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One pound of body fat is equivalent to approximately 3500
calories. So in order to lose a pound of fat, we need to create
a calorie-deficit of 3500 calories over a period of a few days
to a week.
We can do this by increasing our calorie expenditure, by
reducing our calorie intake, or (best) by a combination of
both.
Here are some examples:
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Suppose you need 2000 calories a day, in order to maintain
your present weight.
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To lose one pound a week, you need to take in 1500 calories,
or create a 500 calorie deficit.
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Over 7 days, this adds up to 3500 calories.
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The same result can be achieved by increasing your
exercise by 400 calories/day, and reducing your
calorie-intake by 100 calories/day.
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That said, a combination of calorie-reduction and increased
exercise makes weight loss easier to sustain and far more
healthy.
The Adventure Boot Camp Guide To Calorie Content Of Food
There are roughly 4 calories in each gram of carbohydrate or
protein, but 9 calories per gram of dietary fat. Alcohol
contains 7 calories per gram. So an obvious way of reducing your
calorie intake is to reduce your consumption of foods which are
high in fat, and drinks which are high in sugar (alcohol
= sugar).
However, proper nutrition and healthy eating is a critically
important factor in effective body fat loss. A nutritious eating
plan boosts body fat reduction in various ways. First, our
metabolism (the way we burn food) needs several
minerals and vitamins to maintain its efficiency. Without these
nutrients, our metabolism won't burn food efficiently and may
slow down, causing a reduction in our rate of fat loss. Second,
without adequate nutrition our
digestive system may not be able to digest and
process our food properly. As well as micronutrients like
vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber is also very beneficial for
our gastrointestinal tract, and helps to avoid constipation and
other indigestion-type complaints such as diverticulosis and
IBS.
The worst type of foods from both a calorie and nutritional
viewpoint are
"empty calorie" foods. These are foods and
drinks which contain very small amounts of nutrition but large
amounts of calories, using up our calorie allowance without
providing useful nutrients and energy. For anyone who is
striving to reduce body fat, these empty calorie foods should be
avoided. Examples of empty calorie food items include:
sugary drinks,
bleached, enriched, processed foods, and any foods with excess
sugar content, including
alcohol.
In addition, certain foods may be "calorie-dense".
These foods are particularly high in fat-calories (eg. butter,
mayonnaise, sausages, high-fat cheese), or they may contain an
excessive amount of both fat and sugar (eg. many types of
commercial popcorn, white flour muffins or other rich
bread-snacks, candy). Obviously, these processed calorie-dense
foods are not a good choice for someone who wants to lose excess
stored body fat.
The best type of calorie-controlled eating plan
contains foods from all food-groups (including essential fats),
and aims to help you lose about two pounds of body fat per week
max. It should be rich in high-fiber, whole grains, and should
include lean protein and a moderate amount of good quality
vegetable oils. For most women, a realistic energy intake is
1200-1600 calories per day, depending on age and energy
expenditure.
The best program I’ve found to date to help track both the quantity and
quality of calories (micronutrients and macronutrients) and your
body's own energy expenditure, is the Body Bugg program.
You can watch a demo here.
Regardless of the method though, people who keep track of what they are
eating are far more successful in their body fat reduction
efforts.
Your friend in fitness,
Brian Calkins
HealthStyle Fitness, Inc.
Cincinnati, Ohio 513-407-4665 |
