Fad diets, low-carbohydrate diets and low-fat diets may promise
fast weight loss through the use of supplements, meal replacements and
other products but the real secret to permanent weight loss is through
the restriction of total daily caloric intake while still providing for
balanced nutrition.
Keeping to Healthy Calorie Levels
Keep
in mind that extremely low levels of calories in the body lead to health
issues. Calories are the energy found in food that the body requires
for normal functions. The energy generated from the calories is the fuel
that powers every action that the body makes from lifting a finger to
participating in a triathlon.
The main sources of calories are the
macronutrients, namely, carbohydrates, proteins and fats although the
amounts of calories and, hence, energy provided varies from each food
source. These calories are then converted to either physical energy or
to stored fat in the body, which will remain as fat unless and until the
body draws on it as energy reserves. Thus, to lose weight, it is
necessary to either lessen total daily caloric intake or increase
physical activity or preferably both that, in turn, will lead to faster
burning of calories.
Computing the Calorie Restriction Amount
Despite
the oft-complex calorie computations used by many weight loss experts,
the idea is relatively simple. If a person eats more calories than the
calories burned for energy, the faster weight gain happens. Even the
basic formula for knowing exactly how much calories must be consumed and
burned to lose weight is easy.
Take note that 1 pound of fat in
the body equals 3,500 calories. So, if you want to lose 1 pound, then
you must burn 3,500 calories. Now, let's assume that you want to lose 1
pound in bodyweight every week. Just divide the number of calories in
the pound by the number of days (3,500/7) to arrive at 500, which
represents the amount of calories that must be lessened from your daily
diet.
Cutting the Calories
Contrary to popular perception,
cutting the calories from the daily diet is not an exercise in
frustration. The secret to success in calorie restriction is to
gradually ease into the required diet change instead of doing a complete
180-degree turn. You will end up with hunger pangs so great that
bingeing on food in unavoidable, which will put you back to square one.
Experts recommend three steps in effective calorie restriction:
•
Skip the high-calorie indulgences of the day such as the bowl of ice
cream after dinner, the snack bar during lunch break, and the latte with
extra cream in the mornings.
• Substitute the high-calorie food
with a low-calorie option. Choose the option that will still appeal to
your sense of taste so you don't feel too deprived. For example, opt for
diet soda instead of blended caramel coffee iced coffee.
• Reduce
portion sizes for the obvious reason that lesser portion sizes lead to
fewer calories. Instead of the 1 cup pasta, opt for just a half cup.
Effective
calorie restriction must be combined with moderate exercise and healthy
lifestyle habits for the weight loss results to stick, so to speak.
Keep in mind that this is the trinity of effective weight loss such that
one missing component cripples your efforts to look and feel fit and
healthy again.
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