Weight Loss - Calorie Counting

Every one talks about the calorie intake versus calorie burnt when refering to weight loss. But what is a calorie? In simple terms, calories are the units of energy contained within any food. When we consume food the energy within the food is released and is either used up or stored as body fat. The body needs certain amount of fat reserve or the body can not function properly (in extreme cases it can even be fatal). So it is important to find the right balance of calorie intake versus the calories burnt.

How to count the calories?

In simplest terms, weight loss is all about burning more calories than the total calorie intake. If you burn off more calories through weight loss exercise than the calories you take in through food then you will loose weight. To help you understad this relationship, one pound of body fat is roughly equivalent to 3500 calories. Therefore, if you want to loose weight, you should aim to burn about 500 calories more, through exercise, than the calorie you take in through food.

So what is the easiest way to count calories?

Buy a book on how much calories are in different food produce. Alternatively, you can visit the free Calorie Calculator website to find out exactly how much calories each of your food items contain.
Prepare your own food so you know, using the calorie book, exactly how much calorie is in each meal you eat.
Stay away from ready made meals and junk foods. Although these would tell you how much calories are in each pack, you are taking in mostly empty calories which leaves you feeling still hungry afterwards. This mean you would then have the need to eat more to feed that hunger, which results in taking in more calories.

Please Note: It is important however for anyone interested in weight loss to understand that a safe weight loss program is a gradual process and you must not try to aim at loosing weight over a short persiod of time. This will ultimately lead to future problems.

Children & Obesity

In simple terms, obesity is caused when the body stores excessive calories. Obesity in civilized countries is reaching epidemic proportions. What is worrying is that the children too are now more obese than ever before in the history of man kind!

Child Obesity and Weight Loss

Calories and Weight Loss

Weight loss depends on the amount of calorie intake. Calories are used by the body to perform its day-to-day functions. However, when the calories taken in is greater than the energy burnt, then the excess calories are stored as fat. The most common reasons for excessive consumption of calories are:

Psychological
Emotional
Lack of knowledge
Habit

calories and weight loss

Weight loss plans

There are a number of VERY dangerous diet plans used to target weight loss. A dangerous, or misleading, diet is one which provides "rapid" result. Remember, in order for a diet to be effective and safe, your body needs time to adjust to the change in your lifestyle. This is because rapid dieting will almost always have health consequences, and in fact research has also shown that as soon as your body adjusts to the diet, you will start to put on weight at even a higher rate than before.

Weight loss diet

Weight Loss plans to be avoided

For legal reasons we are unable to actually name dangerous or misleading weight loss diets, however, the following is a list which should help you identify these diets for yourself.

Any diet that cuts out any essential food groups (Specially carbohydrates!)
Any diet that promises or guarantees fast result
Any diet that involves you drinking only liquid food.
Any diet that involves you buying processed and ready made "food substitutes".

Weight loss diets

Diet

The food you eat is the single most important factor in your weight loss program. Weight loss is only achieved through a healthy diet.

Weight loss diet and health

Exercise

Exercise is vital not only to a safe weight loss plan, but, is also crucial to the general operation and well being of the human body.

Weight loss exercise

Measuring Body Fat

Measuring the Body Fat is a much more accurate way of measuring how your weight loss program is going than using a bathroom scale. The bathroom scales are highly misleading!

Measure Body Fat

Swimming

Swimming is a VERY effective and safe way of burning calories. Its one of the safest ways of exercising as you do not put any excessive force on the joints.

Swimming

Walking

Walking is one of the safest form of exercise as you burn those calories without excessive wear and tear on the joints.

Walking

Pilates and Yoga

Pilates and Yoga are important to any weight loss program as they both encourage good body posture and alignment.

Pilates