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Creating a Calorie Deficit Today there seems to be enough talk about weight loss to confuse anybody. With recent focus on carbohydrate or dietary fat, concern over calories has been left out. That’s a shame, because the fact is that whether you focus on dietary fats or carbohydrates or weight loss drugs, you’ll simply gain weight when you take in more calories than you burn. Period. Weight loss can only be attained when we consume fewer calories than we burn. To lose a pound you must create a 3,500 calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories, burning more calories through physical activity, or a combination of both. Then, after reaching your goal weight, its a matter of maintaining a balance between calories consumed and calories burned. While this sounds simple in theory, it is difficult for many people to put into practice. But a calorie balance can be achieved without a life sentence of food scales and measuring cups. Here are a few tips to help you get started in reducing your daily calorie intake. Keep a food diary. A written log of what we eat is a powerful eye-opener. When you write down what you eat, you eat less. A study from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research showed that keeping a food diary was a better predictor of weight loss than even exercise! Other studies have shown that those who keep a journal of what they eat are 50% more successful at losing weight and 80% more successful at keeping it off. It doesn’t have to be 365 days a year. Logging for week or two a couple of times a year can be life-changing. Change some food habits. Excess weight is a direct result of our food habits. Changing our food habits changes our weight. Try gradually trimming food portions by using a smaller plate or filling your plate a little less. Or try skipping second portions. When we start to change our eating habits, the weight begins to come off. Cut calories, not nutrition. Consuming the right balance of macronutrients, (protein, carbohydrates, and fats), each day is important not only for health but for a positive weight loss experience. Improper proportions of these critical nutrients can result in excessive hunger, poor energy levels or ravenous cravings. Replace meals with nutrition shakes. This makes cutting calories a snap. It’s calorie cutting without a calculator. Studies from Columbia university showed that women who had two liquid meal replacements daily lost weight faster than other dieters who consumed the same calories, while other studies show that people who take this approach are more successful in keeping the weight off. But remember that all meal replacements are not the same! Only use one that provides the right balance of macronutrients (we can help you with this). The right meal replacement can often offer better nutrition than the meal that it is replacing while costing less. Small steps can go a long way. By creating a daily deficit of only 100 calories, you would lose more than 10 pounds in a year. You’ll learn more about this as we go, but for now look for small steps that you can take. Change out the 500 calorie afternoon latte for a regular coffee with low-calorie creamer. Skip the 16 oz. 200 calorie soft drink and have a low or no calorie beverage instead. That alone can make a 15 pound-a-year difference. Simple changes like these can add up to a life-changing calorie deficit. |
