By Christopher Crawford
Around this time of year, people are getting ready to make new years resolutions in order to get back in to shape and more commonly, lose weight. Weight loss is a very interesting topic to discuss because most people do not know how to effectively lose weight and stay in shape.
The primary focus for the average person when it comes to losing weight is to get the number on the scale down by any means necessary. That could be dangerous to the health and well-being of any individual because of the health risks people are willing to take in order to lose weight. These things include, beginning a high protein/low carb diet and cutting an excess number of calories to the point of starvation. The purpose of this article is to educate current and potential calorie burning gym goers on the truth of common weight management myths and also give them tips on how to effectively lose weight.
Let’s talk about weight loss for a second. Now in order to lose 1 lb of body weight in one week, there must be a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories. In other words, on average, one must intake 500 calories less than they expend each day out of the week. Therefore, the total number of calories from carbohydrates, fats and proteins one consumes in one day must be 500 less than the amount of calories the individual expends throughout the day from exercise and any other daily activities.
Today when people discuss the low carb diet, they are typically talking about the Atkins diet. Named after cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins. This diet restricts carbohydrate consumption and replaces them with meats, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
In other words, carbohydrate consumption must be reduced past the recommended 45-65% daily caloric intake in order to lose weight. The risk of cutting out carbohydrates include, feeling weak due to the brain not receiving enough glucose, in which case the body burns fat incompletely producing ketones to replace brain fuel causing light-headedness, nausea and bad breath. Also, if you are not eating enough fiber, it could lead to many complications such as constipation and could also increase your risk of developing type 2 Diabetes. Besides, fiber is essential to losing weight because it is a carbohydrate which keeps you full for longer. As mentioned earlier, cutting carbohydrates alone is not the answer. One must cut down a bit of each macronutrient (proteins, carbohydrates, fat) in order to create the necessary caloric deficit relative to their weight loss goals.
A few potential risks associated with cutting calories are that an individual may go too low with calorie intake. An individual may go below 1,000-1,200 calories a day and become malnourished or have low energy. This may create an inability to complete essential fitness programs included within a weight loss program.
Also, it has been found that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than those who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four to five times a day. Eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day helps control appetite, which in turn makes it less likely to overeat at any one meal. Because of this, the individual is less likely to endure extreme hunger and will make better food choices instead of poor ones.
Successful weight loss programs require an individual to make a lifestyle change and really commit to the journey. One should create a well thought out plan in order to determine the total number of calories they will need to consume both daily/weekly. Along with creating a proper meal plan and going to the gym consistently, one should incorporate a combination of cardio, core and resistance training in order to burn the calories required which create that caloric deficit.
Christopher Crawford will contribute a once a month fitness column. To consult with Christopher about a training regiment or personal training contact him at ccrawfordtraining@gmail.com.
