Nutrition
and Calories
Nutrition and Calories go hand in hand to help you find and maintain
your ideal body weight without sacrificing your health.
According to the food and drug administration the average person needs
approximately 2000 calories a day to maintain their energy levels and
maintain a steady weight. The real number varies according to your
height, body type and level of activity.
Given that we have a limited calorie budget, it makes sense to balance
nutrition and calories such that the majority of what you eat provides
a broad spectrum of essential nutrients to the body. So when you cut
calories you need to cut the high calorie foods wisely and retain the
more healthful low calorie foods.
In order to lose one pound of body fat your body needs to burn 3500
calories more than you consume.
Let’s break that number down.
An hour on a treadmill burns somewhere between 200 and 400 depending on
how hard you work and your body type. Let’s make it a round 300. You
will need to walk or run on a treadmill for 11 hours to burn one pound.
In theory you can spread that out over 11 hours, 11 days or 11 weeks,
but in reality, regular, consistent exercise will do more to keep your
metabolism revved up than one hour of exercise a week.
Alternatively
you can cut back 500 calories a day to lose one pound a week, or 250
calories a day to lose one pound every other week.
250 calories is a
small bag of chips or a candy bar. It is also 5 or 6 pieces of fruit.
Notice that you can effectively improve your nutrition and cut calories
at the same time by swapping one candy bar for one piece of fruit.
Here is one approach to developing a life long eating pattern that lets
you maximize nutrition, minimize calories and take control of your
weight over the long term.
If your weight is steadily increasing over time, even by one pound a
year, you need to get to a place where you can hold it steady. Look for
ways to trim a small amount of food each day from what you eat until
you can maintain a steady weight over several weeks. Then look for ways
to trim a little more until you are steadily losing weight over time.
Even one pound a month is worth the effort. Look at what your weight is
today and what it was this time last year. Then ask yourself would you
rather be 12 pounds lighter this next time next year, or heavier than
you are today? To lose one pound a month you only have to give up 116
calories a day. That is less than half a candy bar. It’s the difference
between a whole milk latte and a skim latte. It’s only one handful of
potato chips.
The corollary to this is, of course, that it only takes 116 calories a
day more than your body is burning to gain one pound a week, or 12
pounds a year.
If you consistently eat too much you will consistently gain weight over
time. That’s only one light beer, or half a 12 oz bottle of a sugary
drink.
Study what you are eating and where the calories in your diet are
coming from. By developing your understanding of nutrition and
calories, you can master weight control for the rest of your life.
Philip Kustner
Watching your nutrition and calories only takes a little effort
Back
to the top of Nutrition and Calories
Head for the 7
Habits of Weight Loss Home

The
information found in and throughout The 7 Habits of Weight loss
(www.7habitsofweightloss.com) is not intended as a substitute for the
advice or treatment that may have been prescribed by your physician.Information
found here should NOT be construed as definitive or binding medical
advice and is NOT intended to diagnose, prescribe, nor endorse any
brand of products or services. Always seek the advice of your physician
or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new weight loss or exercise regimen or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
|