Calorie counting is based on the theory that if you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. This has been proven by numerous scientific studies and many experts agree that this is one of the best ways to proactively lose weight. The easiest way to create a calorie deficit is to cut caloric intake and exercise regularly. For instance to lose one pound per week you should reduce you daily caloric needs by 250 calories and exercise to burn another 250 calories, for a total of 500 calories per day (500 x 7 days = 3500 calories or one pound).
It’s much easier to add exercise into your diet plan than to cut the same number of calories from your diet. Research has shown that weight loss participants that keep the weight off the longest exercise for maintenance. Forget low-carb diets, low-fat diets, and definitely forget about the grapefruit/master cleanse/cabbage soup diets, all promising instant results
– the fact is, weight control is all about calories burned.
“A Calorie is a Calorie”
Calorie counting by itself doesn’t account for the type of calories you’re eating, the idea that “a calorie is a calorie,” shouldn’t apply when you are trying to be healthy and/or lose weight. The quality of calories consumed is extremely important and a big part of the equation. If you want to eat healthier, lower your risk for heart disease and lose excess weight, you must nourish your body with proper nutrients.
This includes complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruit and veggies), lean protein, and small amounts of “healthy fats” (mono- and poly-unsaturated). Your goal should be to make tweaks to your daily eating habits so that you’re eating healthfully, feeling satisfied and getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs while causing a calorie deficit to lose weight. This means you have to get rid of the “diet” foods.
Those 100-calorie packs and low-fat cookies, crackers, cupcakes, etc… are merely dressed-up versions of their junk-food counterparts. They are processed junk foods that replace fats with sugar so you don’t give your body any nutrients it needs! Only when you provide your body with real, whole foods will you start to see the pounds melting off.
“Dieting Means I’ll Feel Hungry All the Time”
You may have experienced a time early on in your life when you went on a “diet.” This consisted of skipping meals and coming up with ways to distract yourself from your growling stomach. These attempts to lose weight quickly or starve yourself thin only work temporarily. You end up feeling weak, hungry and irritated. However, when you eat a diet full of nutritious, whole foods, you won’t ever feel starved and you may actually start to crave healthier fare.
A Word about Hunger
If you are on a healthy plan to lose weight you may feel a bit hungry sometimes, which is a natural response. Don’t be scared of hunger. Many people that have struggled to lose weight are afraid of feeling hungry and eat to avoid it. Instead, try to tune in to your body’s hunger queues and understand them more fully. Sometimes your body is saying it’s hungry because you’re sad and you want to fill an empty feeling or because your angry and you want to crunch on something loudly. You may overeat to numb your mind and use this as a temporary escape from the world.
Being in tune with the psychological and emotional factors that contribute to weight gain is a part of a healthy lifestyle and should be addressed separately by a counselor or psychotherapist.
Exercise + Healthy Diet = Happy & Healthy
It isn’t about a quick fix; it’s about making a lifestyle change. This is a commitment that you have to be willing to make because some of your old habits may lure you back into a life of potato chips and pizza – and that’s okay occasionally – but you have to commit to being the type of person that says “enough is enough” and puts the potato bag down!
This may mean taking a walk around the block when you’ve had a stressful day or calling a friend when you’re tempted to bury yourself in a pint of B&J’s. And the best part – eating healthfully most of the time, leaves room for the occasional treat! When you start to look at food as a fuel source that can aid in your health, rather than an enemy, you will start to lead a healthy, happier, lighter life.
How to Keep Track of Your Calories
Studies have shown that keeping a food log is an integral component to losing weight and keeping it off. By writing down everything you eat, you start to notice unhealthy patterns and instances where you may be overindulging or snacking too much. You may learn that you tend to overeat late at night because you haven’t eaten enough earlier on in the day or that all the little Hershey Kisses at work are really adding up! By keeping a log, you become more aware and start to keep yourself accountable for your actions. This is a very powerful weight-loss tool and should be part of your healthy diet plan. Here are several great websites for tracking your daily calorie intake: