Traditionally, Calories were used as a standardized measurement of energy, specifically heat energy. It takes one calorie to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree celsius. In actuality, one calorie is a very tiny amount of energy, and very difficult to quanity,  so when discussing food packaging and diet plans we are in fact looking at  “kilocalories” (also referred to as Calories – with the capital C).

Calories – Eat More, Burn More

IMPORTANT: It is recommended to consume 2,000 calories per day for women and 2,500 calories per day for men.

When trying to cut calories, there are two important things to consider: calorie consumption: how much energy are we taking in, and calorie reduction: how much energy we are “burning” or putting out. Calories are required for every metabolic process that takes place in the human body — so we are always using them, but at different rates. When we consume more calories than we need (for normal metabolic function), then we store these excess calories as body fat. When we need more calories than we’ve consumed, our bodies burn up excess body fat to provide needed energy.

Click Here to Learn 5 Important Steps to Lose Weight For Good

1. Set Realistic Goals

According to The National Center for Health statistics, Between 60% and 70% of Americans are suffering from obesity. This is an alarming statistic that has steadily worsened over the past 40 years. Our increasing sedintary lifestyle, coupled with easier access to fast food, high calorie beverages, and longer work days has made it nearly impossible to follow diets and lose weight. The key is not to give up, but rather be realistic about what you can accomplish. If every pound (lb.) of body fat is approximately 3,500 calories, then that is the number you need to concentrate on. If over the next 2 weeks you were able to lower your total calorie intake by 3,500 or even increase your metabolism to burn 3,500 extra calories you would lose approximately 1lb of body fat. This also means that you can consume 1,750 less calories and burn 1,750 more calories to get to that 3,500 calorie mark (or some combination to reach 3,500) — which can be accomplished simply by eatting smaller portions and walking short distances. If every morning you were able to do 25 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, and run in place for 5 minutes — you would doing more exercise per day than 95% of Americans. Fad diets dont work, and usually result in rapid weight loss and weight gain — which is completely unhealthy.

2. Results Require Hard Work & Discipline

The fact you are reading this means that want to be healthier and in better shape. But, this is only a small first step. Every day you will be faced with challenges that will compromise your goals to cut calories and lose weight — but, you must have discipline and stay the course. You only get one body in this lifetime, and it is your sole responsibility to take care of it. Stop with the excuses, we are all busy and going through tough economic times… and there is no reason that your body should suffer when all it takes is 20 – 40 extra minutes a day to be healthy. If you find that you are eating fatty lunches because of a rushed mealtime, then it is YOUR responsibility to take control of the situation and either pre-pack a healthier lunch, or force yourself to take the time required for a good meal. Nothing is worth compromising your health for, you’ll miss it the most when it’s gone. It’s fair to have one cheat day a week, to pig out a little bit… be lazy, but you must have the discipline to get back into your routine the next day.

3. Try Tea – Green Tea or Oolong Tea when water alone is boring

Between 32 oz. soft drinks and 20 oz. double espresso latte’s our culture consumes more calories per day in beverages than any other. These drinks have between 150 and 400 calories, and that’s without the extra whip cream and chocolate syrup. Green Tea, whether brewed or in supplemental form, contains as little as 4 calories and can increase your metabolism by up to 25%. Try a site such as www.ReviewGreenTea.com to see the current list of top selling green teas. I found that drinking 6 bottles of water a day helped me to stay full longer and just made me feel better, but it got boring real fast. Tea is a good alternative, and since they come in so many different flavors these days there really is no better choice when trying to lose weight.

4. Get Moving

Every action that we do, from waving goodbye to running a marathon, burns calories. Obviously, the harder the activity, the more calories our bodies will use up. If you’re like me, you’re sitting at a desk right now and have been for the last 10 hours… with very little movement. Park further away than usual, so that you are forced to walk longer distances to and from your location. When you’re sitting at your desk, be sure to stretch, and dont forget to move your legs, feet, and hands often. When you’re waiting for the laundry to finish drying, run in place instead of just standing there. If you can’t think of at least 10 things that you could do starting right now to increase your daily activity, then you need to stop making excuses and refer back to #2.

5. Be Positive

Most doctors would agree that a persons mood and stress levels directly affect their overall health and most importantly weight gain. When we are stressed, unhappy, and in a bad mood we tend to make poorer decisions about our food and overall activity, tending to care less about what is actually good for us. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, unhappy, or uneasy for any reason – take a step back, figure out a solution, and stick to it. Remember, the only person responsible for your health is you — act like it.