Tag: Calorie Deficit

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What Calories Really Are and How Understanding Them Will Help You Lose Weight


If you’ve been on a diet before, then you’ve probably heard people talk about calories. So what are calories? Why are they so important in weight loss? Without knowing these crucial terms, it’s hard to understand the science behind weight loss.

So What Are Calories?

When defined in nutrition, calories are a measure of the energy in food. The more calories a particular food has, the more energy it contains. Energy is good, right? In the right amounts, it is. Unfortunately, many of us eat too many calories on a daily basis, and that’s what makes us overweight in the first place. Excess calories in the body turn into fat, and that’s why you should only eat as much as your body needs.

How Calories Fit Into Weight Loss

So, what role do calories play in weight loss? It’s simple. When you take in or consume fewer calories than your body needs, you lose weight. When you eat too many calories compared to what your body needs, then you gain weight. Your body needs calories to expend as it carries out its basic functions (circulation, excretion, digestion, and so on) as well as to allow you to carry out other activities throughout your day. This is also where exercise fits in; since exercising helps your body burn more calories, it helps you lose weight as well.

In simple words, to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit so that your body burns fat to make up for the missing calories. This means you either need to eat less, exercise more, or do a combination of the two (the third option works best).

As a general rule, a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day usually helps you lose one pound of weight in a week. If the calorie deficit is 1000 calories, you lose two pounds. Medical professionals recommend maintaining weight loss in the healthy zone, which is around one to two pounds a week, and not more. However, if you are very obese, you may find yourself losing much more weight in the initial few weeks after you lower your calorie count.

Hopefully this post has helped you understand the link between calories and weight loss better. In a nutshell, maintain a caloric deficit, and you will lose weight. How do you maintain this deficit? It’s easy; make healthier low-calorie food choices, cut out unnecessary empty calories from sugary items and alcohol, start being more active throughout the day, and maintain a positive attitude and strong willpower. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it!


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How to Keep A Food Journal


Though exercise and weight training are very important factors for increasing your fitness and losing weight, you absolutely cannot outwork a bad diet. Your body needs certain nutrients to thrive, and it needs them in the right quantities to create the physique you want. A food journal can help you to understand exactly what’s going into your body, leaving you better equipped to plan your workouts and calorie goals.

When you write down everything you’re eating each day, you automatically become a lot more mindful about food. It’s easy to snack away on junk all day without really thinking about it, but when it comes time to write down every single thing you’ve eaten you might be shocked! This alone is motivation enough for many people to lose weight.

What To Track In Your Food Journal

Food Journal

How to Track your eating in a Food Journal

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important that your food journal shows that you created a calorie deficit for the day – that is, that you ate fewer calories than those you burned off through exercise. If you’re trying to build muscle, on the other hand, you’ll need to eat extra calories. Although you might think you can track this mentally, a journal is far more effective.

If you’re into bodybuilding then you’ll also want to keep track of your macronutrients throughout the day. When working out your bodybuilding aims, you’ll know how many proteins, fats and carbohydrates you should eat each day. A journal will ensure you’re keeping on track. If you’ve made progress, or are suffering from a lack of progress, then you can even look back through your food journal to try and find out why.

So, on a most basic level you should include the name of the food, the size of the portion and the number of calories it contained. You can also include details of protein, carbs and fats, and you can make use of a digital kitchen scale or a smartphone app if you want to note down more detailed stats.

If you’re an emotional eater then you can also use the food journal as a place to note down how you feel when you eat certain foods. This will leave you more connected to your emotions and in a much better position to understand the triggers that cause you to eat more than you should.

Yes, a food journal does take effort. However, if you start a new weight loss or diet goal without keeping track of your progress, the chances are strong that you’ll just give up without really trying.


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Best Diet to Lose Belly Fat




When you look in the mirror, do you find yourself avoiding the sight of your flabby midsection? Belly fat is unsightly and unhealthy, and anyone with a fat belly would want to get rid of it as quickly as possible. There are exercises that will firm up your abs, but to lose belly fat you will need the best fat-burning diet.

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a miracle diet. The best diet to lose belly fat will incorporate the same principles found in all healthy and sensible diets.

The following pointers will show you how to diet to lose belly diet:

1. Eat fewer calories than you expend. The only way to lose belly fat is to create a calorie deficit. You can do this by becoming more active and eating less. Use a calorie calculator to determine how many calories you need daily to maintain your weight. The number of calories will depend on your age, gender, and activity level. Cut back on the number of calories required for maintenance. Aim for at least 500 calories below maintenance, but no more than 1200 for women or 1800 for men. Cutting back too much will not only make it more difficult to lose belly fat, but you are likely to gain back the weight lost once you stop your diet.

2. Avoid unhealthy foods. The best diet to lose belly fat should avoid saturated fats, trans fats, refined carbohydrates, and junk food. Stay away from sugary drinks, white bread, and refined-grain pasta. Margarine, vegetable shortenings, cookies, etc. contain unhealthy fats that will increase belly fat.

3. Follow a Mediterranean diet to lose belly fat. Studies show that the best diet to lose belly fat is a Mediterranean diet. The diet involves a high intake of monounsaturated fats (MUFA’s) found in olive oil, olives, walnuts, grape seed oil, avocados, dark chocolate, flaxseed, and soybeans. Foods that play a prominent role in a Mediterranean diet include legumes, fruits, vegetables, unrefined cereals, and fish. It also includes a moderate intake of cheese, yogurt, and wine, and only small amounts of meat and meat products. A Mediterranean diet is low in calories but high in nutrition.



Best Diet to Lose Belly Fat

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Best Foods to Lose Belly Fat

Foods that are high in monounsaturated fats or MUFA may help you lose belly fat. While diets that are high in carbohydrates appear to increase belly fat, a MUFA-rich diet helps burn belly fat. Not only does it help you feel full longer, but it also reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Other foods that you should include in the best diet to lose belly fat include oats, green tea, and natural yogurt. These foods enhance the body’s ability to burn fat, particularly belly fat.



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