Your body needs a certain number of calories to maintain its current weight. If you can create a deficit in these calories, you'll lose body fat. A pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Generating a deficit of this amount translates into a weight loss of 1 lb. Both diet and physical activity can help generate this deficit. Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet and level of physical activity.
Dietary Changes
Dietary changes are one method known to reduce body fat. By modifying the foods included in your diet, you can reduce your caloric intake enough to create the caloric deficit necessary to shed excess pounds. The Mayo Clinic suggests focusing on the energy density in foods to facilitate this process. Some foods contain a great number of calories in a very small serving, while others contain very few calories in a large serving. Those foods that provide fewer calories in relation to their size, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy, tend to fill you with fewer calories than those foods that are high in energy density, such as red meats, full-fat dairy, refined grains and highly processed foods. Eating more foods that are low in energy density can reduce your caloric intake and encourage weight loss.
Portion Control
If you'd rather not change your diet, you can generate the caloric deficit needed to lose weight by controlling portion size. With this approach, you reduce the amount of food you eat at each meal and snack to cut your caloric intake. You basically eat what you want, but in smaller portions. You may experience hunger pains, especially if your current diet is high in fat and sugar. Both fat and sugar are denser in energy than fruits, vegetables and other wholesome foods, but you can still lose body fat if you strictly control your portions.
Aerobic Exercise
Another way to lose body fat is to increase your level of exercise. Regular physical activity increases energy expenditure, which has a direct impact on the number of calories you burn. The more energy you expend in a day, the more calories you burn, helping to generate the caloric deficit needed to lose weight. The amount of exercise necessary varies from person to person, asserts the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. But if you're able to burn enough calories to create a deficit of 500 calories each day, you can expect to lose 1 lb. of weight each week. Any aerobic activity is of benefit, so choose athletic pursuits you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing or taking part in a competitive sport. A good goal is at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
Weight Training
Though it may sound counterproductive, building muscle mass through weight training can help you shed excess body fat. The reason for this is that muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. By increasing the lean muscle on your body, you increase your caloric burn, which can help generate the caloric deficit needed to lose weight. Lifting weight, climbing stairs or even riding a bike can build additional muscle and thereby increase the amount of calories your body burns throughout the day.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Energy Density and Weight Loss -- Feel Full on Fewer Calories
- National Institutes of Health: Tips for Losing Weight
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Physical Activity and Weight Control
- Centers for Disease and Prevention: How to Avoid Portion Size Pitfalls to Help Manage Your Weight
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