Calories In vs. Calories Out
That’s the basic formula for weight loss… or weight gain.
A single pound of body fat contains 3,500 calories.
Once you understand this, you need to know how many calories your body burns in a day, to calculate how many calories you should be eating.
In fact, not eating enough calories can actually cause your body to store more fat than you otherwise would on a normal diet. Eating too many calories, well, that leads to weight gain.
Let’s do some math and set a goal of 1 pound per week. (based on a 135 lb woman)
3500 calories ÷ 7 days = 500 calories per day
There are three ways to reach that number:
- eat 500 LESS calories each day
- burn 500 MORE calories each day
- eat 250 LESS and Burn 250 MORE
Naturally, option three is the best route.
So what activities can you do to reach the 250 calorie goal?
- 60 minutes walking or jogging
- 30 minutes of yoga
- 30 minutes of high intensity cardio (running, tennis, cycling, etc.)
- 30 minutes of weight training
- 60 minutes of yard work
- 45 minutes dancing
*By exercising regularly, you not only burn those calories, but increase the rate at which your body burns calories throughout the rest of your day.
What about saving 250 calories?
- drinking two less sodas each day
- skipping ice cream (½ cup)
- choose green tea over a high calorie latte
- start using whole wheat pasta
- pass on pre-dinner bread baskets
Adding exercise and a smidgen of calorie cutting to your day can drastically change the way you look and feel.
Finally, end and start your day correctly. A good night’s sleep leads to a better functioning body and more calories burned throughout the day.