Thursday, February 14, 2008

Easy Weight Loss

Easy Weight Loss

The calories needed to lose weight can vary dramatically depending on how much weight you need to lose Losing weight is all about energy expenditure coupled with the amount of calories consumed so if you increase activity as well as make smarter food choices you can actually get away with eating more

When trying to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than your body is using through daily activity and metabolic function Some people find success dieting just by cutting calories but other people find that both cutting calories and increasing physical activity make it easier to lose weight quickly

When it comes to figuring out calories needed to lose weight you have to factor in your current calorie and energy levels how much weight you want to lose how quickly and how much more energy you might expend through working out

All of this presents a rather delicate balance that can make it difficult to determine exactly how much you need to cut calories While some people do quite well on a 1 200 calorie diet others who work out more may need something like a 1 600 diet to have enough energy to get through the day

While it might be a little tricky to determine personal calories needed to lose weight on your own there are many online resources that can help Here are a few to get you started

Calorie Count has an easytouse calorie counter that factors in your age height current weight goal weight and activity level to determine how many calories you can consume daily You can also either enter a date by which you would like to lose the weight or allow the calculator to project when you will have lost the weight if you follow the plan
The Calorie Control Council has a calculator that tells you how many calories you need to maintain your current weight If youd like to lose weight know that a pound of fat is about 3 500 calories so you need to consume 3 500 fewer calories or expend 3 500 more calories to lose a pound a week
Anne Collins has a quick estimate to determine your caloric needs Women should multiply their weight in pounds by 12 men by 14 Thats how many calories you need to maintain weight To lose weight drop 500 calories a day from that to lose one pound a week You will note that most of these calculators suggest losing about a pound of weight a week While it is certainly possible to lose more weight in a week if you really worked at it this is a healthy pace and easy for most people to accomplish either through eating less or moving more

If you think about this last statistic that cutting 500 calories a day can help you lose a pound a week you can see that it doesnt have to be difficult to lose weight especially if you are working out more in addition to eating less

If you burned just 300 more calories a day exercising youll only need to cut about 250 calories from your daily diet in order to lose a pound a week If you combine cutting calories and exercising more you could lose two pounds a week instead of just one and meet your weight loss goals even faster

The main trouble with calorie counting as a means to lose weight is that we tend to underestimate how much we are eating or we may not know the calorie counts of food we eat out Keeping a food diary can help track exactly what youre eating or you can just replace highcalorie foods with more fruit and vegetables and youll be well on your way to losing weight

Low Carbohydrate Diet
There seems to be an abundance of low carbohydrate diet plans in the media today Each plan has its differences but a few things remain the same All low carb diets eliminate sugars white flour and white rice All of them recommend eating whole foods instead of processed foods They all also offer a balance of nutritious foods Contrary to popular belief low carbohydrate diets are not no carbohydrate diets Vegetables and fruits are always recommended in generous amounts along with lean sources of protein The following article will give you more information on low carb diets

While they do have their critics low carb diets also known as low glycemic diets have numerous benefits Here are just a few

Reduces triglyceride and cholesterol levels
Increases HDL cholesterol the good kind
Reduces blood glucose levels
Reduces blood insulin levels
Lowers blood pressure
One study even said that a low carbohydrate diet is a patientempowering way to ameliorate hyperglycemia without pharmacological intervention In plain English that means that a patient can improve his blood glucose levels without medications by following this type of diet Of course you will always want a doctors supervision before starting any diet especially if you have health problems However the evidence is very encouraging

There really are numerous plans that advocate following a low carb way of eating More about each diet in detail can be found by reading related articles and by visiting the websites that endorse each diet Listed here are a few that you have probably heard of

The Atkins DietOne of the first low carb diet plans the Atkins Diet was first introduced in 1972 Dr Atkins taught a philosophy on nutrition that includes restricting processed foods and includes nutrientrich whole foods and nutritional supplements
Protein Power This diet first came out in 1995 and restricts all refined carbohydrates These types of carbohydrates are processed just as sugar is by the body therefore causing an imbalance of blood sugar Health issues like diabetes high blood pressure and obesity can be triggered by this imbalance
Sugar BustersThis plan also came out in 1995 It teaches that by balancing blood sugar levels you can lose weight and be healthy This is done by consuming high fiber vegetables lean meats and unsaturated fats
The ZonePopular since 1996 this plan is different that Atkins in that it has you follow an eating ratio of 40 percent carbohydrates 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat
Insulin Resistance Diet This plan made its debut in 2001 and is based on the belief that carbohydrates are addictive and cause your body to produce too much insulin This diet helps you to control your insulin to lose weight

If you are interested in learning more about these plans the best thing to do is read the book A great deal of information can be found online but to understand all the details of each plan you really need to read the book first All of these books can be found at Amazon com but if you are not ready to commit just yet try your local library Even a used book store or yard sale may yield good results If you are ready to buy the books just follow these links

The Atkins Diet
Protein Power
Sugar Busters
The Zone
The Insulin Resistance Diet
The South Beach Diet
Remember these diets all endorse eating plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables These are not high fat meat only diets Some plans may have restrictive phases in which your choice of foods is very limited but these phases are brief with some plans considering them optional phases Use common sense when starting a new diet to be sure that it is based on healthy balanced eating instead of some fad diet and you will find success

Though there is no such thing as easy weight loss there are many diets and tips you can incorporate into your life that will help you shed those pounds Losing weight should not be a painful experience but an enjoyable one that will help you feel healthier and build your selfesteem Keep in mind no matter what diet you choose you need to make two lifestyle changes diet and exercise It takes time and dedication to get to your target weight
Diet has a huge impact on you losing those pounds You can begin an effective weight loss plan by eating healthier and eliminating most of the junk food from your diet You need to change both how and what you eat For example if you love to have mayonnaise and cheese on your white bread sandwich simply cutting back on the mayo and cheese and changing your bread choice to whole wheat is a step in the right direction This step needs to be included in all the food choices for your whole diet Pay attention to what you are eating and ask yourself if it is a good healthy choice
Fruits and vegetables are highly recommended to help you lose weight They are packed with fiber antioxidants vitamins and minerals Not only will they fill up your stomach and make you feel full they are low in calories
By making just a few switches in the types of food you eat can greatly help you lose weight As mentioned replacing white bread with whole wheat bread is an easy weight loss tip for the extra fiber you will be adding to your diet Fiber helps keep you fuller longer hence fewer calories being consumed over the course of the day Also by trading in whole milk for nonfat or lowfat milk and replacing juice and soda with water you can bet you will be shaving off calories and experiencing some rather easy weight loss Another tip is instead of eating french fries consider a baked potato lowfat yogurt or a salad with lowfat dressing

One tip for easy weight loss is to avoid certain foods Soda pop is a great example as it can easily add up to 360 or more extra calories a day Of course beer is another drink to avoid or limit while losing weight You also want to avoid fast food grease and other junk food like chips and candy bars

When losing weight cutting back on calories is essential One way you can do this is by eating smaller portions Another way is to avoid snacking or change what you nibble on If you do need a snack reach for apples and carrot sticks instead of chips and candy

One of the best easy weight loss tips you will receive is to drink water. Water is a critical part of your diet no matter what your weight However it is something most dieters overlook You should drink a minimum of eight ounces a day Drinking water will help your diet because it Suppresses your appetite and helps you feel full so you will eat less
Helps your metabolism run at its optimal rate
Helps reduce fat deposits in your body
Flushes out waste products as your fat cells are shrinking

Keeping some treats in your diet may not seem like a tip for easy weight loss but your sanity is important Though junk food sweets and soda are not the best choices for you you are only human The best way to avoid ruining your diet is by rewarding yourself in moderation Allow yourself to eat something you really want that is unhealthy but not on a daily basis If you need a pop have one on Friday evenings with dinner as a way to end the week Keep those goodies in your life just enough so you will not feel like you are suffering These little indulgences will help you stick to your otherwise healthy diet

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