Weight Loss: Do Calories Count?

We hear so much today about different diets that tell us how to lose 1 to 2 pounds per day. We hear about carbs, fat, and special formulas. But you almost never hear about calories any more. What they don't tell you is that calories figure into most every diet out there, they just don't talk about it any more. Why? My guess is that they want us to think we can eat all we want of everything we like and still lose weight. Wrong.

Here are some of the basics of losing weight. You can quit eating all salt or take a diuretic and lose 2 to 4 pounds in a few days just getting rid of the water your body is holding because of the salt. When the water is gone, you are back to getting the real weight off.

To lose one pound of weight, you must burn 3,500 calories. Let's say that you are currently eating about 2,500 calories a day and want to lose weight. So, you decide to reduce your intake to 1,500 calories per day. In a seven-day span, you can expect to consume 7,000 fewer calories. If you divide that by 3,500 calories per pound, you can expect to lose about 2 pounds during the week if you don't consider any weight loss due to eliminating salt from your diet.

Science tells us that losing more than about 2 pounds a week over a long period of time can create more problems for you and ultimately you will regain everything you lost and more! So the admonition is to do it right and you have a much better chance of keeping weight off. After all, the goal of losing weight is to weigh less and have a healthier life.

Exercise is also important. It can accelerate your weight loss and at the same time increase your metabolism and your energy. I recommend working out 4 times a week for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise and some weight training to stay toned. Burning calories is what it is all about and this is one of the better ways to do it.

Low carb diets certainly can and do work. I have actually lost weight on that type of diet, but it is only good for a while. After all we live in the real world where we are faced with an array of foods that we want to eat. In order to take off the weight and keep it off, we must learn to eat fewer calories. We have to learn the art of moderation. It is not always easy, but we just can't eat all of the calories that we want.

Do calories count? You bet they do and anybody that tells you differently is telling you the wrong thing. You need a balanced diet and you have to learn how to eat with moderation.

By: Michael Hadaway

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Michael Hadaway has been in the sales, marketing, and research business for over 30 years. He has introduced several new items to the marketplace. He now devotes all of his time on the health industry. Join him at www.healthykitchenplus.com