Some might call it science, but me, I just call it math. I love eating as much as the next person, and often I eat far more then my own share at the dinner table. I guess it's just one of the joys cooking new things brings, tasting it after it's all done.
Of course, there comes a time when we may have had one too many taste tests. When this happens we usually start asking ourselves the question "Is it time to start losing some weight?".
I recently had this happent to me after reading a post over at Flexxbelt.org, you can read the post here. He was talking about the science behind losing one pound of fat, and in reading it I got to thinking "Is it really that easy"?
Here's the quick synopsis.
In order to burn one pound of fat you must some how burn or eat 3500 calories less then your body actually needs. In turn what happens is your body turns to it's fat stores and burns 3500 calories worth (Which happens to be about 1 lb of fat) to make up the lack of calories you ate or burned through exercise.
So how can you accomplish this 3500 calorie deficit?
Well there's a couple of ways.
#1 You eat less, or your eat more of what's better for you and less of what's known as empty calories (chips, chocolate and other junk foods). We can all figure out how many calories we need in a day (here's a calculator to help) so staying within that realm will ensure we're not gaining any more weight. Ideally you want to eat a couple of hundred fewer calories then you need each day.
#2 Get active. Being active whether it be swimming, jogging, walking or playing frisbee with your dog is burning calories. 30 minutes of swimming or jogging will burn on average 200-250 calories. If you combine that with a 200-250 calorie deficit in your diet then you're cutting 500 calories a day. Do that for a week and you've just got rid of 3500 calories or one pound of fat.
Pretty cool huh?
Now, I know you might be saying, but I really enjoy eating and I don't want to give up cooking and making some of my favorite dishes?
My response is you don't have to, but you do need to start being smarter about how much you eat (portion size) and what you eat between meals.
If you know you're making a fantastic pasta dish for dinner, maybe skip the garlic bread with it, or snack on carrot sticks that afternoon instead of chips or cookies.
Losing weight does take discipline but it shouldn't be about sacrifice other wise you'll never be able to stick to your guns.
Filed under Losing Weight by on May 10th, 2012. 
One of the greatest joys in life is snacking, and it's something everybody indulges in from time to time. Unfortunately, it's also responsible for a lot of excess calories when we take it for granted. One interesting thing about snacking that many people don't realize is that it can actually be healthy. When done properly, it helps to keep your metabolism going and prevent overeating by curbing your hunger when it comes to dinner time. The main problem is that snacking has become synonymous with things like potato chips and ice cream which is obviously not the best choice when it comes to health. Snacking is not something that should be feared, it something that you should handle responsibly so that you can enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Here are five fun and healthy snack ideas that will provide great alternatives.
Baked tortilla Chips instead of Potato Chips - these types of tortilla chips have the benefit of being just a little bit healthier without being fried. Potato chips on the other hand are probably one of the worst act alternatives because of high sodium content and all kinds of ingredients you simply don't need. Just make sure that if you're going to enjoy tortilla chips, don't load up on things like sour cream, guacamole, or cheese. Otherwise you are defeating the purpose of making the switch in the first place.
Dried Fruit and Nuts instead of Candy - instead of reaching for that bowl full of sugary non-nutritional candy, there is a wonderful alternative that comes in the form of your own trail mix. Dried fruit has benefits in terms of providing your body with nutrition without giving you unnecessary elements. A good homemade trail mix is easy to prepare and will keep you nice and follow until your next meal.
Granola Bar instead of Chocolate Bar - brands like Snickers will have you believe that their chocolate bars will give you energy and serve as a nice snack alternative. While you might get a bit of a sugar rush, it will be fleeting and you'll be left with excess calories in the end. A far better alternative is a granola bar loaded with fiber. It might not taste that delicious now but there are many brands of the market that can be just as satisfying as your favorite chocolate bar.
Low Fat Yogurt and Fruit instead of Ice Cream - for many people, ice cream is the best dessert around and it makes a nice snack as well. But if you ever knew exactly how much fat and cholesterol was contained in your favorite ice cream, you might not enjoy it quite so much. A good alternative comes in the form of low-fat yogurt that you can further flavor with fresh fruit. Obviously it's not the same thing, but it can be just as enjoyable with a bit of creativity.
Vegetables instead of Just about Everything - if you're really stumped for a new stack idea then go back to the basics with vegetables. Most people don't get enough vegetables during the day, and certainly not at snack time. It might not seem like it at first, but vegetables will benefit your health in a variety of ways, and they can actually taste great. Avoid excessive dipping sauce while doing your best to find vegetable combinations that excite your taste buds.
Remember, there's nothing in the rulebook that says you have to be strict all the time with your snack choices. Unless you're undertaking a fast weight loss program, there's no reason why you can't indulge while making creative choices and substitutions. The key is to find a routine that you actually enjoy so that you aren't constantly craving the old snacks and high cholesterol foods that have tempted you in the past. Above all else, don't get discouraged because it takes time to find new stack opportunities that eventually become personal choices.
Some more ideas here:
Filed under Losing Weight by on Dec 24th, 2011.
