The math is straightforward. 3500 calories are in one pound of fat. Would you like to lose a pound a week? Then you must consume 3500 less calories per week than you burn. This equates to roughly 500 calories each day. You can lose one pound per week by reducing your daily calorie intake by 500 calories while maintaining your current level of activity.
Okay, that doesn't sound like much, especially if you're overweight by more than 25 pounds. People who lose weight gradually - at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week - are considerably more likely to keep the weight off and maintain a healthy weight for the rest of their lives, according to research after study.
So, how many calories are there in 500? It helps to know what you need to leave out if you're going to reduce your daily intake by 500 calories, right? Here's how to burn 500 calories a day in no time:
* Instead of cream, use milk in your coffee. Savings? Per cup, there are 50 calories.
* If you're making a baked potato, leave out the butter. Savings? a hundred calories
* Instead of a 16-ounce Coke, drink fruit-flavored water. 200 calories saved
* Instead of a Big Mac, order a salad. A Big Mac has a whopping 460 calories in it. A light dressing on a fresh salad? Less than a hundred! Savings? calorie count: 360
* Walk right past the package of potato chips. A typical snack-size bag of chips contains more than 300 calories. 300 calories saved
* Eat your corn straight from the ear. A cup of canned corn contains 165 calories. An ear of corn contains 85 calories. 80 calories are saved.
* Replace the cream cheese on your bagel with low-fat cream cheese. 90 calories per ounce saved.
* Can't seem to get enough of those fries? Substitute thick steak-cut fries for the skinny fries. French fries that are thinner absorb more oil than those that are thicker and meatier. Savings? Per 4 ounce serving, there are 50 calories.
If you'd rather lose weight through exercise, increasing your activity level by 500 calories per day will help you lose one pound each week. Is it really that simple? Take a look at this:
* Go for a half-hour stroll through the park. Aim at a speed that is a little faster than a stroll but not so fast that you become out of breath. 160 calories are expended.
* Get your bike out and go for a ride. Take on a few mild hills and aim for a total distance of roughly five miles. 250 calories expended
* Go dancing - and not just any dancing. The more time you spend on the floor rather than at the table consuming high-calorie beverages, the more you'll get out of it. Dancing that leaves you breathless and heats up your body burns a lot of calories. For one hour, you'll burn 400 calories.
Swimming is both good for you and enjoyable. Because of the water resistance, you burn more calories while avoiding the stress on your joints that comes with aerobics, dancing, or walking. Perform a few laps at a slow crawl; if you can get up to an hour, you've done well. 510 calories expended
* Go outside and work in your garden. A fast walk can burn as many calories as an hour of gardening work that entail bending and stretching. 250 calories are expended.
* Go for a tennis match. You'll be shocked at the difference if you team up with a friend for a weekly tennis game. A vigorous hour of tennis is one of the most effective calorie burners available. 800 calories expended
It's vital to remember that all exercise/calorie figures are based on a 130-pound woman. If you're heavier, you'll burn more calories. Do you want to burn even more calories by exercising? When you workout, you are transforming fat into muscle. Three guesses as to which type of body tissue burns the most calories even when you aren't exercising. Your body expends more energy to maintain and feed muscle than it does to maintain and feed fat.
Combine calorie-burning exercises with food savings for the best results. Keep in mind that consuming less than 1000 calories per day for more than a few days will trick your body into thinking it's hungry and cause your metabolism to stall. Maintain reasonable calorie ranges and seek medical advice if you want to lose weight more quickly and dramatically.
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