The math is pretty simple. One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Want to lose a pound a week? Then you need to consume 3500 calories less per week than you use. That's about 500 calories a day. By cutting out 500 calories a day from your normal daily diet, while keeping your activity level the same, you can lose approximately one pound a week.
All right - that doesn't sound like much, especially if you're more than 25 pounds overweight. Study after study has shown, though, that those people who lose weight gradually - at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week -are far more likely to keep the weight off and maintain a normal weight for a lifetime.
So how much exactly IS 500 calories? If you're going to reduce your daily intake by 500 calories, it helps to know what you need to cut out, right? Here's how easy it is to lose 500 calories a day:
* Use milk instead of cream in your coffee. Savings? 50 calories per cup.
* Skip the butter on your baked potato. Savings? 100 calories
* Drink fruit-flavored water instead of a 16 ounce soda. Savings? 200 calories
* Skip the Big Mac and have a salad instead. A Big Mac weighs in at a whopping 460 calories. A fresh salad with a light dressing? Less than 100! Savings? 360 calories
* Pass by the bag of potato chips. An average snack size bag of chips has over 300 calories. Savings? 300 calories
* Eat your corn on the ear. A 1 cup serving of canned corn has 165 calories. An ear of corn has 85. Savings? 80 calories.
* Switch to low-fat cream cheese on your bagel. Savings? 90 calories per ounce.
* Love those fries and can't give them up? Swap the skinny fries out for thick steak-cut ones. Thin French fries absorb more oil than the thicker, meatier ones. Savings? 50 calories per 4 ounce serving
If you'd rather look at losing weight from an exercise perspective, you can also lose one pound a week by upping your activity level by 500 calories a day. How easy is that to do? Take a look:
* Take a half-hour walk around the park. Aim for a pace that's a little faster than a stroll, but not fast enough to be breathless. Burn: 160 calories.
* Get out your bike and take a ride. Tackle a few moderate hills and aim for about five miles total. Burn: 250 calories
* Go dancing - and really DANCE. The longer you're out on the floor instead of at the table drinking up high-calorie drinks, the more you'll get out of it. Dancing that makes you breathless and warms up your body will net you a nice calorie savings. Burn: 400 calories for one hour
* Swimming is great for you, and a lot of fun, too. The water resistance means you burn more calories, and you avoid the stress impact on joints from aerobics, dancing or walking. Do a few laps at a slow crawl - if you can get up to an hour you'll be doing great! Burn: 510 calories
* Get out into your garden. An hour of gardening tasks that includes bending and stretching can burn up to as many calories as a brisk walk. Burn: 250 calories.
* Play a game of tennis. Hook up with a friend for a weekly tennis game and you'll be amazed at the difference. One hour of vigorous tennis is one of the best calorie burners around. Burn: 800 calories
It's important to keep in mind that all exercise/calorie numbers are based on a woman weighing 130 pounds. If you weigh more, you'll burn more. Want an added bonus to burning calories through exercise? When you exercise, you build muscle by converting it from fat. Three guesses which kind of body tissue burns more calories - even when you're not exercising. You got it - your body uses more energy to maintain and feed muscle than it does fat.
For best results, mix and match food savings with exercises that burn calories. Do keep in mind that eating less than 1000 calories a day for more than a few days will convince your body that it's starving and slow your metabolism. Keep calorie ranges reasonable, and consult a doctor if you want a quicker, more drastic weight loss.
Visit my web site for more information
Michael Contaro
simple weight loss
Every day, it seems, a new study pertaining to weight... Read More
It has been 15 years since I was diagnosed with... Read More
Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat.... Read More
Control that sweet tooth. Remember that sweet things generally mean... Read More
Low Carb, Low Fat, More protein, Eat all the fat... Read More
Close kept secrets to weight loss: Give me 9 days... Read More
The holidays are now officially over and it's time to... Read More
One of the hardest aspects of getting yourself into shape,... Read More
The Atkins diet Plan breakfast can usually composed of eggs... Read More
I can't do that Until I Lose This Weight! If... Read More
Weight loss specialists will tell you that attitude has a... Read More
Losing Weight is All About Counting Calories/Carbs and Exercising. Or... Read More
Hoodia Gordonii a cactus plant found thousands of miles away... Read More
I've talked to quite a few fellow gastric bypass patients... Read More
There are tons of fad diets and weight loss schemes... Read More
1. Increase your fiber intake. The body needs a lot... Read More
So you've decided that you're going to do it.You're sick... Read More
Sometimes it's good to just let the feelings flow. Take... Read More
Everybody you know is on the latest weight loss bandwagon:... Read More
Losing fat in my opinion is not all that difficult.... Read More
We all know that weight loss is important. We know... Read More
For the person who wants to shed a few pounds... Read More
Ephedra has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of... Read More
Weight loss can be one of the most difficult things... Read More
All of the things we tell sick people so that... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..When women talk about their biggest obstacles to successful weight... Read More
World Health Organization has observed that obesity has now reached... Read More
Are you feeling down and out? Do you feel even... Read More
If you are looking for a way to lose fifty... Read More
In this age being ignorant is like committing a crime.... Read More
It's definitely no fun to lose weight -- put it... Read More
You will be surprised to find out how many people... Read More
If you are looking for a way to lose fifteen... Read More
If you are into herbs and natural cures, you've undoubtedly... Read More
At around ?350 pounds a treatment, Lipo-Dissolve the so called... Read More
Your health is your responsibility. As a human being, you... Read More
In the early weeks after having weight loss surgery almost... Read More
The percentage of Americans who are overweight and obese is... Read More
Have you ever wondered where destiny would lead you? Have... Read More
When on a diet, snack attacks can hit hard and... Read More
When considering that pathological eating disorders and their related diseases... Read More
Developed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, The South Beach Diet touts... Read More
1. Quit snacking in between meals. Do not fall for... Read More
WEIGHT LOSS:Nutrition and weight-loss researchers say that some supplements can... Read More
Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons... Read More
In general, fast weight loss is not healthy. The faster... Read More
Sometimes it's good to just let the feelings flow. Take... Read More
Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure... Read More
There are many subscriber programs available both online and in... Read More
I had 14 weight/health-oriented newsletters in my inbox this morning.... Read More
Weight Loss |