You're trying to lose weight by watching what you eat, but the pounds aren't coming off. It might be time to take a look at the numbers. First, come up with a weight-loss goal. Then, determine how many calories you're currently eating per day. To lose weight, you will have to eat less than this number and increase your exercise levels.
Identification
A calorie is a unit of energy. Anything containing energy contains calories. One calorie is the amount of energy, or heat, it takes to raise the temperature of 1 g of water 1 degree Celsius, or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. When the word calories is used on a food label, it actually refers to a kilocalorie, equal to 1,000 calories. When most people use the word calorie, they actually mean kilocalorie.
Function
People need energy to survive. They acquire this energy from food. People need energy to breathe, move, think, grow and pump blood. Calories are used for both immediate energy and fat storage, or energy to use later. The number of calories in food refers to the potential energy in that food.
Mechanism
Calories are burnt through metabolic processes. Body enzymes break down carbohydrates into glucose and other sugars, fats into glycerol and fatty acids and proteins into amino acids. These resulting molecules are carried by the bloodstream to the cells, where they are used for energy. Over time, if you burn 3,500 more kilocalories than you consume, you will lose 1 lb.
Diets
Diets work if you consume less calories than you burn. Some people choose to do this by eating less. Successful diets usually consist of many high-fiber, low-calorie foods, because fiber causes you to feel full. Diets that work also generally restrict fat intake, because high-fat foods tend to be high in calories. The bulk of an effective diet should be made up of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Nuts, seeds, fish and poultry should be consumed in moderation. Red meat can be consumed occasionally, and lean cuts should be chosen. Highly processed foods should be avoided because they are usually nutritionally lacking and calorie dense.
Exercise
Some people choose to burn more calories than they consume by exercising. Combining diet and exercise is more effective than weight-loss programs that include diet alone, according to a 2009 study published by T. Wu and colleagues in "Obesity Review." According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 200 to 300 minutes of exercise weekly facilitates the long-term maintenance of weight loss. Overweight and obese adults should progressively work toward this goal. If a 200-lb. adult walks at a moderate pace for one hour a day, five days a week, he will burn 1,840 calories. In two weeks, he will have lost 1 lb. If he makes dietary changes as well, he will lose weight more quickly.
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