The U.S. is one of three countries that doesn't use the metric system. Whether you measure your weight in kilograms or pounds, you still have to eliminate calories through activity or calorie deprivation, a process no system of measurement can circumvent.
The Math
To lose 1 lb. of weight you must drop 3,500 calories, reports Phyllis Balch in "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." A kilogram is 2.2 lb. Multiply 3,500 calories by 2.2 lbs/kg to calculate that you must drop 7,700 calories to lose 1 kg of weight.
The Hard Part
Math is easy. The hard part is figuring out how to eliminate the calories. Eliminate 550 calories per day, through exercise or diet, to lose about one-half kg. per week.
Estimate Losses
Use online calorie estimators to identify foods you can replace or forgo each day to eliminate 550 calories from your diet. Better yet, use a calories burned calculator to identify activities you can add to your daily routine to help trim calories. For example, if you weigh 70 kg, you can burn about 260 calories per day by 30 minutes of moderately vigorous stationary bicycling.
References
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing;" Phyllis Balch; 2006
- Diet and Fitness Today: Calories Burned Calculator
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