Weight Loss is all to do with CaloriesPosted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010 What is a calorie? The definition of a calorie is ?the amount of energy, or heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius?. A calorie is a unit of energy that is associated with food and drink and is a measure of the energy, or heat, that food produces as your body uses it as fuel. Fat loss = multiply your bodyweight in pounds with 12 calories (12 x lb). Maintenance = multiply your bodyweight in pounds with 15 calories (15 x lb). This is a very easy method to estimate your daily caloric requirements, but it has its drawbacks as it doesn't take into account your particular activity levels or body fat levels. Despite this it will give you a good estimated figure that you can work with. At the end of each days eating, add up the total amount of calories consumed and write them down on to the eating plan. At the end of the seven days, add the total calories for the whole week and then divide by seven, you now have your daily calorie intake. Using a calorie calculator can make counting calories easier - you can total how many calories you will need for your daily activities to give you more control over how many calories you should include in your daily diet. Another technique for low calorie eating is to watch your fat intake as this has the most calories. This is because when you return to normal eating habits, the drop in metabolic rate caused by the restriction in calories means that your old eating habits actually represent excess in calories. Not only do you regain the fat stores just lost, but also you may even gain a bit extra. Dieting by counting calories means that all foods are allowed, nothing is forbidden as long as the calories consumed don?t go over your daily calorie allowance. Counting calories can also be flexible enough to accommodate most busy lifestyles. Health professionals agree that healthy eating which includes counting calories and a low fat diet are essential for long-term healthy weight loss. The way to lose body fat and maintain muscle is to have a food program for life. Quality food and more energy output are the basics you?ll need to go for. Bulk foods that fill you up and don?t fill you out, foods that are low in fat and sugar which aren?t refined should be the ideal. Small frequent meals should be consumed during the day each containing a little protein to maintain muscle mass and energy levels. As before get the calories from high quality food but if you can?t, utilize a blender to make mixtures from skim milk with whatever nutrient additives you want to use, just as long as you keep count of the calories for your daily total. Now use these out of the blender mixtures and solid food for your daily feedings. Spread it out over many small meals a day instead of the traditional three meals a day. Like it? Share it!More by this author |