Fat Loss : Simple Calories In And Calories Out

Fat Loss : Simple Calories In And Calories Out

 

Losing weight is simple and it works like this: If you consume more calories than you burn you store the extra energy as fat ... Learn about carbs, carb cycling and then try the following meal plan!

Not only is it important that we make good food choices, but it is essential that we monitor our daily caloric intake as well. There is no rocket science involved in how to lose weight.

It's very simple and it works like this: If you consume more calories than you burn you are in a "positive energy balance." When you are in a positive energy balance you will store the extra energy as fat, no matter what source the energy is from- protein, carbohydrates, or fat.

On the contrast, if you expend more than you intake (a negative energy balance), weight loss occurs. If they are equal, weight is maintained.

CALORIES IN - CALORIES OUT

Calories provide fuel your body needs to function, whether it's from protein, carbohydrates, or fat. Each day you expend a certain amount of energy based off or your metabolic rate and by doing daily activities. This energy is fueled from the calories you consume or breaking down energy stores— such as fat. Therefore, the more active you are the more calories you will burn.

Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) usually accounts for about 60-70% of daily expenditure of calories. Energy to maintain cardiac function, neural function and repair the body's cells and structures are included in your RMR. In addition, the more muscle mass you have, the higher the RMR—so you will burn more calories.

Other factors contribute to the total calories burned such as; total body mass, body temperature, thermal activity of eating and supplements, and synthesizing protein into new muscle.

These caloric fueled activities can come from any type of food sources. You could eat 6 tbsp or pure lard each day and lose weight, because you would be expending more calories than you were consuming. It doesn't matter what the source is. It boils down to simple math—calories in and calories out. Now I would not recommend anyone have lard as their nutritional source, the point is that calories cause you to gain or lose weight.

So that means if you want to lose weight, your strategy should be to limit your caloric intake and engage in physical activities to burn additional calories. You need to make a calorie deficit, but in a healthy manner. You still need to eat from all of the five food groups so your body can function properly and you remain healthy.

The FDA recommends a daily recommended value (DRV) of 10% protein, 60% carbohydrates, and 30% fat (10% of that being saturated). Additional protein intake has been established for special groups, such as athletes. These recommendations are for sedentary people that don't exercise nor are trying to build muscle. I recommend a balanced diet that consists of 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fat.

Other committees and organizations suggest lower and higher amounts of protein, as high as 70 percent. I believe neither approach would be successful. You need a sufficient amount of protein to build muscle and recover from you workouts. However, an excess of protein can put an unhealthy strain on your liver and kidneys. Not only that, but whatever your system cannot process will be stored as body fat.

The key thing to remember about losing fat is that calories are the primary factor. If you expend more calories than you consume, you lose weight—it's as simple as that.

THE VARIABLE - CARBOHYDRATES

"Carbohydrates" is nothing more than a fancy name for sugar. This may sound confusing, but the end result of a baked potato and a spoon of sugar are the same—glucose. When both are processed in the body, the final result is the same—they both are broken down into glucose. Glucose is the body's best source of energy.

The only energy source for the brain and nervous system is glucose, unlike the muscular and skeletal systems. In addition, carbohydrates (glucose) are the body's most immediate energy source, having a 30-50% faster rate of breakdown compared to fat. Anaerobic exercise relies exclusively on carbohydrates. Carbohydrates also have a protein sparing effect, which keeps the body from burning protein for energy.

FORMS OF CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates come in essentially two forms, simple and complex.

Simple: Simple carbohydrates are mono and disaccharides or "sugars." Fructose (the naturally occurring sugar in fruit), sucrose (table sugar), and lactose (the naturally occurring sugar in dairy products) are some examples of simple forms.

Complex: Complex carbohydrates are things like potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, and vegetables such as corn (carbohydrate powders are derived from corn). These carbohydrates are polysaccharides or "starch." They contain long chains of more than 3,000 glucose molecules linked together.

CONVERTING CARBS TO ENERGY

Regardless of the form (except fibers), the body converts carbohydrates to energy, glucose. The main difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is the time it takes for the body to convert them into glucose.

Complex carbohydrates tend to give a more gradual and sustained energy release. Where as simple carbohydrates give a sharp energy increase usually accompanied by a sharp decline in energy as well.

One thing to realize is that once the carbohydrates you have eaten have been converted to glucose, what is not used to fuel body functions and replenish muscle glycogen is shuttled into fat stores. Unused carbohydrates will make you fat. Your primary goal with carbohydrates is to provide enough energy to fuel body functions and muscle activity each day and no more. So the variable is carbohydrates, if protein and fat intake remain the same each day.

CARB CYCLING

Carb cycling is a dieting strategy a lot of bodybuilders use in order to prepare for a competition. This tactic can also be used for anyone who is looking for an effective way to shed body fat. When your intake of carbohydrates is low, your body is forced to use stored body fat for energy. On the contrast, when your body has been given plenty of carbohydrates—it uses them as the source of fuel rather than fat.

The body does require a certain amount of carbohydrates to simply carry on basic processes—such as for the brain and nervous system. I would not recommend going much lower than 100 grams of carbohydrates per day for this reason.

If your diet is too low in carbohydrates, your workouts are going to suffer. Anaerobic activity is fueled by carbohydrates. In addition, you can enter a state of ketosis.

KETOSIS

Ketosis is a state of carbohydrate deprivation and should be avoided. Ketone bodies are the product of the incomplete burning of fats. When these are present in the blood your body does not have enough carbohydrates available in order to properly metabolize body fat. So in other words, you need carbohydrates to burn body fat. The body can use ketone bodies in place of glycogen for energy production, but they are not nearly as efficient in fueling exercise.

When you are in a state of ketosis, you become irritable, sluggish and may become dehydrated. Without carbohydrates available in the body, your body breaks down protein for additional energy (state of catabolic). Your body will actually metabolize muscle tissue for energy at about the same rate as fat if you do not have a high enough protein intake.

Your hard-earned muscle will be metabolized; this is obviously counterproductive for someone trying to build or maintain lean muscle mass. Be sure to take the protein requirements I have outlined above for this reason.

PROPER CARB CYCLING

The correct way to carb cycle is to make sure you are taking an adequate amount of protein and not limiting your carbohydrates to the point of ketosis. The best way I have found to do this is to follow a plan that consists of threelow-carb days and one high-carb day. You continue to cycle the days until you reach your desired goal.

The high carb days are important to have for a few reasons. One, it throws your metabolism off and tricks your body into thinking it came off the diet. If you continue to have low carb days, your body will eventually adapt to this and slow it's metabolism down to compensate for the lower caloric intake. This is known as homeostasis, your body trying to maintain a balance. Having a high carb day "fools" your body. However, after a longer period of time—your body will adapt to this as well.

Another reason to have high carb days is to replenish your glycogen stores. Glycogen is the body's storage form of carbohydrate found in the liver and muscles. Since glycogen is combined together with water, the extra volume in the muscle cells causes the muscles to appear larger. Muscles deprived of glycogen are small and flat and muscles full of glycogen are big and full. I'm sure everyone would prefer the latter.

The last reason to have high carb days comes from a health standpoint. After following a strict low carb diet for three days straight, you can become mentally and physically drained. For this reason, your body should have a break from the routine every fourth day. After that day, you will again feel full of energy, more alert and ready to go into the next three days.

REEVALUATING PROGRESS

After doing the carb cycling for 4-6 weeks, you should reevaluate what progress has been made. If you are getting close to your desired body fat, you may want to cut back to two low carb days and one high carb day. This can be done for another 4-6 weeks and then you could even alternate low carb and high carb days.

The best measure is how you look in the mirror and how you are feeling. The scale, tape measure, and body fat percentage can only say so much.

I have outlined a sample low carb day and high carb day that can be used. If you get hungry in the middle of the night, I would suggest having a scoop of protein to hold you over until morning. Carbohydrates are the variable when it comes to fat loss. After you get to your desired goal, you can follow more general guidelines that will become apart of your lifestyle.

The above article is a Fat Loss : Calories In And Calories Out you can apply to your diet.
The key is exercise and diet. The fat comes from the excess calories so you surely already know what that means?
Hopefully this article can petrify you. thanks.

TOP FAT LOSS MYTHS

5 TOP FAT LOSS MYTHS

 

The problem with myths fat loss is that not only are they often wrong and give false hope, but they also waste your time.

There are so many fat loss myths out there in "exercise-land".

After all, by now you've probably heard that if you don't do 60-minutes of cardio in your fat burning zone on an empty stomach while Venus is in line with Jupiter, you'll never burn fat.

The problem with myths is that not only are they wrong and give false hope to millions of people trying to lose weight, but they also waste your time and mental effort.

I have also seen these myths used as justification for cheating on a diet, watching countless men and women justify their "treats" because they believe they are on some type of magical exercise program or nutrition plan.

I could go on for days about fitness myths, but I cut my list from 30 down to the Top 5 Fat Loss Workout Myths today. I'll save the other 25 for future newsletters.

MYTH 1: YOU HAVE TO DO CARDIO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH TO BURN FAT LOSS

Relax. You don't have to hop on the treadmill at 4:30am every morning. Let's allow common sense to dictate when and how you exercise.

If you want to work out first thing in the morning, and I know that is the best time for many TT readers, by all means, go ahead and do it. There's nothing magical about this time - although it is often the only time many of day many people have to themselves.

We need to think "outside of the hour" of exercise and realize that calorie burning and fat burning goes on for 24-hours. Forget about the theories and look at the big picture.

It doesn't matter when you exercise - as long as you exercise intensely and consistently. Focus on relatively high-intensity workouts to increase your metabolism for as many hours after exercise as possible. That is best done with interval training and resistance training.

MYTH 2: YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR CARDIO IN YOUR "FAT BURNING ZONE"

Again, nonsense.

While you might burn a larger proportion of total calories as fat when you exercise in your fat burning zone, you burn fewer calories overall by exercising at such a low intensity.

When you increase your workout intensity and get out of your so-called "fat burning zone," you burn more total calories, and as a result, more fat.

In addition, the "fat burning zone" training doesn't put "turbulence" on your muscles... so you don't burn many calories in the post-exercise time period. But with interval training, you burn a significant amount of calories for hours after training, and that leads to more fat loss.

I've worked with hundreds of people that have avoided the fat burning zone while still managing to lose dozens of pounds of fat. The "fat burning zone" is one of the biggest fitness myths of all time.

MYTH 3: YOU HAVE TO DO CARDIO FOR 20 MINUTES BEFORE YOU BURN FAT

When I hear this, I picture a fat-burning switch in my body that turns on only after I've been doing "cardio" for 20 minutes. But what if I only exercise for 19 minutes and 59 seconds? Are you telling me that I won't have burned any fat? That's ridiculous.

What if I did it on an empty stomach in the morning and in my target heart rate zone? (read that one sarcastically!)

I'll say it one last time. We need to be more concerned with our 24-hour metabolism, not how much fat or even how many calories are burned during the workout.

MYTH 4: DRINKING ICE COLD WATER

WILL HELP YOU BURN CALORIES AND LOSE FAT

Standing in line at the grocery store is a great place to pick up the latest fat loss myths. You'll also find this one all over the Internet.

This myth often comes along with some calculations showing that by drinking 8 glasses of ice-cold water you can burn 70 calories per day. I don't believe that actually holds true in real life. Regardless, drinking cold water is not going to burn any more fat off your body than drinking room temperature water.

Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe you should drink 12 glasses of water per day, but the temperature of your water won't have any effect on your overall fat loss success.

MYTH 5: ADDING ONE POUND OF MUSCLE WILL BURN 50 EXTRA CALORIES EACH DAY

Uh-oh, now I'm cutting down a myth that supports my use of strength training in a fat loss program. But I have an obligation to set the record straight about this extremely prevalent myth (even though I just saw a big name fitness expert perpetuate this myth in a recent article!).

This myth sounds so good. Add a pound of muscle, boost your metabolism 50 calories. That doesn't seem out of line at all.

But do the math for a guy that puts on 30 pounds of muscle. Does his metabolism really increase by 1500 calories? Absolutely not. For an average guy, that would require his resting metabolism to increase from 2500 calories to 4000 calories per day. How would he be able to keep any of that muscle with a metabolism like that? He'd have to eat like a pig forever.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

So when you look at the big picture, you can see this little myth start to fall apart. That's not to say you should stop your strength training, but just don't use this myth as an excuse to cheat on your diet.

BONUS MYTH: NEGATIVE CALORIE FOODS CAUSE YOU TO LOSE WEIGHT

According to the "experts," a negative calorie food requires more energy to digest than it provides you when you eat it. And included in the negative calorie food list are apples and bananas.

So by this logic, I would actually starve to death if I had nothing to eat but apples (because I would have a net energy loss from eating a so-called "negative calorie" food).

There is no such thing as a negative calorie food. It's a shame that people are out there promoting this stuff, and it's too bad that so many people fall for it. Remember the old phrase,

Instead, let the common sense fat loss principles apply. It's going to take consistent effort, working hard at your workouts and with your nutrition to get the results you want.

To Help You Lose Fat Faster! With 17 Tips

To Help You Lose Fat Faster! With 17 Tips

Losing fat is no easy feat, but a little pro advice can go a long way. Check out these 17 blubber-banishing tips and supercharge your shred!

 

Been there, done that may explain your attitude toward not-so-new endeavors like movie reruns and mohawk haircuts, but few of us have ever been there, done that when it comes to achieving single-digit body fat levels. Dropping fat to stage-ready percentages is no easy feat, and a hardcore cut usually ends up burning as much motivation and strength as it does fat.

Fortunately, we can learn from successful people. We asked eight athletes for their best fat-loss tips and strategies and came back with these 17 gems. Incorporate this training and nutrition advice into your own get-shredded efforts and build a winning formula for getting absolutely ripped!

1. DON'T DITCH THE HEAVY WEIGHTS

A number of athletes told us that they don't abandon heavy free-weight workouts when trying to get cut. I've lifted weights for over 10 years, and I've found that heavy weights lifted for 5-8 reps with a focus on big lifts like the squat, deadlift, and bench press has worked best for me. You always hear, Train with light weights for high reps to burn fat, but I've found the opposite to be true.

2. USE SUPERSETS FOR SUPERIOR RESULTS

Resistance training clearly plays a role in fat loss, but you're better off ditching the straight-sets approach. One aspect of training that many competitors change when cutting is how they arrange their workouts. I find incorporating circuits, dropsets, and supersets really does the trick for me. Keeping your heart rate high and taking shorter breaks is essential when trying to shed fat.

I'm a big fan of supersetting exercises for opposing muscle groups with short rest periods to keep the intensity high.

When trying to lean down and bring out definition, I recommend high-volume supersets. At the end of every rep, you can also pulsate the final movement for 5-6 pumps.

When cutting fat, also relies on supersets. I'm a fan of supersets and pairing up certain body parts so you can train them 1-2 times a week. If you have a good program laid out, you can cycle through higher weight and high volume.

3. CUT YOUR REST INTERVALS

Catching your breath for extended periods between sets isn't going to work if your aim is fat loss. While a big fan of supersets, doesn't rest more than 30 seconds between any set when he's leaning out.

4. FINISH WITH A KICK

While some athletes eschew cardio, that doesn't mean they don't integrate metabolic "finishers" into their resistance workouts. What's worked for me in the last few years for fat loss has been adding in short, 5-10 minute finishers after my strength-training workouts 1-3 times per week. A few examples are several sets of heavy farmer's walks, battling ropes, double-unders (jump rope), kettlebell swings, and prowler sprints, or a combination of those.

5. HIIT THOSE CARDIO MACHINES

High-intensity interval training, often called HIIT, not only burns a slew of calories as you alternate all-out sprints with easy recovery periods, but it's been shown to significantly boost post-exercise calorie burn for up to 24 hours.

[HIIT] burns more calories in less time, which is ideal for people who work extremely long days. Also, HIIT cardio can build muscle, and more muscle equals more calorie expenditure.

To ensure that high-intensity intervals don't gobble up circulating amino acids in your bloodstream intended for muscle repair and building, suggests a BCAA supplement prior to training, especially if you prefer fasted morning cardio.

6. HIIT IT OUTDOORS

You can certainly use the treadmill, stair-climber, or elliptical in the gym to do high-intensity intervals. But, prefers to HIIT the hills or gridiron. Not only does that allow to take advantage of the great weather, but finds it more motivating to train outdoors, far away from the monotony of cardio machines.

7. TIME YOUR CARB CYCLING

Cycling your carbohydrate intake, in which you reduce your consumption of carbs to fairly low levels—about 50-100 g per day—for several days, followed by a high-carb day, is a common approach in successful fat-loss programs.

For many athletes and bodybuilders, the high-carb day coincides with a leg day or heavy back day so the extra glycogen can be put to use powering through especially tough training sessions. If you cycle your carbs, time the higher-carb days to coincide with a heavy workout. If you cycle your carbs, time the higher-carb days to coincide with a heavy workout.

8. BEWARE OF HIDDEN CALORIES

If you enjoy a glass of juice with your meals or use it to mix your protein shake, watch out for the extra calories. While New York's Pulido suggests the occasional glass may be fine, he reminds you that liquid calories "aren't as filling as whole foods, which provide more volume."

According to research in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," 37 percent of Americans' total daily calories come from sugar-sweetened drinks, including sodas and fruit juices, yet these calories do little to make you feel full. If you crave something sweet, a whole fruit provides more vitamins, minerals, and fiber, plus you're less likely to eat additional foods because the volume is greater in your digestive system.

If you enjoy a glass of juice with your meals or use it to mix your protein shake, watch out for the extra calories.

9. TRICK YOUR TASTE BUDS

Exchanging higher-fat foods for lower-fat alternatives is always an easy way to save on calories, but many fear that the lower-fat versions aren't as tasty. You might have trouble exchanging full-fat milk, for example, for its nonfat counterpart because the latter tastes a bit watery.

Try this trick: Use the nonfat milk for about three weeks, and then switch up to 1 or 2 percent milk. Suddenly that milk will taste creamier than the nonfat milk without having to resort to the full-fat version. And for each eight ounce glass, you'll save nearly 50 calories and six grams of fat.

10. SUPPLEMENT SMART

If you're cutting calories, especially from dietary carbohydrate and fat sources, your body is more apt to start using amino acids for energy, which is one reason why the majority of athletes we spoke with increased their protein intake while on a fat-loss program.

Every physique athlete knows the power of a good fat-burner. You can find supplement with ingredient bolstered with caffeine, coleus forskohlii, L-theanine and other metabolism-boosting ingredients, it helps increase energy and focus, thermogenesis, and weight loss. While you should never expect a supplement alone to make you lean, a solid fat-burner can complement a smart fat-loss plan.

11. JUNK THE JUNK FOODS

Remove all foods from your home you may be tempted to overeat, like snack foods and candy. Anything is OK in moderation, and a cheat here and there is fine. But, many people have a difficult time with temptation and moderation. This method works best. 

12. TAPER YOUR CALORIES

If you're lax on your diet, i suggests a simple solution: taper off your calories as the day goes on. I find that, when dieting, when I eat the majority of my food during the day, I don't get as hungry toward the evening and I don't binge at night before bed.

So many people think the key to fat loss is always less, but eating enough food is just as important in maintaining a healthy metabolism in the long run.

13. LOSE IT FOR GOOD

If you're looking for the recipe for long-term success, the answer entails more than following a short-term dietary fix to lose a few pounds. How do you keep the weight off for good? By adopting the lifestyle.

Obviously you'll be more successful if you're able to make permanent changes in your food choices, but few of us have the machine-like ability to resist tempting snacks when cravings arise.

I'd say the most underrated aspect of losing fat is finding a nutrition plan that's sustainable. So many people go to extreme measures, cutting out carbs or going on a very low-calorie diet, which may work at first but is not healthy in the long run. So many people think the key to fat loss is always less, but what most people don't realize is that eating enough food is just as important in maintaining a healthy metabolism in the long run.

14. DON'T SEEK SHORTCUTS

A number of fitness models and athletes confided there simply is no shortcut to success.

There's definitely no secret to fat loss. It just takes good old fashioned hard work and dedication. Just like with anything, the keys are time and consistency. Results come by doing the right things day-in and day-out. It's making the right choices and sticking to your workout plan consistently, not looking for a quick fix or the secret formula to rapid fat loss.

Bottom line is that there is no easy way out. There's no overnight recipe for washboard abs—the secret is consistency and effort. If you make the time and commitment to work toward achieving your fitness goals, eventually you'll get there!

15. FIND A PARTNER TO PUSH YOU

Gets a big lift from partner, who not only coaches but provides plenty of motivation. Working out with a more advanced partner or significant other can provide a big boost. partner can makes you move, keeps you focused, and pushes you when you tired.

16. WHAT FAT-LOSS ADVICE IS THE MOST OVERRATED?

The most overrated aspect of losing body fat is so-called miracle diets. People are always looking for an easy way out without having to put in the time and effort.

The most underrated aspect of fat loss is food choices. Everybody wants to lose body fat and look and feel better, but they don't want to eat healthy.

[If you don't know how to use a carb-cycling program effectively], cutting carbs is the most overrated. Most people don't know how to maintain that kind of diet and don't know how to increase other valuable macronutrients. An extended calorie deficit slows the metabolism and can set you up for a future of dieting struggles.

18. WHAT FAT-LOSS ADVICE  IS THE MOST UNDERRATED?

In my opinion, the most underrated aspect of fat loss is food choices. Everybody wants to lose body fat and look and feel better, but they don't want to eat healthy. We are always looking for ways around the good foods that are proven to work time after time.

Many people avoid HIIT cardio for fear of losing muscle, but this kind of training actually builds muscle.

As far as underrated aspects of losing weight go, I'd definitely say that people don't utilize HIIT style training as much as they should. People tend to prefer steady-state cardio, but I find that HIIT training is where you'll see your body change the most.

The above article is a Tips To Help You Lose Fat Faster! you can apply to your diet.
The key is exercise and diet. The fat comes from the excess calories so you surely already know what that means?
Hopefully this article can petrify you. thanks.