This article will provide you with some basic but vital information that can help you make better decisions when it comes to choosing a weight loss program. You will learn about the three basic methods of losing weight and how each one matches particular lifestyles.
What Are Calories?
A calorie is a measure of energy. A calorie is used to indicate how much energy is required to change the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius (33.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
An average adult male, engaging in normal activities needs approximately 2,000 to 3,000 calories each day. These are the number of calories burned by the natural functions of the body on an average day.
If these calories are not replaced for an extended period of time, starvation will generally follow. However, for many of us, starvation is not the issue — getting too many calories is.
The Three Types of Weight Loss Programs
The rate at which you burn off the calories you consume each day will determine your weight gain or weight loss. Burning more calories than you take in is the basic premise of virtually all weight loss programs.
There are generally three methods that can help you accomplish the goal of burning more calories than you ingest. Depending on your needs and preferences, one of these approaches to weight loss will be right for you.
1. Burning a greater number of calories than you take in by adhering to an exercise regimen.
2. Reducing your total daily caloric intake below what you normally burn off during any given day. This approach focuses on eating less while you go about your normal daily tasks.
3. A combination of the two methods listed above. This third method incorporates exercise and limitations on the amounts and types of foods ingested.
If you have a very active life or a labor intensive job, you may find that simply cutting back on your caloric intake is enough. If on the other hand, your life is more sedentary or you have a job where you sit down all day, an exercise based weight loss program may be more effective.
It is important to note that any responsible weight loss program will also stress the importance of proper nutrition. If the program you choose doesn’t address this issue, you may want to reconsider.
All things being equal, a slow and steady weight loss program is generally safer and more effective than programs that urge you to lose weight quickly. If you must do it fast, check with your doctor prior to getting started.
Reducing your intake by 100 or 200 calories each day for six months to a year can produce some surprising results. These type long term programs also help you develop good dietary habits. This in turn often leads to more permanent weight loss.