Our society is driven by image.  Every day there is a new pill or fad diet to make you look like a super model.  Unfortunately almost all of these diets result in people gaining back the weight lost! And those diet pills, OY! Do they have great marketing and no research behind their statements?  (Just so we all know the FDA does not regulate diet pills! SO NO ONE IS LOOKING AT WHAT IS INSIDE THEM) So I’m going to breakdown the basics of weight loss.  It will be free, factual, and simple.  I will also provide some helpful and proven tips to help you on your weight loss journey.  As always, feel free to email for more information.

Let’s begin with the calorie.  A calorie is a unit of energy, it is the energy

needed to raise 1 gram of water 1°C.  We use calories to show us how much energy we need to live, this includes the heart beating, nerves firing, tissue repair, building cells, etc.  This is why someone who is injured, burned, or recovering from surgery requires more calories… their body has a lot of work to do.  Now that we grasp the basics of a calorie and how we measure energy in the body let’s move on to how it relates to weight.

1 pound of fat

First, one pound of body weight is equal to 3,500kcals (calories).  So to lose 1lb in one week you would need to decrease your calorie intake by 500kcals everyday… hmm that is simple enough right?  If I want to lose 2lb I would have to restrict my intake by 1,000kcals/day… wow that doesn’t leave a lot calories left to eat!  Fortunately we don’t lose and gain weight simply by what we ingest, but also from how much energy we expend (remember we need those calories (energy=food) to function).

We burn calories by moving.  Walking or running a mile burns roughly 100 calories.  So to lose the 1lb you could walk 5 miles each day or cut 250kcals/day and then walk 2.5miles/day.  Well that seems a bit better right?  When it comes to losing, gaining, or maintaining your weight it is calories in versus calories out (expended).  We eat 2000kcals and burn 500kcals, we have a loss.  We eat 1500kcals, but watch TV all day; perhaps you gain or maintain your weight. The amount of calories you need depends on your sex, weight, height, activity level.  To find out the calories you need on a daily basis you should talk to your nutritionist, they can calculate and test your metabolism (daily calorie need).  As mentioned above, more than happy to help and calculate your metabolic rate just send me an email.

        3  Simple Tips for Weight Loss:

1. DON’T skip breakfast!  I know you have heard this before but it is real.  People who skip breakfast are more likely to overeat in the evening and are more likely to be overweight.

I hear some of you saying “I don’t get hungry in the morning.”  Well, you want to know why you aren’t hungry in the morning?? Most likely it is because you ate too much at dinner or late at night.  You should feel hungry after sleeping! That is normal.

2. NO SODA NO JUICE!  We add lots of empty calories through beverages everyday.  For some of us it is soda for others a double caramel macchiato.  When we have drinks that are filled with calories we don’t feel full, don’t gain nutrients, and generally don’t count them as food.  So DON’T waste your calories on them.  Drink water, it is delicious!  Have a cup of coffee with a tsp of sugar instead of those calorie packed Starbuck’s stimulants.

3.VEGETABLES!  I know, I said the dreaded word, but vegetables are your best friend!  To lose weight try to fill half your plate with vegetables, they are low in calorie, high in fiber, and packed with vitamins and minerals.  THEY are the best!