The only way to lose weight is to exceed the calories you consume with calories burned from activity. If you are able to sway your calorie balance to a higher amount burned than you eat each day, then you will lose weight. Counting calories means taking into account both what you eat and the activity you do. Consider both of these factors when tracking your calorie balance.
Calories and Fat
The idea behind counting calories is to burn fat and keep your lean body tissue. This is achievable through diet and exercise. In 1 lb. of fat there are 3,500 calories. Simple math will tell you that to burn 1 lb. per week, you must reach a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. If you increase your caloric deficit, then you will lose more weight each week.
Counting Your Calories
When you count calories, keep track of what you eat and your exercise program. Tracking calories means writing down and recording everything you eat everyday. Your intake should not exceed your daily needs. Any extra calories are taken and stored for later use. However, if you reduce your intake to less than you are using, your body will rely on its already-stored energy, or your fat. Keep a journal or us an online tool to record your calories and to estimate caloric burn from exercise.
Determing Your Needs
You can estimate how many calories to eat each day by figuring your resting metabolic rate. This is the amount of calories your body needs to stay alive at rest. It does not take into account activity. Eating according to your RMR means everything else you do each day, other than rest, is calories burned. For men, RMR = 88.362 + (4.799 x ht) + (13.397 x kg of weight) + (5.677 x age). For women, RMR = 447.593 + (3.098 x ht) + (9.247 x kg of weight) + (4.330 x age).
Exercise Recommendations
If you want to lose weight, try exercising five to seven days per week, states the American College of Sports Medicine. Work up to a program of 45 to 60 minutes per session at a moderate intensity doing mainly aerobic-based exercises. These can include walking, jogging, biking and swimming. Check with your doctor before starting any new diet and exercise program.
References
- Centers for Disease Control: Balancing Calories
- MayoClinic.com; Counting Calories: Get Back to Weight-Loss Basics; 2009
- "Exercise Testing and Prescription: A Health-Related Approach"; David C. Nieman; 2007
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; Mitchell H. Whaley, Ph.D., et al.; 2006
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