Strategies To Lose Weight Fast

Losing weight might seem difficult, but the theory behind it is actually quite simple. To lose weight, you need to use up more energy than your body takes in. When this happens, your body has to rely upon fat stores for energy.

Therefore, it burns up body fat and, with it, excess weight. So, how do you get to the point where your body uses fat for energy? Well, when it comes to our bodies, energy is measured in calories. So, to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn; simple enough.

One way to create this so-called “calorie deficit” is by eating fewer calories. However, blindly cutting back on food is not a logical solution. Instead, it is a good idea to get a good estimate of precisely how many calories you need to eat to lose weight.

This number will vary from person to person depending on several factors, all of which can impact the speed of weight loss. There are several methods of finding your own optimal calorie number, and, thanks to the internet, it is even possible to calculate this in seconds.

In order to find out how to lose weight, you need to start by knowing how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight. This is known as your “basal metabolic rate” (BMR), which measures the number of calories you would use each day even if you did nothing but lie in bed. BMR may be calculated using the Harris-Benedict formula, which consists of separate calculations for men and women. For women, the formula is as follows:

655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)

And for men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years)

For those who do not wish to do such math, there are several websites that offer BMR calculators online. One of these is: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Of course, most of us do not simply lie around motionless all day. So, it is also important to know out how many calories our daily activities utilize. While this will vary from one person to another and one day to the next, there is a standard rule to follow. If you are mostly sedentary, multiply your BMR by 120%. This trend continues as follows:

Lightly active – 130% BMR

Moderately active – 140%BMR

Very active – 150% BMR

Once you know how many calories you need to maintain weight, you want to cut that number down to lose weight. It is best to simply subtract 500 calories from your diet. This will leave you with a 3,500 calorie deficit by the end of the week, and 3,500 is exactly how many calories are in one pound. So, following this method, you would lose at least one pound per week, which is a safe, steady weight loss rate. Add in exercise, and you will create an even greater calorie deficit and lose even more.

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Before we look at some simple steps you can take to help increase metabolism so you start to lose inches from your waist, hips, thighs, and buttocks more efficiently, let’s take a quick look at what metabolism is and what leads to decreases in the metabolism rate.

In the simplest terms, metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. The speed at which your body burns calories is called the metabolic rate. This rate can differ significantly from person to person. For example you and your friend can have the same activity level and diet but still gain or lose weight at different rates. The reason is simple differences in metabolism.

Contributing Factors to the Rate of Metabolism

Your rate of metabolism is dependent on a number of factors, which includes age, physical condition and the amount of fat and muscle in your body.

Age

At birth you have a very high metabolism but as years pass by your metabolism rate decreases. At mid thirties, metabolism slows by 3 to 5 % every 10 years, so by age 55, you need 150 fewer calories a day than you did in your midthirties. This is generally why as people get older they tend to gain weight and find it hard to lose inches from their waistline and other areas.

Fat vs. Muscle Mass

Muscle burns more calories to maintain itself than fat, if you have low body fat and are muscular then you have a high metabolism and on the other hand if you have a higher percentage of body fat than you should, you will have a low metabolism.

Physical Condition

Diabetes, poor health, lack of physical activity or an under active thyroid are all factors that could lead to a significant decrease in metabolism and increase in weight. People with conditions like these find that weight loss programs don’t work and no matter what they try they just can’t lose weight.

Other Causes for Low Metabolism

Some of the biggest culprits of low metabolism involve how we eat: fasting, a low calorie diet, snacking throughout the day on high sugared foods (candy, colas, cakes, gum), eating or drinking too much sugar containing foods.

By the way the low calorie diet reference is not a typo or error. Low calorie diets and weight loss programs don’t work and one reason is that your body is programmed to decrease metabolism in response to less food. The body as a means of survival slows down the rate it burns calories. Continuing this path will leave you feeling tired all the time and having a hard time getting through the day. Other possible side effects may include slowing of your heartbeat and low blood pressure.

Simple Things You Can Do To Increase Metabolism

Now that we took a look at what causes decreases in metabolism, let’s check out some simple steps towards increasing metabolism and reaching your weight goals.

It Comes With Age

To increase metabolism as you grow older, you will need to cut back on calories, so your intake is adjusted or increase your activity level to burn more calories and lose inches again. If you don’t make these adjustments to increase metabolism, your body will store the additional fat, and you will gain weight.

Insuring Optimal Health, Proper Diet + Dietary and Protein Supplements =Increased Metabolism

You can increase metabolism as much as two to three times by eating proteins versus carbohydrates and fats. Bodybuilders commonly use protein supplements to increase metabolism and to preserve a healthy muscle structure.

But don’t cut out carbohydrates altogether. Choose complex high-fiber carbohydrates like high-fiber vegetables and cereals; these burn more calories than simple carbohydrates. You can increase metabolism by focusing on quality protein, high-fiber fruits and vegetables, with an occasional high-fiber grain. Protein is fuel for your body. Chicken, lean meats, and dairy products are excellent choices. Adding protein supplements is a good way to insure you are getting in your diet.

Water

I am sure you’ve heard it said before but well worth repeating…you must drink at least 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day to maintain an optimal metabolism rate.

Aerobic Exercise

Get as much aerobic exercise daily as you can safely handle. If you have been away from exercise for awhile, a good way to start back slowly is by walking. As your fitness improves you can start to include other aerobic exercises. Exercising early in the day will kick start your metabolism and have it firing all-day long.

Weight or Resistance Training to Build Muscle

Building muscle increases metabolism and burns more calories than dieting alone. If you would like to start out slowly, add some ankle or wrist weights to your current aerobics routine. Adding protein supplements to your diet will also boost your effort to build muscle and lose fat.

Body Detoxification

Body detoxification has been a popular subject in the media in recent days and for good reason. Body detoxification involves taking steps to remove chemicals and toxins accumulated in the body and help you to maintain optimal health. Body detoxification is both a great way to increase metabolism and maintain a healthy body.

I Hope this information has been helpful in answering questions concerning metabolism rates and how they affect losing weight.

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Article Source: ArticleSpan

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Strategies To Lose Weight Fast