Fat Loss by the Numbers

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A few weeks ago I wrote an article on the basics of weight loss equating to expending or using up more calories than you consume on average. Remember too, that when people talk about weight loss they really are implying FAT LOSS. I don’t know of many people eager to decrease their muscle mass (especially since your muscle is your metabolic furnace). So let’s crunch some numbers to really understand how to achieve effective, long-term fat loss.

Research has consistently found that slow weight loss of no more then 2 pounds per week generally results in FAT loss as opposed to water and muscle loss). Consider then, that one pound (1 lb) of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. This means to lose one pound of fat in one week we require a deficit of 3,500 calories for the week. Here are your options:

1. Expend or burn an average of 500 extra calories a day for seven days without changing your diet. If you have the time (about an hour) and energy (moderate to high intensity) and discipline (to do this daily without increasing your food intake), this will work.
2. Decrease your caloric intake DAILY by 500 calories without changing your current activity level. Again, this requires discipline and possibly calorie counting to ensure you are getting the numbers right.
3. Combining an increase in activity level and a reduction of caloric intake daily. This is more realistic only requiring slight modifications in your normal routine to achieve these new habits. Expending about 250 calories extra per day (maybe 30 minutes of activity or less intense exercise) PLUS decreasing your intake by 250 calories (this may be as simple as cutting out a snack or two).

For any fat loss program to be successful in the long run – you have to determine what will work best for YOU and your lifestyle. In fact, it’s best to choose options that you feel you could and possibly will incorporate as lifestyle habits down the road. This is the biggest reason most diets do NOT work (at least long term). Once you return to your prior habits, all you’ve lost gets gained back. If you are highly motivated and disciplined options 1 and 2 could work for you but most people will tend to be more successful with option 3, because they are better able to prolong their compliance to their program.