How to lose weight?
It’s a question that people often ask-how much should I be eating to lose weight! If you are asking this question, then the answer is probably less than you currently are!
People always underestimate the calories they are eating, and it’s only once they start tracking their intake carefully that they put themselves in a position to start to make a change.
However, today I will be discussing the pure numbers behind the science of weight loss.
Is weight loss just a calculation?
Unfortunately, weight loss is a pure mathematical equation. If calories in = more than calories burnt, then you will gain weight. If calories in = less than calories burnt, you will start to lose weight. If you want to lose weight, this is the only way. Other diets/fads will just be putting you in a situation where the above is true.
There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. By creating 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight.
Alternatively, there are a total of 7700 calories in 1 kilogram of fat. Applying the same logic we have used above, to burn 1 kilogram of fat, you will need to create a calories deficit of 7700.
In theory, it is possible to lose 1 pound or even 1 Kg in a day by eating nothing and working out, but that’s incredibly extreme. A more measured, incremental approach will be much safer, and likely to ensure you stick to your plan. By that, slowly reduce your calorie intake, and gradually increase your exercise. If you are looking for an easy way to start ramping up your exercise, schedule a 30 min walk for yourself each day!
Ok-so where to start? If you want to lose weight, a good starting point is to aim to reduce your calorie intake by about 500-1000 calories per day. By consistently staying in that rage you will be in a calorie deficit, and as such you will be using stored calories to power your metabolism.
When setting yourself a goal however, there are limits. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men. Whilst you may have a goal or date in mind you want to lose the weight for, doing it over a sensible sustained period of time is always the best approach!
