Basic Weight Loss And Diet Tips

Thirty-five hundred is the magic number. That is the number of calories in a pound. For every thirty-five hundred calories you consume, you potentially gain a pound. Conversely, for every thirty-five hundred calories you avoid ingesting, you may lose a pound. This, of course, is not an absolute. Everything, from breathing to blinking to sleeping, burns calories-about two thousand a day for the average male; fewer for women. Anything more represents potential weight gain. Less translates to weight loss.

Since most extreme diets consist primarily of depriving the body of food and needed nutrients, the weight lost by the dieter is often a combination of fat and muscle. The weight that is then regained is generally fat only, compromising the body's fat to muscle ratio, which is extremely important to an individual's health. To maintain a healthy weight, a steady diet filled with vitamins and nutrients should be combined with consistent exercise.

It sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Move your body, eat less and voila! You're skinny! The reality of successfully losing weight is a bit more challenging than that. It means limiting the portion sizes of your favorite foods, unless of course your favorite foods are dark green salads with lots of veggies and no dressing. It's safe to say that most people would list other foods as their favorites meaning weight loss programs are more of an "I need a little space" relationship from favorite foods than a "I can spend every minute of the day with you" situation. And part of the trick to successfully losing weight for the long-term is to balance that relationship you have with your favorite yummies.

A healthy lifestyle is the key to losing weight safely and effectively. When an individual combines the appropriate types of foods with an adequate exercise plan, the results can be amazing. Consuming enough of the right kinds of calories and nutrients will provide extra energy to properly maintain a regular exercise routine. There is no need for dieters to starve themselves or work themselves into exhaustion. If a proper diet full of fruits and vegetables is properly maintained, working out will be a breeze and those extra pounds will seem to fall off naturally.

There are a number of ways to increase the number of calories you burn during the day. Remember, sitting is better than standing, but walking is better than standing. Move your body. Add some zest to your day by listening to body-moving music as you clean, or cook. Take a break from the TV and go outside for a walk. Got a craving for sugar, do 20 jumping jacks or run in place or dance. Just move your body. Think about how you walk when you walk. Park further away from your office and get some extra mileage on your loafers. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Just be excited and enthusiastic about life. That alone will get you up and moving so you can burn just a few more calories a day.

Successful weight loss takes time and patience. The weight did not appear overnight, nor will it drop overnight. Taking too much weight off too quickly is dangerous. Huge fluctuations put enormous stress on your body. Also, everyone has a different metabolism, the rate at which the body burns calories. Your friend may melt pounds off effortlessly, while you struggle for small improvements. Judge yourself only by your own steady progress. If you persist, you will not only take those unwanted pounds off, but you will keep them off.

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