In order to lose weight you must first change your mindset. After you have managed to teach yourself positive thinking, you need to understand the basics of losing weight. Understanding the basics of losing weight will help you achieve your goals.
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We live in a world where “being healthy” is valued, but not always explained. We hear we are supposed to lose weight, but aren’t sure how. I can guarantee that you’ve heard things below, but that doesn’t mean you know why. So.. let’s dive into the basics of losing weight!
1. Calories in vs Calories out
You’ve heard me preach this before. The basics of losing weight is managing calories in vs calories out. That encompasses what types of food you put in your body, and what type of exercises you do to help your body burn excess calories.
Why do I need to know about calories in vs calories out? Calories make up pounds. More pounds make you fat. The more fat you are, the less healthy and happy you are. In order to lose weight you need to actual count how many calories you are eating and how many calories you are burning. If you don’t count exactly, and you decide to “best guess” how many, you won’t lose weight. simple as that.
2. Basal Metabolic Rate
Without doing any physical activity your body still burns calories. That is called your Basal Metabolic Rate. Your BMR calculates how many calories are needed to run basic bodily functions like breathing, and keeping your heart beating. Calculate your BMR here.
Why do I need to know my BMR? Incase you try to be stupid and diet to the extreme. If you have an understanding of your BMR, you will better realize that you can’t just go on some silly diet that only lets you eat 500 calories a day. That is not healthy and that is no way to lose unhealthy fat for the long hall. Your body needs fuel. It needs healthy calories to function. Don’t go below your BMR.
3. How many calories do I need each day?
Each body is different for regulating how many calories are needed. THIS is a really great form you can fill out to help you know how many calories you need for your lifestyle. {There is only 4 questions}
Why do I need to know how many calories I need each day? You need to have a starting point to understand how many calories your body needs each day {which includes the BMR talked about above}.
4. Cut Calories
Once you understand how many calories your body needs to function, and to have enough energy to sustain your lifestyle, start cutting calories. A good starting point for most people is to shoot for 500. If you cut 500 calories per day you can lose 1 pound a week.
I suggest looking at it like this. This example is if I were trying to lose weight. Say my basic BMR is 1200 calories and my Calorie Counter suggested 2000 calories a day I would:
– Cut 250 calories from my diet daily &
– Burn an extra 250 calories
Now obviously you can adjust the numbers if you were to do an exercise that burned 350 calories, then only cut 150 calories from your diet. Either way, shoot for the number 500 each day.
My favorite app is MyFitnessPal. It lets you count calories of how much you eat and how much you burn all in one place. It’s free, and it’s on your phone {you can access it online on your computer too}. Not sure how it can get better than that.
Why do I need to cut calories? 1 pound equals 3500 calories. If you are eating more calories than your daily recommended amount, you will gain weight. So, if you want to lose weight, you must restrict your caloric intake {that can be either by cutting calories or burning calories}
Now that you understand the basics of losing weight, here are 10 tips to guarantee success during your weight loss journey!
This article has been submitted to the following link party: MeetUp Monday, Weekend Wind Down on Snippets of Inspiration, Friday Fitness
