Burning Bright

Your weight is the result of a number of interplaying factors which include your metabolic rate, genetics, and gender. The greatest determinant of your weight however is your calorie consumption and expenditure patterns. If your calorie intake is more than your expenditure, the surplus will contribute to those nasty extra pounds. Managing our weight is not the easiest of tasks for most of us especially nowadays when our lifestyle has become more sedentary. At the same time, we are constantly exposed to the temptation of eating in fast food restaurants. Unfortunately, it’s easier to pack extra weight than to get rid of it. Even though weight reduction is difficult, it can still be done.

How many calories to lose weight

Finding the answer to such question is the first step to creating your diet plan. There is no one fixed quantity of calories that applies to everyone as each of us has different caloric requirements being that we vary greatly in terms of metabolic rate, activity level, weight, and height. So it would make more sense to mention how much calories you are supposed to drop from your daily requirements. When nutritionists are asked the question “how many calories to lose weight,” their usual reply is to reduce daily intake by 500 to 1,000 calories. Doing this will allow you to lose one to two pounds a week, a rate which many fitness gurus consider is sustainable and safe.

Keying in “how many calories to lose weight” on your browser’s search bar will generate a long list of websites that have applications which allow you to calculate for your required energy consumption. These calculators are based on Harris-Benedict equation which estimates your daily calorie requirements using your basal metabolic rate and your activity level. A number of these websites will also give valuable pointers on how to get rid of excess pounds quickly but safely.

It must be remembered though that going on crash diets or fasting will not help you lose weight faster. If anything, extremely low calorie diets can put you at risk to a myriad of health problems which include malnutrition, and dehydration. At the same time, fasting will prompt your body to go on energy-saving mode by lowering your metabolic rate, which can further delay the realization of your fitness goals.

To increase the success rate of your weight loss plan, you have to work out aside from adhering to a calorie restricted diet. It is recommended that you spend 300 minutes in a week doing moderate-intensity cardio exercise routines, such as brisk walking, to aid in weight loss. You should also do non-aerobic activities to make your muscles stronger. Vary your activities so you will remain motivated, and remember to do the routines properly to avoid injuries.

Dieting is an effective way to achieve the body and weight you want. But how does one develop a diet plan? Before anything else, you have to determine what your targets are – do you want add weight, shed some, or maintain it a particular level. As with any goals, establishing your fitness targets need to be sensible, specific, and measurable. The next step would be to evaluate a diet program if it is the right one for your needs and lifestyle. Ensure that the diet you intend to use will supply you with the right amount of energy. Your body needs calories to function, and making adjustments to your calorie intake will help you achieve your fitness objectives. At this point, you are likely deep in thought trying to answer your query of how many calories should I eat a day to achieve my targets.

How much calories a person requires actually depends on a lot of factors, and is thus different for every individual. One of these factors include age, how fast our metabolism is, and the types of activities you do on a daily basis. Searching online using “how many calories should I eat” as keywords will likely lead you to health and diet sites that have calorie calculators. These are very intuitive and are usually based on the Harris-Benedict formula of estimating the daily calorie requirement of an individual depending on his metabolic rate and activity level. These websites, apart from providing an explanation to your question on “how many calories should I eat” will sometimes also give tips as to how you can realize your fitness goals faster.

Now that the answer to your “how many calories should I eat a day” question has been found, the next step would be to prepare a week-long meal plan. Planning ahead will eliminate the calorie guesswork along the way and make your dieting more effective and easier to sustain. Another benefit to planning your meals days or a week prior is that you are decreasing the likelihood of you spending more than you need to. Remember to incorporate more fruits, garden veggies, and fiber-rich food items in your meals too.

It would be to your advantage to keep a food log so you can keep track of how many calories you have taken so far. A research done a few years back showed that those who used a diet journal were able to lose two times more weight compared to those who did not. There are numerous diet journal software and websites that provide calorie information of common food items.

Be warned against diet fads though as some of them are unsafe, especially those that require excessive fasting. Some of the side effects of fasting include muscle atrophy, depression, decreased libido and metabolism, and a higher incidence of regaining lost weight.