If you're trying to shed pounds, you're not alone -- not by a long shot, as evidenced by the 45 million Americans who diet each year. Even with the best intentions, though, people often find weight loss a lost cause. To give yourself the best chance of success, enter your weight loss mission armed with knowledge about the effects and dynamics of calorie cutting and exercise.
Caloric Intake
Food and drinks contain calories, or small units of energy. Foods rich in sugar, carbohydrates and fat generally contain more calories than basic food items, such as most vegetables. The average American older than 4 should take in roughly 2,000 calories daily, recommends the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, Americans -- even those with weight loss goals -- often are unaware of this guideline; only one in eight Americans knows how many calories he should ingest daily, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation.
Cutting Calories
Reducing your caloric intake provides the most effective way to slim down. The fewer calories you take, the less fat your body will store. Your No. 1 priority in your calorie-cutting initiative should focus on limiting your guilty pleasures, especially if you frequent fast food restaurants, which generally offer calorie-gorged menus, or snack on such rich treats as candy and ice cream. Replace whole or 2-percent milk with skim milk. Add veggies to your sandwiches rather than extra meat. Take a healthy snack to work so you're not tempted to buy junk food from vending machines.
Exercise
A common belief holds that exercise is as important as diet when you're trying to lose weight. Exercise burns energy, which helps you create a caloric deficit. However, the more energy you expend during physical exertion, the hungrier you become, according to "Time" magazine. So while a 125-lb. person can burn 240 calories by running for 30 minutes, he also may feel the need to replace those calories after such strenuous activity. Don't sabotage your efforts. Avoid unhealthy food-based rewards after your workout sessions.
Strategy
Mix a reduced-calorie diet with exercise for the best weight loss strategy, with a bit more emphasis on the calorie-reduction aspect. Reaching and maintaining your healthy weight isn't a short-term project -- it's a way of life. By maintaining your healthy eating habits and getting regular exercise, you can slim down and become healthier in general -- and stay that way. Keep a journal. Set forth your daily, weekly and monthly goals in terms of calories, exercise and weight loss. Evaluate where you went right -- or wrong -- at the end of each time period. Adjust accordingly.
References
- CBS News.com; Diet Plan Success Tough to Weigh; Christine Lagorio; January 3, 2005
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Appendix F: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients
- "Bloomberg Businessweek"; Diet-Driven Americans Can't Count Calories: Survey; Alan Bjerga; July 7, 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cutting Calories
- "Time"; Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin; John Cloud; August 9, 2009
- Harvard Health Publications: Calories Burned in 30 Minutes for People of Three Different Weights
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