Lose Weight by Winning the Calorie Game
Our bodies are wonderfully engineered machines which, in order to run efficiently, need fuel.
As gas is the fuel that powers a car engine, so food is the fuel that powers our body's engine.
Food is made up of nutrients: macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats) are required daily in large amounts and are thought of in quantities of ounces and grams; micronutrients (essential and non-essential vitamins and minerals) are present in the diet and the body in small amounts and are measured in milligrams and micrograms.
Vitamins and minerals contain negligible calories which makes macronutrients the major source of calories, supplying the body with energy and serving as building blocks for growth and repair.
Carbohydrates and fats are the main sources of energy, while protein is considered a 'protected nutrient' because the body reserves its use for the synthesis of tissues and molecules instead of energy use.
Protein has the added bonus of stimulating the thermogenic effect, meaning that it takes the body more calories to process protein than it can derive from its breakdown.
o Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram o Fats: 9 calories/gram o Protein: 4 calories/gram The body continuously uses a combination of carbohydrates, fats and protein to meet its energy requirements, which vary widely with age, activity level, individual genetics, body type and metabolism.
A rough guideline for maintaining body weight is: Daily Calorie Requirements for Maintenance = 15-18 X TBW (Total Body Weight) Smaller people (especially women) should aim for the lower calorie range while heavier, more muscular people (especially men but also some women) should follow the higher calorie ranges.
For weight loss, it only makes sense that we need to eat less than our bodies need while making sure however that we eat enough to allow our bodies to perform their vital functions.
There are three main ways we lose weight: o Dehydration (water loss) o Lean weight loss (muscle loss) o Actual fat loss Which of the three is the only desirable type of weight loss? The third one, of course.
Look at it this way: you can cut out carbohydrates for two days and end up losing 4 pounds of water weight by depleting your muscle glycogen stores- but is that actual fat loss? No.
As soon as you reintroduce carbohydrates into your diet, all the 'weight' lost will come back (but don't feel too bad: remember, it wasn't actual weight loss in the first place!).
This is what most fad diets, low-carb diets, no-carb diets, extremely low calorie diets, fasting diets, juice-only diets and detox diets use as a crutch to deceive millions of dieters desperate for a quick fix, a 'magic pill' that melts away fat.
While many of these diet programs can initially reduce scale weight, numerous studies have proven that they have less than 10% chance of keeping the weight off.
These diets also result in a loss of lean body mass: when the body is not supplied with enough calories from carbohydrates, fat and protein it literally 'eats itself' and cannibalizes its own muscle reserves to keep vital processes going.
Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body so muscle loss leads to a drop in metabolic rate; with each fad diet, the body learns to get by on less and less calories; muscle reserves become lower and lower; and even if the scale registers a loss, the percentage of muscle versus fat gets lower- which basically means that bodyfat percentage gets higher.
This is how fad-diet-loving Americans have become either obese or 'skinny-fat' (or as I call it, 'skinny on the outside, obese on paper').
Now that we know that in order to lose weight we need to eat less- but not too much less- how much exactly should we eat? Safe Weight Loss Rate = 1% TBW per week = 1-2 pounds per week Daily Calorie Requirements for Weight Loss = 10-14 X TBW (Total Body Weight) Losing weight at this slow, gradual pace will not result in lean muscle loss.
Again, smaller people will lose less/slower while heavier people can lose more/faster.
A pound of fat contains 3,500 calories so in order to lose 1 pound per week we need to create a 3,500 calorie deficit (or 500 calories per day).
This can come from diet alone but the best option is to divide it among a dietary deficit and calorie-burning exercise.
What kind of exercise? Weight training and cardiovascular training both have their place: o Weight lifting -> maintain muscle mass -> support weight loss o Cardiovascular exercise -> higher caloric burn -> speed up weight loss Eating a balance of healthy, nutrient-rich foods is important at all times but is especially critical while dieting, when trying to function on a limited supply of macronutients.
The most nutritious foods: o Complex carbohydrates o Lean proteins o Fruits o Vegetables The least nutritious foods: o Fats o Simple carbohydrates It only makes sense that when we cut calories, they should come from fats and simple carbohydrates.
Calorie reduction should not come from protein (for reasons discussed above) and should only minimally come from complex carbohydrates, which provide a constant source of energy and help maintain blood sugar levels, thus lessening cravings.
Also critical for successful weight loss is avoiding empty calories: foods high in calories but low on nutritional value (yes, the proverbial 'junk foods').
Examples of foods containing mostly Empty Calories: o French fries, fried chicken, chips and all other deep-fried foods A large order of fries from a fast food chain can contain up to 570 kcal with a whopping 30 g of total fat and 8 g of trans fat! Tons of calories from fat and very few micro-nutrients.
o Candy, pop and other sweetened packaged foods A can of pop contains about 130 kcal as well as additives and colorings.
Again, lots of calories from sugar but no micro-nutrients.
o Beer, wine and all other alcoholic beverages A can of beer contains about 150 kcal from sugar and not much of anything else.
In addition, calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat in the abdomen (leading to a "beer belly").
o Refined grains such as crackers, cookies, white rice and white bread Refined grains do provide some B vitamins, but that's it.
How to Avoid Empty Calories? • Avoid deep-fried foods.
Instead of deep-frying, use other methods of cooking.
For instance, have a baked potato with skin instead of fries, or a piece of baked skinless chicken breast instead of fried chicken.
Use nonstick cooking spray instead of oil or butter for "frying" or sauteeing.
• Avoid heavy sauces and salad dressings.
• Choose low-fat or fat-free options when available.
• Do not eat out daily.
• Avoid fast foods: they are usually high in fat, sodium and calories.
• Avoid sweetened drinks and canned drinks.
• Avoid fruit juices: they are high in calories, most of them coming from sugar.
• Try whole grains instead of refined grains.
Whole grains are packed with beneficial fiber and antioxidants.
For instance, have a slice of whole-wheat bread instead of white bread.
Have a bowl of whole-grain breakfast cereals or unsweetened oatmeal instead of corn flakes.
As gas is the fuel that powers a car engine, so food is the fuel that powers our body's engine.
Food is made up of nutrients: macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats) are required daily in large amounts and are thought of in quantities of ounces and grams; micronutrients (essential and non-essential vitamins and minerals) are present in the diet and the body in small amounts and are measured in milligrams and micrograms.
Vitamins and minerals contain negligible calories which makes macronutrients the major source of calories, supplying the body with energy and serving as building blocks for growth and repair.
Carbohydrates and fats are the main sources of energy, while protein is considered a 'protected nutrient' because the body reserves its use for the synthesis of tissues and molecules instead of energy use.
Protein has the added bonus of stimulating the thermogenic effect, meaning that it takes the body more calories to process protein than it can derive from its breakdown.
o Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram o Fats: 9 calories/gram o Protein: 4 calories/gram The body continuously uses a combination of carbohydrates, fats and protein to meet its energy requirements, which vary widely with age, activity level, individual genetics, body type and metabolism.
A rough guideline for maintaining body weight is: Daily Calorie Requirements for Maintenance = 15-18 X TBW (Total Body Weight) Smaller people (especially women) should aim for the lower calorie range while heavier, more muscular people (especially men but also some women) should follow the higher calorie ranges.
For weight loss, it only makes sense that we need to eat less than our bodies need while making sure however that we eat enough to allow our bodies to perform their vital functions.
There are three main ways we lose weight: o Dehydration (water loss) o Lean weight loss (muscle loss) o Actual fat loss Which of the three is the only desirable type of weight loss? The third one, of course.
Look at it this way: you can cut out carbohydrates for two days and end up losing 4 pounds of water weight by depleting your muscle glycogen stores- but is that actual fat loss? No.
As soon as you reintroduce carbohydrates into your diet, all the 'weight' lost will come back (but don't feel too bad: remember, it wasn't actual weight loss in the first place!).
This is what most fad diets, low-carb diets, no-carb diets, extremely low calorie diets, fasting diets, juice-only diets and detox diets use as a crutch to deceive millions of dieters desperate for a quick fix, a 'magic pill' that melts away fat.
While many of these diet programs can initially reduce scale weight, numerous studies have proven that they have less than 10% chance of keeping the weight off.
These diets also result in a loss of lean body mass: when the body is not supplied with enough calories from carbohydrates, fat and protein it literally 'eats itself' and cannibalizes its own muscle reserves to keep vital processes going.
Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body so muscle loss leads to a drop in metabolic rate; with each fad diet, the body learns to get by on less and less calories; muscle reserves become lower and lower; and even if the scale registers a loss, the percentage of muscle versus fat gets lower- which basically means that bodyfat percentage gets higher.
This is how fad-diet-loving Americans have become either obese or 'skinny-fat' (or as I call it, 'skinny on the outside, obese on paper').
Now that we know that in order to lose weight we need to eat less- but not too much less- how much exactly should we eat? Safe Weight Loss Rate = 1% TBW per week = 1-2 pounds per week Daily Calorie Requirements for Weight Loss = 10-14 X TBW (Total Body Weight) Losing weight at this slow, gradual pace will not result in lean muscle loss.
Again, smaller people will lose less/slower while heavier people can lose more/faster.
A pound of fat contains 3,500 calories so in order to lose 1 pound per week we need to create a 3,500 calorie deficit (or 500 calories per day).
This can come from diet alone but the best option is to divide it among a dietary deficit and calorie-burning exercise.
What kind of exercise? Weight training and cardiovascular training both have their place: o Weight lifting -> maintain muscle mass -> support weight loss o Cardiovascular exercise -> higher caloric burn -> speed up weight loss Eating a balance of healthy, nutrient-rich foods is important at all times but is especially critical while dieting, when trying to function on a limited supply of macronutients.
The most nutritious foods: o Complex carbohydrates o Lean proteins o Fruits o Vegetables The least nutritious foods: o Fats o Simple carbohydrates It only makes sense that when we cut calories, they should come from fats and simple carbohydrates.
Calorie reduction should not come from protein (for reasons discussed above) and should only minimally come from complex carbohydrates, which provide a constant source of energy and help maintain blood sugar levels, thus lessening cravings.
Also critical for successful weight loss is avoiding empty calories: foods high in calories but low on nutritional value (yes, the proverbial 'junk foods').
Examples of foods containing mostly Empty Calories: o French fries, fried chicken, chips and all other deep-fried foods A large order of fries from a fast food chain can contain up to 570 kcal with a whopping 30 g of total fat and 8 g of trans fat! Tons of calories from fat and very few micro-nutrients.
o Candy, pop and other sweetened packaged foods A can of pop contains about 130 kcal as well as additives and colorings.
Again, lots of calories from sugar but no micro-nutrients.
o Beer, wine and all other alcoholic beverages A can of beer contains about 150 kcal from sugar and not much of anything else.
In addition, calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat in the abdomen (leading to a "beer belly").
o Refined grains such as crackers, cookies, white rice and white bread Refined grains do provide some B vitamins, but that's it.
How to Avoid Empty Calories? • Avoid deep-fried foods.
Instead of deep-frying, use other methods of cooking.
For instance, have a baked potato with skin instead of fries, or a piece of baked skinless chicken breast instead of fried chicken.
Use nonstick cooking spray instead of oil or butter for "frying" or sauteeing.
• Avoid heavy sauces and salad dressings.
• Choose low-fat or fat-free options when available.
• Do not eat out daily.
• Avoid fast foods: they are usually high in fat, sodium and calories.
• Avoid sweetened drinks and canned drinks.
• Avoid fruit juices: they are high in calories, most of them coming from sugar.
• Try whole grains instead of refined grains.
Whole grains are packed with beneficial fiber and antioxidants.
For instance, have a slice of whole-wheat bread instead of white bread.
Have a bowl of whole-grain breakfast cereals or unsweetened oatmeal instead of corn flakes.
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