Calories are the basic unit of energy your body needs to function at an optimal level. Over time, when you consume more calories than you burn, the result is weight gain. So, naturally, you have to counterbalance this by expending more calories than you take in. The key to healthy weight loss, however, is gradual calorie reduction so you properly fuel your body while also losing weight.
Calculate Daily Calorie Needs
You need a specific amount of calories each day to sustain your weight. This amount is specific to your gender, activity level and current weight. Calculate the calories it takes to sustain you before you determine the calories you need to cut from your diet. Your estimated daily calorie intake is based on a simple equation of multiplying your weight by 15 if you are an active man or by 12 if you are an active woman. If you are sedentary multiply your weight by 13 if you are a man or 10 if you are a woman. Sedentary means you do not engage in regular exercise outside of day-to-day movement and active means you incorporate additional exercise into your day like brisk walks, jogging or workouts at the gym.
Reduce Caloric Intake
Healthy weight loss is on average no more than 2 lbs. per week, notes Harvard Health Publications. You can achieve this by subtracting your daily calorie requirements by 1,000. A deficit of 500 calories per day for seven days is equivalent to a loss of 1 lb. per week and this doubles if you cut your calories per day by 1,000. For example, if you need 2,500 calories to sustain your current weight, then your daily average caloric intake for 1 lb. of weekly weight loss should be 2,000 calories or 1,500 calories if you want to lose 2 lbs. per week. Consult your physician before you attempt to cut your calorie consumption because it is not safe to eat less than 1,200 calories a day if you are a woman or 1,500 calories a day if you are a man.
Cut Calorie Intake and Exercise Daily
A combination of reduced calorie consumption and burning calories with daily exercise is key in healthy weight loss. If you want to create a calorie deficit of 500 per day, eat 300 less calories than you need and burn 200 more calories through an hour of exercise. This allows you to maintain adequate levels of nutrition while also improving your chance of weight loss. Exercises including a two-mile walk, a one hour kickboxing class or circuit training mixed with cardiovascular activity can help you reach your calorie-burning goals.
Calories and Food Choice
You do not have to go on a restrictive diet plan to lose weight, but you can improve your outcomes if you choose healthier foods. Reduce the calories you consume from foods by eating fresh fruits and vegetables, limit your consumption of saturated fat and avoid high-calorie processed or packaged foods. The CDC suggests adding vegetables to each meal and choosing fresh fruit as a snack instead of cakes, chips or candy. Limit your consumption of canned or frozen foods which often have preservatives, added sugar and sodium. Opt for lean meats like skinless poultry or fish instead of fried chicken or fatty red meat. Read nutrition labels for calories per serving and limit your meal portions. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and reduce consumption of flavored beverages like soda, alcohol or concentrated fruit juice, which tend to have more calories.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: How Many Calories and Fat Grams Do You Need?
- Mayo Clinic; Counting Calories: Get Back to Weight-loss Basics; Mayo Clinic Staff; December 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How to Use Fruits and Vegetables to Help Manage Your Weight
- Harvard Health Publications: Calorie Counting Made Easy
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Balance Food and Activity
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