At it's core weight loss is an incredibly simple endeavor. If you want to lose weight then you need to burn more calories then you are consuming. If you are eating more calories then your body is using up daily then you are going to gain weight. If you consume less calories then your body is using then you will lose weight. The concept is simple, yes, but there are variables that you can throw into the mix that, while making things a little more complicated, will ultimately allow you to lose weight more easily.
Find out how many calories you are burning
The first step to being successful with your pursuit is to find out how many calories you are burning on a day to day basis. You can do this by using something called a TDEE calculator. TDEE is just a short way of saying total daily energy expenditure. A website such as this one will make everything very easy and completely hands off for you. A TDEE calculator will take into account how many calories you are eating on a daily basis, your current weight, age, sex, how much exercise you are getting and how vigorous this exercise is, and so on. Essentially, it has all of your bases covered regarding getting an accurate result.
The general rule of thumb as far as lowering your weight at a steady rate is to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE every day. If you do this then you can expect to lose roughly 1-2 pounds (keep in mind it could be more) per week. You might be thinking, "This is completely unacceptable and just not fast enough for my current weight goal for summer time!". The thing you need to realize is that steady weight loss is better than no weight loss at all. You don't want to start your journey and then stop after a few days or weeks. This method is better than a fad diet because it is tried, tested, and proven to work.
It's also important to realize that it is possible to speed things up with things such as exercise. In the next section we'll talk about using resistance training (commonly known as lifting weights) to your advantage when it comes to losing weight and getting healthy. Surely you already know that running and jogging are big players when it comes to options for exercise based weight loss but you would be surprised as to how resistance training can further help you along with your lifestyle change.
The general rule of thumb as far as lowering your weight at a steady rate is to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE every day. If you do this then you can expect to lose roughly 1-2 pounds (keep in mind it could be more) per week. You might be thinking, "This is completely unacceptable and just not fast enough for my current weight goal for summer time!". The thing you need to realize is that steady weight loss is better than no weight loss at all. You don't want to start your journey and then stop after a few days or weeks. This method is better than a fad diet because it is tried, tested, and proven to work.
It's also important to realize that it is possible to speed things up with things such as exercise. In the next section we'll talk about using resistance training (commonly known as lifting weights) to your advantage when it comes to losing weight and getting healthy. Surely you already know that running and jogging are big players when it comes to options for exercise based weight loss but you would be surprised as to how resistance training can further help you along with your lifestyle change.
The benefits of resistance training (you don't need to get ripped)
Popular forms of cardio exercise such as running, jogging, or swimming are great because performing those exercises burns calories upon completion. If you run (or even walk) every single day then you are doing something very positive for your weight loss goals. The only problem with cardio exercises is that you only burn calories for that single session. This is where adding resistance training comes into play and allows you to burn calories around the clock.
When you perform a resistance exercise such as lifting dumbbells or doing squats you not only burn calories during the time you are presently exercising but your metabolism is also raised for a day or two after you have completed the exercises. This is something that is well known among fitness enthusiasts and is proven to happen.
Weight lifting is also good for raising your metabolism and in turn losing weight because packing on muscle turns up your metabolic rate. Each pound of muscle you gain could in turn burn up to an extra 50 calories a day. That may be an incredibly small portion of food but the thing to realize is that this calorie burning is occurring every single day and if you are refining your diet through calculating your TDEE then it will definitely have a positive effect over time.
Above all resistance training makes for a much more attractive body and will provide for a much more pleasant look as you are slimming down. You may find that your physique is rather awkward after losing a lot of weight without doing any kind of weight training. It's also extremely difficult to become ripped as you see in muscle magazines or with fitness models. This kind of physique requires years of hardcore training and many times anabolic steroids.
When you perform a resistance exercise such as lifting dumbbells or doing squats you not only burn calories during the time you are presently exercising but your metabolism is also raised for a day or two after you have completed the exercises. This is something that is well known among fitness enthusiasts and is proven to happen.
Weight lifting is also good for raising your metabolism and in turn losing weight because packing on muscle turns up your metabolic rate. Each pound of muscle you gain could in turn burn up to an extra 50 calories a day. That may be an incredibly small portion of food but the thing to realize is that this calorie burning is occurring every single day and if you are refining your diet through calculating your TDEE then it will definitely have a positive effect over time.
Above all resistance training makes for a much more attractive body and will provide for a much more pleasant look as you are slimming down. You may find that your physique is rather awkward after losing a lot of weight without doing any kind of weight training. It's also extremely difficult to become ripped as you see in muscle magazines or with fitness models. This kind of physique requires years of hardcore training and many times anabolic steroids.