When You Intend to Lose Weight with Both Exercise and Diet, You Should Equip Yourself with Real Facts to Help You Reach Your Goal

What’s the right number of calories?

It depends on your age, the amount of physical activity you receive, and whether you’re male or female. Refer to this Estimated Calorie Requirement Chart from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (www.calculators,org)

Males

Age	Sedentary	Moderately active	Active
18	2,400	2,800	3,200
19-20	2,600	2,800	3,000
21-25	2,400	2,800	3,000
26-30	2,400	2,600	3,000
31-35	2,400	2,600	3,000
36-40	2,400	2,600	2,800
41-45	2,200	2,600	2,800
46-50	2,200	2,400	2,800
51-55	2,200	2,400	2,800
56-60	2,200	2,400	2,600
61-65	2,000	2,400	2,600

Females

Age	Sedentary	Moderately active	Active
18	1,800	2,000	2,400
19-20	2,000	2,200	2,400
21-25	2,000	2,200	2,400
26-30	1,800	2,000	2,400
31-35	1,800	2,000	2,200
36-40	1,800	2,000	2,200
41-45	1,800	2,000	2,200
46-50	1,800	2,000	2,200
51-55	1,600	1,800	2,200
56-60	1,600	1,800	2,200
61-65	1,600	1,800	2,000
66-70	1,600	1,800	2,000

Calorie Counting: Effective or Myth?

The body needs a calorie deficit to lose pounds. When the calories from food are not enough to fuel the body, it draws energy from stored fat.

Though some researchers claim a calorie deficit is not needed for weight loss, most of those studies lack proper research parameters. Here we highlight three primary reasons why such studies had poor models:

• Subjects are bad at estimating what they eat.

• Low-carb diets are higher in protein and fat.

• The studies usually measured weight loss instead of fat loss.

To settle the discussion, researchers reviewed the experiments that controlled these three factors and came up with some basic and conclusive results.

Now we can show you that a consistent weight loss is best attained as a result of a smaller intake of healthy calories through diet and a larger output of calories through extra usage by exercise.

Regarding the results of eating fewer calories than the number of calories you use, an interesting tip to note is that regardless of whether the deficit comes from eating fewer carbs, fat, or protein, the results in weight loss are the same. However, we cannot claim that the result of your health will be just as good.

Take note: Not all calories are created equal.

In terms of nutrition, 100 calories from a chocolate bar are not the same as 100 calories from fresh fish. While you still need fewer calories to lose weight, when it comes to your health, it’s best to eat only the nutritional food because eating chocolate treats, etc. will make you crave more of them, and this can really put extra pressure on your will power and determination. It could break down your resolve to stay healthy and be tough on yourself.

In the past, people counted calories by logging into food journals. They read ‘Nutrition Facts’ and stay away from food products that don’t have ingredients in the label. This takes a lot of effort and commitment.

But today, people can track their diet using online appsthat automatically estimate calories for all types of food. This makes it easier to know if you’re hitting your daily calorie goal.

How to Determine If You Have a Healthy Weight

The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) recommends two methods to assess your weight:

• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Waist Circumference

BMI is basically a person’s weight (kg) divided by the square of their height (m^2)

BMI = kg / m^2

High BMI indicates high body fat for most men and women, except for athletes with high BMI due to dense muscle mass. The BMI Index below indicates whether a person is healthy or overweight.

• If BMI is less than 18.5 – Underweight
• If BMI is between 18.5-24.9 – Healthy Weight
• If BMI is between 25-29.9 – Overweight
• If BMI is 30 or more – Obese

To get your BMI, you can use the chart below:

Is your BMI right for your height? Refer to this adult BMI chart (from the NHLBI).

Height	BMI 19-24 Healthy weight (in lbs.)	BMI 25-29 Overweight (lbs.)	BMI 30-35 Obese (in lbs.)
4’10”	91-115	119-138	143-167
4’11”	94-119	124-143	148-173
5′	97-123	128-148	153-179
5’1″	100-127	132-153	158-185
5’2″	104-131	136-158	164-191
5’3″	107-135	141-163	169-197
5’4″	110-140	145-169	174-204
5’5″	114-144	150-174	180-210
5’6″	118-148	155-179	186-216
5’7″	121-153	159-185	191-223
5’8″	125-158	164-190	197-230
5’9″	128-162	169-196	203-236
5’10”	132-167	174-202	209-243
5’11”	136-172	173-208	215-250
6′	140-177	184-213	221-258
6’1″	144-182	189-219	227-265
6’2″	148-186	194-225	233-272
6’3″	152-192	200-232	240-279

If you’re overweight, BMI tells you how much you need to lose. Even if you don’t pack as many pounds, it can indicate that you’re about to if you gain a little more weight.

Next,waist circumferenceindicates whether you have high chances of developing obesity-related conditions. After calculating your BMI, it’s a useful screening tool to assess excessive abdominal fat. You have a higher risk of having obesity-related problems if:

• You’re male with a waist circumference of over 40 inches.
• You’re female with a waist circumference of over 35 inches.

Take note: This method is intended for adult men and women, not for adolescents.

What’s a safe weight loss rate?

(NHLBI) National Heart Lung and Blood Institute shortened to these five letters, states that it’s safe to lose 1 to 2 lbs. of weight per week. That’s 4 to 8 lbs. a month. If you aim to lose 5% to 10% of your current weight within six months, it will reduce your risk of heart disease and other chronic ailments.

How big should your calorie deficit be for weight loss? If you’re obese, the NHLBI states you must aim to reduce intake (or increase the amount you burn) by 500 calories or more each day.

However, we all know by now that you really should consult with your doctor or nutritionist. People have different body types, and what is generally recommended may not always work for everyone. Your health provider should assess your condition thoroughly to design a safe and effective diet plan.

The Best Strategies are to Eat Fewer Calories – No Matter What

The key to consuming fewer calories is to select foods that are low in energy density.

Energy density is the number of calories in a portion of food. Choosing low energy density meals allows you to eat a bit more and feel full longer. This helps prevent you from snacking on calorie-rich snacks in between meals.

What foods are low in energy density? These include fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber and water content. Here’s an example that shows how much more you can eat if you consume a low energy density snack.

Snack, 100 calories

Food	Grapes	Raisins
Volume	2 Cups	¼ Cup
Calories	100	100

For 100 calories, eating 2 cups of grapes is more satisfying than eating just 1/4 cup of raisins. Therefore, replacing high-calorie foods with greens, protein, and fruits can help manage weight and hunger pangs. High fiber foods aid in suppressing hunger, while calorie-dense foods tend to make people crave more food.

Is skipping meals a good idea? This is generally not recommended, according to the National Health Services (NHS). Skipping meals can make you feel tired, making you more likely to overeat during your next meal.

Here are other effective ways to cut calories:

• Don’t Drink Sweetened Beverages – Sodas, juices, and practically any processed beverage are packed with calories. A study also suggests that sweetened drinks can increase a person’s hunger later on. Drink water instead.

• Drink Water Before Meals – Water keeps you from having hunger pangs. A study found that drinking 2 cups of water (500 ml) before eating can lower calorie intake by up to 13%.

• Avoid Adding Sauce or Dressing – Condiments like mayonnaise or catsup can easily add more calories to a meal—a tablespoon of mayonnaise packs 57 calories.

The Best and Worst Foods for Weight Loss

The best foods can make you feel full for an extended period. These are low in calories, high in nutrition content, and packed with fiber or protein. On the other hand, the worst foods are calorie-rich, high in fat, salty, and packed with sugar. 

Below are some of the best and worst foods for losing weight. (www.calculators.org)

Best Food to Lose Weight	Worst Food to Lose Weight
Eggs	Processed Foods
Fish	Doughnuts
Lean Meat	Pizza
Berries	Sweet Cereals
Greek Yogurt	Flavored Yogurt
Quinoa	Candy Bars
Oatmeal	White Rice
Avocados	White Bread
Apples	Ice Cream
Pickles (a fermented food)	Instant Oatmeal
Almonds / Walnuts	Watermelons (high in sugar)
Chili Peppers	Candied Dried Fruits
Spinach	French Fries
Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)	Potato Chips
	Fried Food
	Cheese

How to Lose 20kg in 2020: We Reveal How a Young Woman of 24 Years Transformed Her Body – And Says More Coffee and LESS Gym Time Were the Keys to Her Success.

You can lose a minimal amount over a long time, but this won’t encourage you to continue with losing weight – you might even lose hope. Instead, speed things up a little and lose a lot of weight in a short but healthy length of time. Drinking more coffee than usual can be a great help. Use it as your snack between meals and have nothing else, and the weight will just fall away.

LET’S BEGIN!

Love your Body

You have to love your body no matter what. It may have just gotten through an operation and might look ugly to other people, but to you, it’s your best friend, and you must love it dearly. If these exercises are too much for you, then shorten them, so you don’t do as many repeats. Try it out and see what suits you.

• One minute of high intensity, and one minute of low-intensity, training for 30 minutes on the stair master (HIIT).
• 30kg barbell deadlift – three sets and 12 reps 
• 10kg squats on Smith machine – three sets and ten reps 
• 15kg barbell hip thrusts – three sets and 12 reps 
• 40kg squat press – three sets and ten reps 
• 14kg seated leg curl – three sets and 15 reps 

I had a small group of friends at the time, and one of them – a woman of around 24 to 25 years of age. A friend, called Wendy, was always trying one diet or another, had certainly gained weight, and on her last diet has actually weighed her food to the gram ‘I weighed my food to the gram and counted my macros. Within one year, I had only lost three kilos. I was confused and depressed.’ she said. 

Of this second attempt, she said, ‘I remember weighing myself for the first time in months and staring at the scales. I couldn’t believe it,’ she said. I think she weighed about 83 kgs and wanted to weigh 63 kgs or less when she started her weight loss program. ‘I have made a point of always loving my body at whatever weight I was, or however I looked,’ she said and went on to say that it really helps to love your body.

In the past, her weight loss programs were, Including HIIT cardio to her workouts, was essential to her weight loss, as well as compound exercises like deadlifting and four free weight and machine activities.

Shortly after that, she experienced a ‘moment of realization,’ She decided to focus on a calorie deficit. She ensured that she was burning more than she was eating. Wendy realized she was basing her second attempt at a diet on her first attempt – which failed miserably!

Wendy said the moment that changed it all was when she was sitting at her new office job and understood the importance of having self-discipline and how she needed to cut down eating too many calories, to see results.

‘I remember thinking, “instead of going to the gym, what if I change my diet?”,’ she said. She cut her portions in half for lunch and dinner. The only snack she had was fruit. Plus, she started drinking more coffee and realized it played a significant role in reducing her hunger.’

In addition to the above, she realized that getting enough sleep every night was vital. She also felt that have a structured eating time was essential to speed up the weight loss process.

Day On A Plate

Breakfast: One quick honey oat sachet, with a tablespoon of peanut butter, flax seeds with boiling water; long black coffee together with no sugar and large skim cappuccino with no sugar before work.

Snack: one whole Apple and a mandarin orange or tangerine.

Lunch: A portion of white rice and a steamed chicken breast with a cup of coffee – small skim cappuccino.

Dinner: About six ounces of baked salmon and a good helping of steamed vegetables.

Additional: One whole glass of lemon water for breakfast, and plain water with every meal (Wendy’s weight loss journey -www.calculators.org)

Wendy’s Top Nine Tips for Losing Weight 

• Eat fewer calories than you burn. Be self-aware and strict about your eating habits.
• Eat a large, high carbohydrate breakfast. Then, lower your portions significantly for lunch, then reduce them even further for dinner. 
• Drink coffee to lessen your hunger, and have only fruits as snacks 
• Limit your time at the gym. Put quality into your workouts. Begin with 30 minutes of HIIT cardio then weighted compound exercises, then free form weights and machine exercises. Only do workouts that you don’t hate to keep you consistent.
• Have a set sleeping and eating schedule.
• Have a ‘treat yourself’ meal once per week. 
• Watch Your Portion Size – People tend to overeat when surrounded by large

amounts of food. Get smaller food portions and make use of smaller plates. You’ll likely get lesser food than you usually would.

• Eat Meals Slowly – Taking your time to chew your food can help you feel full

longer. According to Harvard Health, if you eat too quickly, your brain may not have enough time to process signals that produce a feeling of satiety.

• Add Protein to Your Meals – Protein helps keep you feel full compared to other
• nutrients. Research shows it requires more energy to be digested, compared to fat, which requires the least. A steady diet of vegetables and fruits with protein can help keep off the pounds.

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

Sugar is terrible and can harm your health.

Sugar & other fast-acting carbohydrates will spike your blood sugar levels. This later leads to them crashing & thus making you hungry again sooner. It is hard to lose body mass if you have metabolic syndrome & are resistant to leptin.

The times that you exercise can be sorted from high to low, or low to high by clicking on a weighton these tbles. All times are in minutes. tthis calculator can be used to see how many calories you will burn over x minutes of exercise. (www.calculators.org)

100 lbs	Exercise	125 lbs	150 lbs	175 lbs	200 lbs	250 lbs	300 lbs
114	Aerobics: low impact	91	76	65	57	45	38
89	Aerobics: high impact	71	60	51	45	36	30
89	Aerobics, Step: low impact	71	60	51	45	36	30
63	Aerobics, Step: high impact	50	42	36	31	25	21
156	Aerobics: water	125	104	89	78	63	52
89	Bicycling, Stationary: moderate	71	60	51	45	36	30
60	Bicycling, Stationary: vigorous	48	40	34	30	24	20
78	Circuit Training	63	52	45	39	31	26
89	Rowing, Stationary: moderate	71	60	51	45	36	30
74	Rowing, Stationary: vigorous	59	49	42	37	29	25
66	Ski Machine	53	44	38	33	26	22
104	Stair Stepper	83	69	60	52	42	35
208	Weight Lifting: light	167	139	119	104	83	69
104	Weight Lifting: vigorous	83	69	60	52	42	35
78	Basketball: playing a game	63	52	45	39	31	26
86	Basketball: wheelchair	77	64	55	48	38	32
74	Bicycling: BMX or mountain	59	49	42	37	29	25
78	Bicycling: 12-13.9ph	63	52	45	39	31	26
63	Bicycling: 14-15.9ph	50	42	36	31	25	21
69	Boxing: sparring	56	46	40	35	28	23
69	Football: competitive	56	46	40	35	28	23
78	Football: touch or flag	63	52	45	39	31	26
208	Frisbee	167	139	119	104	83	69
114	Golf: carrying clubs	91	76	65	57	45	38
179	Golf: using cart	143	119	102	99	71	60
156	Gymnastics	125	104	89	78	63	52
52	Handball	42	35	30	26	21	17
104	Hiking: cross-country	83	69	60	52	42	35
156	Horseback Riding	125	104	89	78	63	52
89	Ice Skating	71	60	51	45	36	30
63	Martial Arts	50	42	36	31	25	21
63	Racquetball: competitive	50	42	36	31	25	21
89	Racquetball: casual	71	60	51	45	36	30
57	Rock Climbing: ascending	45	38	32	28	23	19
78	Rock Climbing: rapelling	63	52	45	39	31	26
89	Rollerblade (inline) Skating	171	60	51	45	36	30
63	Rope Jumping	50	42	36	31	25	21
78	Running: 5ph (12min/mile)	63	52	45	39	31	26
69	Running: 5.2ph (11.5min/mile)	56	46	40	35	28	23
63	Running: 6ph (10min/mile)	50	42	36	31	25	21
57	Running: 6.7ph (9min/mile)	45	38	32	28	23	19
50	Running: 7.5ph (8min/mile)	40	33	29	25	20	17
43	Running: 8.6ph (7min/mile)	34	29	25	22	17	14
38	Running: 10ph (6min/mile)	30	25	22	19	15	13
78	Running: pushing wheelchair	63	52	45	39	31	26
69	Running: cross-country	56	46	40	35	28	23
78	Skiing: cross-country	63	52	45	39	31	26
104	Skiing: downhill	83	69	60	52	42	35
78	Snow Shoeing	63	52	45	39	31	26
125	Softball: general play	100	83	71	63	50	42
104	Swimming: general	83	69	60	52	42	35
89	Tennis: general	71	60	51	45	36	30
208	Volleyball: non-competitive	167	139	119	104	83	69
156	Volleyball: competitive	125	104	89	78	63	52
78	Volleyball: beach	63	52	45	39	31	26
156	Walk: 3.5ph (17min/mile)	125	104	89	78	63	52
139	Walk: 4ph (15min/mile)	111	93	79	69	56	46
125	Walk: 4.5ph (13min/mile)	100	83	71	63	50	42
104	Walk/Jog: jog <10min.	83	69	60	52	42	35
104	Water Skiing	83	69	60	52	42	35
89	Water Polo	71	60	51	45	36	30
89	Whitewater: rafting, kayaking	71	60	51	45	36	30
100 lbs	Exercise	125 lbs	150 lbs	175 lbs	200 lbs	250 lbs	300 lbs

We wish you all well with any diet you may be embarking upon. Further, we’d love to hear from you any details or results from your diet. Please write to us. Remember, healthy dieting should be fun. It’s going to make a positive difference in your future; it will make you healthier and, therefore, happier.