “single” serving. Or… before it even gets to you, ask the waiter to wrap up half the serving for take out. You’ll be able to clean up your plate and still have food for another meal. Most important, you’re not over-eating and sabotaging your weight loss.
Remember the magic number is 500 calories. Burn this off through exercise or take it away from your calorie intake. A little knowledge, some discipline to apply this principle will make you lose a pound a week – guaranteed.
