There are only 2 WAYS to lose weight.

  1. You must take in fewer calories than you burn or

  2. You must burn more calories than you take in

TIP: To lose a pound of fat, you must create a caloric deficit of approximately 3,500 calories - therefore, if you create a deficit of 500 calories per day, you will lose approximately 1 pound of fat per week. 1,000 calories a day = 2lbs a week. (The average American eats 3,600 calories a day)

Low-Carb, Low-Fat or Low-Calorie? THAT'S THE QUESTION!

It all boils down to burning calories. Low fat items are normally lower in calories because one gram of fat has 9 calories verses only 4 calories that come from a gram of protein and carbohydrates.  Items that are low in carbohydrates are normally lower in calories also. It doesn't matter if you eat low-carb, low-fat food if you are still consuming more calories than you burn.

Learning to Eat on a Budget:

We must treat our diet just like any other part of our life, practicing limitations. Some people can afford to spend a lot of money, some can't. Some people can afford to eat a lot and some can't. We need to learn how to eat on a budget. If we want to spend more money, we normally have to make more money. If we want to eat more food, we have to burn more calories. We simply can't eat more calories than we burn without "going over budget" and gaining weight.

In addition, just because we pay our debt down doesn't mean all the sudden we can start buying everything we want. It is the same with our diet. Even if we lose all our weight, like finances, we can splurge with moderations but we must stay on your dietary budget to maintain your weight.

There are only 2 STAGES you should EVER be in

 You should be DIETING or IN MAINTENANCE - BUT NEVER OFF COMPLETELY

   1. On a diet: Taking in fewer calories than you burn in order to lose weight

2. In Maintenance: Taking in as many calories as you burn to prevent gaining weight.

NOTE: The more lean muscle you gain, the faster your metabolism and the more calories you can take in without gaining weight. The InBody 320 will track changes in your metabolism to help you maintain your target weight.

CALORIE GUIDE

How do you know how many calories you should take in? Let’s start with how many calories you burn. The formula below is a simple guide to help you get an idea of the approximate calories you burn. This is not the most accurate formula, but one of the easiest to use. Let’s get started.

A. Define Your Activity Level

Choose Your Activity:

1.3 –  sedentary, sitting most of the day, light housework/work

1.4 – light activity, work, housework, exercise 2-3 X a week, stand or walk at work

1.5-1.6 – moderately active, all the above activities, exercise 1 hour 3-4 X a week

1.7 – very active, all the above daily activities, exercise 1-2 hours every day

Choose Your Metabolism:

10 – Slow (Sleepy after a meal)

11 – Normal (normal or feel the same after a meal)

12 – Fast (Fidgety or hyper after a meal)

B. Apply Above Numbers in this Simple Formula:

Your Weight:_______ X Activity:_____ = _________ X Metabolism:______= ___________

The answer is the approximate amount of calories it would take to maintain your weight as you are now in the above condition. MEN increase caloric intake by 5%-10%.

Since men normally have more lean muscle tissue, men need more calories.

TIP: Keep a  Diet Diary. Most people don't really realize how many calories they are eating until they write everything down. Keeping a Diet Diary will help you find calories in your diet that might be slipping through the cracks.

Keep your Diet Journal using:

DINING ON A DIET:

Check out Fast Food Calories and Calorie Counter

Click on the link, then scroll down to pick your favorite restaurant.

1. Bring your lunch. If you lack self-control, avoid the temptation of fast food altogether.

2. Don’t go hungry. Make sure you snack between meals so you’re not starved once you get to the restaurant. The hungrier you are, the more likely you will be to over-order.

3. Divide your meals in ½. Instead of eating a 6” sub, eat 3” at lunch & the other 3” later. Put half your meal in a to-go box before you eat your first bite.

4. Drink before you eat. Drink a full glass of water before you eat to help fill your tummy.

5. Scratch the sodas. You can save up to 410 calories (Super-Size Soda) if you lose the high calorie drinks. Chose bottled water, Crystal Light, un-sweet tea or diet drinks instead.

READ "DINING ON A DIET" FOR MORE TIPS ON EATING OUT.

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