Diet, Exercise, and Calories
We’re big fans of the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid) of health, and thus I now present to you the tried and true dieting secret:
3500 Calories equals 1 pound.
I kid you not. Many patients are surprised when I reveal this number to them–amazed that it even exists–and it’s probably the basis for The Weight Watchers Points system and most other similar products. The idea is simple, but just for repetition: 3500 Calories equals 1 pound. That means that for every 3500 calories you expend, you lose a pound, and for every 3500 Calories you take in, you gain one. (This is not a perfect correlation, but it’s pretty accurate.) Want to lose a pound a week? Eat 500 less calories a day. Or eat 250 less and exercise 250 more. I found a nice simple chart that gives some rough estimates of various exercises one can do and their Calorie expenditure per 10 minutes.
So how many Calories do you “need” each day? 2,000-2,500, depending how active you are. For a better estimate, try the male or female Calorie calculator.
And remember, you didn’t gain weight overnight. It was a gradual process–over months to years–so it’s not fair (although we’d all prefer it) for the weight to come off in a couple weeks. Slow and steady wins the race. 4 pounds a month is almost 50 pounds a year. And don’t forget to reward yourself; losing weight is a difficult process. Your body will fight you as much as it can; it’s still stuck in the evolutionary adaptation of trying to hold on to as many nutrients as possible.
Portion control is one of the easiest ways to lose weight; you just have to eat less. (Exercise has many of its own benefits as well, aside from helping you lose weight.) If you normally eat until you’re stuffed, try this: eat until you’re not hungry. They’re very different entities.
Ello!
I totally agree with you tat each calories spend and taken counts for those who are in need of loosing weight.
by choosing your food approproatly, you are eating smart and is much healthier way than those who skip meals to loose weight which may end up having aneroxia.
However, in our society, most people are spend most their time working out and when it comes to food, the choices are limited. Instead, i find the meal replacement programme rather effective. not only that these programmes have low calories but also contain all the nutrient that we need!
I personally tried on it and it give really good results!
i just wanna share this idea to those who really wish to shed some pounds, Good Luck!
and for over my med body – it’s a wonderful site!!
New site looks great! I used to read you last year.
This post couldn’t have been timed better. LOL Christmas coming and all. Thanks for all the great links and info. Shovelling snow and stairs eh? Who knew!
p.s Your photos are incredible. Are any of them for sale? I saw a couple I would love to frame and feature in our home. Also, what camera do you use? You’re really great at photography.
Mmm… I don’t think it’s good to encourage people to calorie count in order to lose weight. The calorie thing may be true a lot of the time but not all of the time. I just feel that when someone wants to ‘lose weight’ (for non-medical reasons), what they in fact want to do is change their body shape. The most obviously ways of doing so are diet and/or exercise, a combination of which may not equal to ‘losing weight’ (muscle being somewhat heavier than fat and all that jazz). Something I found out a couple of years ago, when I decided to ‘lose weight’ by diet and exercise. After a while, I was two dress sizes smaller but 10 lb heavier! I probably overdid the toning exercises but people should know counting calories and weighing yourself every other day isn’t the end all and be all of, and I use the term losely, ‘losing weight’.
I also think calorie counting is great in theory until you mix it together with living in the real world! I put a lot of weight on after surgery because I was home for 6 months and found WW very successful. But the calorie counting method doesn’t really take into account the days where things get too much and you blow out your calories. or the psychological reasons for eating. Its a mind, body and soul process not just a mathematical equation :)
Of course there’s other factors involved, Gugs, you’re right. It’s also important to try to teach people *not* to use food as a stress reliever. (Easier said than done, I’m definitely guilty of it.)