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Quickest Way to Lose Appearance Weight

Jun 14, 2011 | By Shannon Marks
Quickest Way to Lose Appearance Weight
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There are two types of body fat: visceral and subcutaneous. Visceral fat is found in the abdomen and surrounds vital organs. Subcutaneous fat, which is the most visible type of fat, is found beneath the surface of the skin and can give your body a lumpy appearance. Subcutaneous fat is easier to get rid of than visceral fat. In women, this outermost fat typically accumulates on the thighs and buttocks. In men, subcutaneous fat is most prevalent in the midsection and chest.

Exercise

To maintain your weight, you should do 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity most days of the week. To lose your subcutaneous fat, however, the American College of Sports Medicine stresses that healthy adults need to work out 60 to 90 minutes a day, five days a week. A 1997 study published in the journal "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" compared three groups of overweight, sedentary young women. One group did no exercise. One group exercised one to two times a week. The third group exercised three to four times a week. After 13 weeks, the group that exercised the most lost significantly more outermost fat.

Reduce Calorie Intake

A healthy person cannot gain weight if she is taking in fewer calories than she uses. One lb. of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. By reducing your calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories a day, you could conceivably drop a 1/2 to 1 lb. a week. You should also be aware of how many calories you should eat. The American Heart Association explains that a healthy sedentary female should consume 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day. A sedentary male should only take in 2,000 to 2,400. If you're a moderately active female, you can eat 1,800 to 2,200 calories, and 2,200 to 2,800 for a moderately active man. The more active you are, the more calories your body will require.

Reduce and Cut Fats

There are 9 calories in a gram of fat. So a slice of pepperoni pizza, with 13 g of fat, has 117 calories from fat alone. A chocolate cupcake that contains 15 g of fat has 135 fat calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person on a 2,000-calorie a day diet should limit fat consumption to between 44 and 78 g. Emphasize unsaturated fats in your diet, such as fish, olive or canola oils, and lean poultry. Limit saturated fats, which are found in animal products, like red meat, cheese and whole milk. Saturated fats should encompass no more than 10 percent of your total calories, which is no more than 20 g if you're on a 2,000-calorie diet. Trans fats, which are found in commercial baked goods and fast food, have no nutritional value at all. In the Nurses' Health Study, people who increased their trans fat intake by just 1 percent saw a 1.7-lb. increase in their weight.

Tips

Dieting is one of the hardest things you can do, which is why so many people are overweight and obese. Rather than setting a goal to lose as much subcutaneous fat as quickly as possible, you can make small changes each day. The Mayo Clinic suggests eating healthier foods. By increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, and restricting unhealthy fats, processed and fast food, you can significantly reduce your calorie intake. Eliminate colas from your diet. A can of soda can have 140 calories and 9 tsp. of sugar. According to a 2010 article by Medical News Today, people who drink beverages high in sugar tend to take in more calories overall and experience higher rates of weight gain. Finally, avoid sedentary activities. Depending on how much you weigh, sitting on the couch for 30 minutes while watching TV burns roughly 30 calories. Harvard Health Publications reports that gardening for a half hour burns about 172 calories, and grocery shopping burns about 130 calories.

References

Article reviewed by Jen Raskin Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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