Burning calories is one of the best weapons you have in the battle to lose weight. The surgeon general has reported that physical activity has proved effective for fat loss and has also been associated with health benefits such as reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Television, radio and the internet are bursting with supplements and other quick ways to lose weight. Unfortunately most low-calorie diets and weight loss supplements fail to result in long-term weight loss. By choosing to become more active you can increase the amount of weight you lose by burning more of the calories you have eaten.
Instructions
Determine Daily Calorie Needs
1. Determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is the number of calories your body needs as rest. Simplify this formula by using an online calculator such as http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/. Use the following scale to define the level of activity that best represents your current activity level. This number will be your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
Sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2 = Calories/day
Light exercise/sports 1 to 3 days/week: BMR x 1.375 = Calories/day
Moderate exercise/sports 3 to 5 days/week : BMR x 1.55 = Calories/day
Hard exercise/sports 6 to 7 days a week : BMR x 1.725 = Calories/day
Very hard exercise/sports and physical job or twice-a-day training) : BMR x 1.9 = Calories/day
2. Make a list of the activities you typically engage in a given week. Include new activities if you are just getting started on an exercise program. The number of calories burned in an activity varies from person to person. Variables such as lean body mass, fat mass and how the activity is performed will determine how many calories are burned. Due to this fact you might want to use an online tool such as: http://www.neversaydiet.com/tools/calories-burned-calculator
3. Create a 500 calorie per day deficit. To lose the recommended one pound per week you will need to burn 500 more calories per day than you consume. A pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. Burning 500 calories a day will enable you to lose a pound by the end of the week! Schedule 30 to 60 minutes of activity at a moderately intense level each day. This will ensure that you reap the benefit of the effort you are putting forth.
4. Keep an exercise journal. By writing down what you do each day you are more likely keep track of how often you are exercising. An exercise journal also gives you accountability and a way for you to watch your progress. Record what you did, how long and how hard the activity was.
5. Record what you eat in a food journal. If you bite it, you write it. As your exercise journal, your food journal will raise your awareness of what you are eating and how much. If you are just starting an exercise program, burning 500 calories a day can be a daunting task due to your current fitness level. Using your BMR, you can cut 250 calories from your diet and burn 250 calories in activity. You will lose weight since you are still creating an imbalance in your daily calories consumed.
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