Diet and exercise in conjunction with one another can be your best bet for losing weight effectively in a safe and healthy manner. Both of these weight loss techniques complement one another and amplify the effects of each other more than using one method alone. You should expect to see weight loss that is safe, progressive and maintainable if you individualize your program to be a lifestyle modification as opposed to a short-term plan. Ideally you want to aim for incredible losses over time as opposed to in a short period of time.
Total Calories
A single pound of body mass equals 3,500 calories. This means that if you consume more calories than you expend over time you should expect a gain in weight through storage of this energy surplus. Consequently, you should aim to base your total calorie consumption per day between 1,800 to 2,400 calories according to the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition," based on a physically active and healthy lifestyle.
Food Calories
A diet that is safe and can facilitate weight loss in a safe, healthy manner should include nutrients from as many natural food sources as possible. You should always aim to eat foods containing proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. These are all important in obtaining all the nutrients and vitamins your body needs to function on a daily basis. Although all they are all important, you should disproportionately consume calories based on the Mayo Clinic website's recommendation of 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent fats, and 10 to 35 percent proteins.
Exercise Calories
You should aim to build your program around the American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines for exercise for a healthy lifestyle. That organization recommends 3 to 5 days of cardiovascular exercise each week that is composed of 30 to 40 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. Additionally, it recommends you incorporate an additional two bouts of whole-body resistance training each week. This type of program can expend somewhere between 200 to 400 calories per session, depending on your intensity and physical health status, according to the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition."
Exercises
The exercise component of your plan should incorporate both aerobic and non-aerobic exercise. These two types of exercise affect your body differently, but are equally important. Aerobic exercise is good to improve your cardiovascular health while expending the majority of calories during activity. Whereas non-cardiovascular exercise, such as strength training, improves your musculoskeletal health in addition to stimulating the expenditure of calories following the cessation of activity, according to the journal "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise." Strength training builds muscle mass, which boosts your metabolism, even when you aren't exercising.
Slow and Progressive
Your weight loss should be in small and reachable goals that build up to one huge end goal. This method will keep you focused by allowing you to see that you've accomplished things along the way. If you only aim for one large number to lose, you may feel like it is too daunting a task or you may feel overwhelmed as time goes on. Breaking down your weight loss to 1 to 2 lbs. per week is the safest way to allow your body to adjust to the reduction in calories from diet and exercise modifications. You should aim to break down your 3,500- to 7,000-calorie deficit across the course of an entire week instead of a couple of days.
References
- "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition"; ISSN exercise & sport nutrition review: research & recommendations; R.B. Kreider et al.; 2010
- "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise"; Minimal Resistance Training Improves Daily Energy Expenditure and Fat Oxidation; E.P. Kirk et al.; 2009.
- American College of Sports Medicine
- Mayo Clinic; Healthy diet: End the guesswork with these nutrition guidelines
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