Calorie Counting
As a method for losing weight - calorie counting is how it all began but what is a calorie and how do you use this method as part of a weight loss plan?
Calories are a convenient way of describing units of energy used by the body to carry out normal living functions. In scientific terms a calorie equals the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree at one atmosphere pressure.
All foods have a calororific value. Or to put it another way, the amount of energy which can be released into the body by consumption and digestion of the food. It so happens that one pound of stored fat is equal to 3500 stored calories. The body has approximately 2000 calories of readily available energy which it can access very quickly, it mostly comes from the food we have consumed during the day. So, if you are overweight by say 20 pounds then you have a fat store of 70,000 calories (20 times 3500). That's way more than you need but the body is clever and figures 'ok but what happens if there is a famine/iceage/shops are closed/castaway on a desert island situation'? No problem says the body. But since the stored fat is the last resort for the body before you run out of energy and die, it will do a few things first before dipping into its
savings.
Firstly it will slow down your metabolism (the rate at which you use energy or 'burn calories'). So now your'e on a budget. And being on a budget means no wasting resources. So you won't need that lean muscle to run around. After all your body thinks you are starving! So why bother with any unnecessary activity? So now your body is funding your your energy bill by using up muscle and slowly dipping into your fat savings plus it has decreased your energy output - amazing. You really have to admire the sophistication of millions of years evolution.
So how does all this help you to lose weight by counting calories? Well the challenge is to find a way that lets your body function as normal, and yet encourages it to use up the fat store without using the lean muscle tissue.
The first warning that you are about to starve is feeling hunger (not normal 'it's time to eat hunger' but missed three meals hunger !) that will trigger the metabolism to slow down. So..
1. keep your body fed with small meals and often (five a day is considered best). Check the calorie content of everything you consume and write it down. It's so easy to forget what you actually ate later.
Many people say "OK , but I've already got a slow metabolism, I went down to 800 calories a day and still couldn't lose weight". Well, here's a myth we can dispel right now, Most overweight people actually have a faster than average metabolism! YoYo dieting forces their metabolic rate down so they just can't make any progress. Stop starvation and allow your body to normalize - that doesn't mean eat more. It just means eat right.
So calorie counting depends on the person. A lean person who does not exercise can consume more calories than an overweight person and yet not increase in weight. While the opposite seems to apply to the overweight person who eats less and also exercises. What is happening here?
The research shows one distinct difference between the two types of people - The lean person is using more energy than their overweight counterpart because they are generally more active throughout the day. It would seem that a little activity often, is more effective than had been noticed before. In the case of the lean person they are foot tapping, finger drumming etc prone to making faster movements allbeit as part of their normal daily routine. The overweight person tends not to be as charged up with nervous energy. They have a faster metabolism because their bodies are attempting to equalize output with input, you may eat less but your body needs more to keep it ticking over and maintain the saved fat. Your body is constantly trying to reconcile an imbalance. On the one hand you have a larger body so you have larger organs so you need more energy. On the other, your movements are slower than they would be if you were not carrying the extra weight. Imagine a car stuck in first gear. It uses lots of fuel and takes longer to get from a to b. The engine is working much harder than it should. The leaner and fitter you are the more easily you can move thru the gears, use less fuel to get moving and go faster further, without strain and stress. So..
2. Find ways to increase your activity levels between exercising.
Try standing as often as possible - offer your chair to others they will think you are so considerate - if they only knew your real motives.. but seriously, try to be more active wherever and whenever you can. Keep on the move - walk the stairs (twice). You have spent your life getting very good at finding the quickest and easy way to get from a to b, to perform all kinds of tasks and functions - you are an ernergy master! Time to throw all that away and take the long way round. When shopping use a basket rather than a trolley - (a little often again) shop more often. Just a quick word of warning here. Always food shop after you have eaten, then you won't be so tempted by the treats at the counter. Incidentally, have you ever wondered why all those tempting snacks and candy sweets are by the checkout? Its the one place you have to stand and wait. Plus, if you haven't eaten before shopping you will need the willpower of a saint to resist. An army marches on its stomach and you should go shopping on yours!
So, now we come to the third and final part of weight loss by calorie counting, namely exercise. If you have read the page on exercise you will already know this but her goes anyway.
3. Exercise within the fat loss exercise zone. i.e. 55 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. No More!
If you exceed this rate your body will start using your easy access energy store (that 2000 calories mentioned earlier - not your saved fat!)
Your maximum heart rate should firstly be decided by your Doctor or G.P. but as a guide you can calculate it as follows. For men subtract your age from 220 (ie if you are 30 years old then your max. heart rate is 190).
For women, subtract your age from 226 ( ie if you are 35 years old your max. heart rate is 191).
At 60 percent you should feel comfortable and be able to have a normal conversation while exercising. Stop if you feel discomfort or out of breath.
So there you have it. I have purposely not mentioned how many calories a day you should aim for - that's not the point. If you say to someone OK you should consume x calories per day to lose an average of z pounds per week. Guess what? it will work for one person in a hundred and not for the others who will lose more or less or even put weight on! Being aware of your body, your real feelings, what is right and what works for you is far more important. Todays weight loss plans are far more sophisticated, rewarding and who would ever have guessed - enjoyable.
