There are 3,500 calories in one pound of fat. Thus, if you cut back or work off just 3,500 calories, you will lose an entire pound of fat. While it is possible to cut back on your calorie intake and increase your exercise regimen in order to lose pounds quickly, it is important to note that doctors recommend that you lose no more than 2 pounds of weight per week in order to ensure that your body properly adjusts to the weight loss.
Here are some tips to help you safely drop 3,500 from your regular routine:
Run
Running for about 1 hour at a slow pace will help you lose approximately 350 calories, depending on your body type, speed and terrain. Thus, if you run for one hour five days a week while maintaining a consistent diet, you will safely lose one pound.
It is important to understand that many people who just begin running will eat pasta and other foods high in carbohydrates in order to compensate for the exertion. They think that because they worked out so hard, they deserve a treat. After all, they justify, the pasta will help to keep their energy levels high.
However, what they may not realize is that while they are justified in thinking that the carbohydrates will infuse their workout routine with energy, they are not actually setting their bodies up to lose weight. When you burn 350 calories but intake 450 over a high-carbohydrate pasta dish, you are adding more calories to your body than you otherwise would have.
Running does, however, help to boost our metabolism and change your muscle tone so that you burn calories more efficiently. Instead of inhaling a pasta dish after a run, select instead to have a large salad and splurge for the carbohydrate-rich croutons.
Eat In
When you eat out at a restaurant, not only are you subjecting your body to an array of high fat, high calorie foods, but you are also tempting yourself to eat a larger portion than you might normally eat. Therefore, what could be a simple 500 calories meal can easily turn into a 1500-calorie fat fest. In order to lose weight by cutting calories, it is essential that you are aware of exactly what you are putting into your body. Especially in the beginning of your new routine, it is important that you prepare your meals and monitor your level of hunger.
When eating out, generally you are in a social situation where food is not a priority – but spending time with your friends is. For this reason, people tend to eat more than they normally would. Non-dessert eaters often even spring for the extra round of calories. If you must eat out, help yourself avoid temptation by selecting a salad rather than a plate of pasta or burger. You will be amazed at the difference in the amount of calories you intake when you make simple choices such as meal option.
By reducing your overall calorie intake and increasing your level of physical activity, you will be able to lose those 3,500 calories without much trouble. Make sure that you stay focused, motivated and on task. You’ll shed unwanted weight in no time!
By: Joey Dweck
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Friday, May 4, 2007
What’s 100 Calories A Day?
According to the American Dietetic Association, the difference between weight loss and weight gain can be as little as 100 calories a day. Most Americans suffer from 'weight creep' - those nagging pounds that creep on over the years - at an average of about 2 pounds per year. That's 20 pounds in ten years. 40 pounds in 20. Can you afford to weigh 40 pounds more than you do now in twenty years?
The difference could be as simple as cutting out 100 calories a day from your daily diet - or adding 100 calories a day to your daily routine - or a combination of both. How hard is it to cut 100 calories a day out of your diet? Take a look.
Are you a coffee lover? If you drink your coffee with whole milk, you can save 100 calories a day by drinking two cups with skim milk instead.
Do you drink non-diet soft drinks? One 16 ounce Pepsi is 250 calories. Skip one Pepsi a day and you'll be cutting out two and a half times the suggested calorie reduction.
Substitute a plain donut for a jelly donut. You'll cut out 120 calories. Think you're doing better by choosing the lighter croissant? Think again. A croissant has as many calories as a jelly donut - 289.
If you eat out at Mickey D's, skip the dressing on your salad, or you might as well have a burger. One packet of French dressing has 160 calories.
If you go out with the guys, drink one less beer. Each 12 oz beer, even a light brand, averages 100 calories.
Want to burn it up instead of avoiding it? Here's how much time you need to spend at various activities to burn 100 calories.
Swimming energetically for just 15 minutes will burn 100 calories.
You can burn 100 calories for every hour that you do housework.
Only have ten minutes? Jump rope. At 700 calories per hour, you can burn up 100 calories in just 10 minutes!
Knit for an hour and fifteen minutes. At 85 calories an hour, it's not a major calorie burner, but if you combine that with the potato chips you can't munch while you're knitting you could be saving some substantial calories.
Stay late at the office for an extra forty - unless of course, you're missing your workout at the gym. An hour of office work burns about 140 calories.
Hop on the trampoline for fifteen minutes. Moderate aerobics exercise burns 400 calories an hour. Put on some music and dance on the tramp through four songs and you'll be doing great.
Go for a 10 minute walk - but aim for a brisk pace. Power walking burns 600 calories an hour. You can burn 100 in ten minutes.
Play a round of golf at the club. Half an hour of golfing - without a golf cart - burns 120 calories.
The beauty of it all is that you can build any of the suggestions above into your daily routine, and create a healthy habit that will keep off extra pounds and take off those that you want to lose now.
By: Kirsten Hawkins
The difference could be as simple as cutting out 100 calories a day from your daily diet - or adding 100 calories a day to your daily routine - or a combination of both. How hard is it to cut 100 calories a day out of your diet? Take a look.
Are you a coffee lover? If you drink your coffee with whole milk, you can save 100 calories a day by drinking two cups with skim milk instead.
Do you drink non-diet soft drinks? One 16 ounce Pepsi is 250 calories. Skip one Pepsi a day and you'll be cutting out two and a half times the suggested calorie reduction.
Substitute a plain donut for a jelly donut. You'll cut out 120 calories. Think you're doing better by choosing the lighter croissant? Think again. A croissant has as many calories as a jelly donut - 289.
If you eat out at Mickey D's, skip the dressing on your salad, or you might as well have a burger. One packet of French dressing has 160 calories.
If you go out with the guys, drink one less beer. Each 12 oz beer, even a light brand, averages 100 calories.
Want to burn it up instead of avoiding it? Here's how much time you need to spend at various activities to burn 100 calories.
Swimming energetically for just 15 minutes will burn 100 calories.
You can burn 100 calories for every hour that you do housework.
Only have ten minutes? Jump rope. At 700 calories per hour, you can burn up 100 calories in just 10 minutes!
Knit for an hour and fifteen minutes. At 85 calories an hour, it's not a major calorie burner, but if you combine that with the potato chips you can't munch while you're knitting you could be saving some substantial calories.
Stay late at the office for an extra forty - unless of course, you're missing your workout at the gym. An hour of office work burns about 140 calories.
Hop on the trampoline for fifteen minutes. Moderate aerobics exercise burns 400 calories an hour. Put on some music and dance on the tramp through four songs and you'll be doing great.
Go for a 10 minute walk - but aim for a brisk pace. Power walking burns 600 calories an hour. You can burn 100 in ten minutes.
Play a round of golf at the club. Half an hour of golfing - without a golf cart - burns 120 calories.
The beauty of it all is that you can build any of the suggestions above into your daily routine, and create a healthy habit that will keep off extra pounds and take off those that you want to lose now.
By: Kirsten Hawkins
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
