Wednesday, December 19, 2012
How many calories a day to lose weight?
The bio-mathematics of weight lossIf you are an overweight or obese adult, you probably eat too much i.e. more than you actually need. As a matter of fact, your body needs a certain amount of calories to keep itself functional and active, and if you eat or drink more than that, you will likely gain weight. Likewise, if you consume fewer calories than you expend, you will lose weight.
So, the question is, what number of calories you actually need to consume daily to lose weight?
If you are one of those billions around the globe who are trying their best to get or maintain an ideal body weight and minimize extra body fat, this is the first and the most vital aspect you should consider.
The answer:
Your recommended per day calorie intake primarily depends on your age. If you are an adult man with average height and built, you need to take 2,500 calories / day. Similarly, if you a woman with average weight and height, you will need to take 2,000 calories daily. Do remember; however, that these calories should come from cumulative sources i.e. you should eat a healthy, balanced diet consisting of foods from all major groups e.g. proteins, carbohydrates, fats, nutrients and minerals.
If you are eager to lose weight, a good rule of thumb is that a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories leads to a weight loss of approximately one pound. Therefore, you could begin by taking five hundred less calories day, providing you are taking a healthy, well-balanced diet and performing your physical activity / exercises regularly. Simply saying, to get rid of one pound per week, you need to reduce your calories by 500 per day. There are two simple ways of doing this; eat / drink 250 lesser calories daily and burn additional 250 calories by performing physical exercise (e.g. walking or jogging for 2 to 3 miles daily).
Another way to cut back on calories is to watch your portion sizes. Go for relatively smaller, leaner, pieces of meats, perhaps. Eat as much vegetables as possible as they are low in calories but contain higher quantities of vitamins and nutrients) and avoid deep fried food (cheese burgers, fried chicken, French fries etc.). Doing these easy things will have a dynamic impact on your weight.
It’s important to remember that you don't have to starve yourself to lower your calorie consumption. As mentioned above, just take smaller portions of the foods you currently enjoy. If you need to burn those extra calories, again, you do not necessarily need to run miles a day or join a fitness club. Just remember to use the stairs, or park your car away from the door when going to work.
Last but not least, calories - knowing how to find them, how to count them and how to cut them, are key to lose weight on your own. By doing simple mathematics and implementing your diet and exercise plan accordingly, you can successfully lose your weight and maintain it for long term.
Labels: Weight Loss
How To Get A Six Pack
A toned, washboard stomach is something that is highly sought after by men and women alike but of course it does not come naturally. Many people do not have the time or the money to commit to going to the gym but that does not mean that you cannot have an enviable stomach. It can easily be achieved in the privacy of your own home without spending a fortune on equipment and it does not have to take up all of your time.
Lose the excess fat and eat well!
First things first, you need to target the areas of fat by doing some cardiovascular exercise. It does not matter how much you exercise if there is a layer of fat over your abdominals, your six pack will be unnoticeable. Examples of this would be; Running, jogging or cycling. Anything that gets your heart and blood pumping is good to not only lose weight but to stay healthy. It is important not to skip breakfast as what usually happens is you will end up eating a massive lunch due to not eating anything for hours on end which of course is guaranteed to make you pile on the pounds. You should try not to skip lunch either as again, you will end up eating a larger dinner and most people are usually not very active after dinner which will lead to weight gain. 3 sensible well balanced meals a day and if you must snack between meals, make them low fat ones.
Drink water
Make sure you keep your fluid intake up as quite often, thirst is mistaken for hunger. So when we feel hungry we are actually thirsty. Keeping our fluid levels up not only suppresses appetite so that we eat less which is good for weight control, it ensures optimum digestion, removes waste products from the body, helps to keep our skin glowing and complexion healthy and encourages our kidney to function properly which increases the efficiency of our liver’s fat burning capacities.
Build muscle
You do not need to shell out on expensive equipment to build muscle. Exercises you can do at home include, sit ups, crunches, leg lifts and using a stability ball that supports your back and body so that you can effectively perform these exercises without strain. You should carry out these exercises at least three times a week. If you do have some money to spend you can buy some dumbbells very affordably, the more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn. Lifting weights and doing some kind of resistance training is important to make sure you do not loss too much muscle mass while you are reducing your calorie intake. You need to try to do an even amount of cardiovascular and resistance training otherwise if you concentrate on sorely cardiovascular activities you may lose the muscle mass that you develop in your abs.
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Labels: Weight Loss
Lose Weight Without Being Hungry
By eating when you feel hungry, it will reduce the need to eat more between meals. So if you are literally starving yourself you are likely to end up putting on more weight. It is far better to eat consistently but smaller amounts, for example 5-6 small meals a day as opposed to 3 very large meals. The secret is not to wait too long between meals so that there is no temptation to snack which will undo all your hard work.
Most people snack because they are hungry; they have not eaten enough or have not eaten anything so before lunchtime they find themselves snacking. Never skip breakfast, this will mean you will eat a large lunch and by skipping meals, your body’s metabolism slows down and does the opposite of what you expect and holds onto the calories instead of burning them off. Eating little and often is also good for people who get a slump in the afternoon where they feel very lethargic, this is due to a drop in sugar levels due to not eating enough. Eating small meals or eating healthy snacks between meals will stabilise your blood sugar and ensure you do not get that uncontrollable tiredness in the middle of the afternoon so you won’t be reaching for the energy drink or chocolate bar for a boost of energy.
Eating slower is another way to ensure you do not over eat but you eat enough to feel satisfied. It takes about 20 minutes for the body to realise it is full so if you eat too quickly, the body will take longer to realise it is full up and obviously by that time you have eaten too much and it is too late. So by eating more slowly, the brain will send signals that you should stop eating just in time.
So as you can see, there really is no need to be hungry to lose weight; you are far more likely to keep the weight off if you eat sensibly and regularly. Eating less food can sometimes be detrimental to weight loss not to mention your health. A varied, balanced diet coupled with exercise and a bit of determination and willpower will ensure that you lose weight.
Labels: Free weight loss programs
The 4 Diet Myths
Myth 1:
We should only eat certain food groups.
Wrong. Many diets, crash diets in particular will advise cutting out particular food groups or only eating food from one food group. Our bodies cannot run on one kind type of food, we need a well- balanced, varied diet in order to stay healthy. We need a bit of fat, a bit of protein, vegetables, plenty of water, some carbohydrates and fibre. Even some of the so-called ‘bad’ foods our body will require some of those, if only in moderation but nothing should be cut out completely. Fruits, grains, nuts and seeds are also essential for a strong immune system which will ward of illness and keep you healthy.
Myth 2:
You can only get protein from meat.
This is not true. Fruits, veggies, grains, nuts, legumes and oils all contain protein. Meat is actually high in fat and sodium, particularly red meats which if eaten excessively is not good for cholesterol levels. While it does contain protein; not as much as originally thought. Grains, oils, legumes and nuts actually contain more. Our body needs about 30 grams of protein a day so as you can see, you do not have to eat nothing but meat to get your daily quota.
Myth 3:
To lose weight, cut out the fat.
Our bodies actually need some fat to function properly; it allows the muscles and joints to work smoothly. What you need to steer clear of are hydrogenated fats, good nutritious health giving fats consist of avocados, olive oil and raw nuts.
Myth 4:
You have to go without to lose weight.
Women on average should not consume any fewer calories than 1,200 a day and men generally should eat no less than 1,800 calories a day. Instead of snacking on high fat, high sugar foods, if you literally ate as much fruit and vegetables as you could manage, you would not only be satisfied and not hungry but it will have no bearing on your weight. The best way to lose weight is to eat foods as naturally as you can, with no added sugar or preservatives and cut out the unnecessary fats and simply eat what your body requires and no more, you will lose weight, stay healthy and live longer.
Labels: Diet Plan
