Seven Crucial Steps for Long Term Weight Loss

1. food intake - How much do you need?

First, you must understand that to start losing weight, you must consume fewer calories than your body burns in a period of one day. The bottom line is, regardless of the confusion caused by the media and industry, calories still count!

Your body weight is largely a product of total daily caloric intake (maintenance) minus total daily energy expenditure. So to lose weight, your daily food consumption measured in calories must be below the level of maintenance.  

In other words calorie deficit must be created to trigger a reduction in body weight. Although this is a simple concept, it is easy to achieve. And the statistics prove it: 50% of Americans are obese and two thirds of Americans are borderline obese.

It should not however be so ,. People need to be educated about health, nutrition and maintaining weight loss. Knowledge is what we need. Knowledge is power, and power comes change.

A simple guide to losing weight is to adjust your daily caloric intake to equal ten times your weight in pounds. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds your total daily food intake should equal 1800 calories. This would create a sufficient deficit in calories for gradual weight loss. This method does not work, however, for people who are extremely obese.

Another effective method of losing weight at a reasonably comfortable pace (for any person) is to reduce your total daily food intake by 500 calories. One pound equals 3500 calories and 500 calories a day, equivalent to 1 pound of weight loss per week. This is a waste of reasonable pace realistic weight and more likely to succeed long term.

 On the other hand, diet programs based on more extreme calorie restriction are very stressful physically and mentally, for the result of rapid weight loss, but temporary. Not to mention the high cost of many weight loss plans that include pre packaged food, unnecessary meal replacements, supplements and so on.

A more precise to know how many calories you actually need (to maintain your weight) method is to take your body weight and multiply it by 11. Say you weigh 160 pounds and you are completely sedentary.

160 x 11 = 1760 (calories). So what is needed 1,760 calories if you sat all day with very few remain in motion 160 pounds.

Now, to go further, we need to determine your metabolic factor. There are 3 main categories for metabolism. Slow metabolism is when you have a very difficult time to lose weight. Medium metabolism means you will not have difficulty losing weight - if you really try. And fast metabolism is when it seems that no matter how much you eat, you can not gain weight. I would not have this problem. See table below.



Slow Metabolism (%)
Under 30 Years of Age - 30%
Between 30-40 Years of Age - 25%
Over 40 Years of Age - 20%
Medium Metabolism (%)
Under 30 Years of Age - 40%
Between 30-40 Years of Age - 35%
Over 40 Years of Age - 30%
Fast Metabolism (%)
Under 30 Years of Age - 50%
Between 30-40 Years of Age – 45%
Over 40 Years of Age - 40%

Continuing the example above (1,760 cal.) And let's say you are 35 years old and have a slow metabolism. The metabolic rate factor would be relevant to 25%. 1760 x 25% = 440 calories - which means that additional 440 calories needed. Therefore, the total daily calories would be equal to 2200 (1760 + 440). In other words, it would take 2,200 calories a day to maintain your current weight.

Now to lose weight at a comfortable pace (as mentioned above), subtract 500 calories from that total. This would represent 1,700 calories (2,200 to 500). Therefore, in order to lose a pound a week, you would need 1700 calories of food per day. The next step would be to keep track of all your calories. To do this, you will need to know the calorie content of foods you eat. 

 A calorie counter or calculator is where the type of food product is introduced, the quantity (in grams or ounces) and the calorie content is calculated for you. You can find them at many websites online for free.

To increase your weight loss rate even further, you can increase your exercise level. One way to do this is to participate in a regular exercise program or if you already have them, just increase the intensity level of the exercise. See tip number 6 and 7 of this article for more information on physical activity and weight loss.

2. Diet Composition
 Your diet should consist of foods from all the food groups (eg meat, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts / seeds, legumes). If you are vegetarian, you can still get plenty of protein from legumes, soy products, and whole grains amounts. In a French study, evidence suggests that the variety of food was one of the reasons why the French are less obese and had fewer cases of heart disease than Americans.

 Another important factor is the diversity in your diet. Overall, the French diet contained more foods from all food groups and consisted of several types of food and food products compared to the American diet. (1)

Furthermore, the French seemed to enjoy their food more. Their meals were like special gatherings, celebrations, meant to be enjoyed by all. Usually they do not eat too fast. They seemed to enjoy their food more; it is as if time stood still during their meals.  

This method of eating accomplishes several things. For one, eating slower and being more relaxed during meals increases chewing time. In addition, by slowing the pace of a meal and chewing more, you are more likely to get a feeling of fullness when eating smaller amounts of food. In contrast, Americans eat very often on the run.

The other benefit of the French way of eating is that it helps the digestive process by reducing workload and improving the efficiency of nutrient distribution throughout the body. An increase in food variety and diversity decreases the percentage of bad foods (saturated fat, carbohydrate / trans unrefined) in your digestive system. 

 Furthermore, increasing the fiber content of fresh foods (fruits vegetables and whole grains) also sweeps and pushes the wrong foods more quickly, leaving them less time to be absorbed by the intestines and therefore becoming less harmful. Accordingly, the risks of developing chronic, such as various forms of cancer and heart disease are also reduced related. (2)

3. Number and frequency of meals
 Does the size and quantity of your meals really matter? You have probably heard many times that it is best to have smaller more frequent meals throughout the day. In other words snacking is preferable to gorging. It is this fact or fiction? Well, the fact of the matter is that scientific research with respect to this field of study has been largely contradicting.  

There really is no hard evidence to support the idea that increased frequency and decreased portion size of meals is associated with the effectiveness of weight loss. Eat This method, however, it has been shown to benefit athletic performance in trained athletes. (3)

A study with ice skaters suggested that meals taken throughout the day to correspond to periods of high physical demand associated with training, help optimize performance. Keep in mind that improving athletic performance of athletes is one thing, but increasing the weight loss rate is quite another. Although in extreme cases, it is probably better to eat 8-10 smaller for Day 1 large meals, for example.

Consequently, the usual three meals a day method is just fine. Not only was not convincing enough to prove that it has a negative effect on proof of the weight loss. Eat 5-6 meals a day is also very good. Changing to a more frequent eating style, however, you can make you eat more, if you're not careful, especially at first.  

This is because subconsciously, you're used to having larger food portions at meal time. Therefore, it is important to monitor the amount of food every meal, until you get used to the new way of eating.

4. Do not skip meals

You've always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well, it is true. The only meal you should never skip breakfast. It is the meal that sets the tone for your metabolism. When breakfast is lost slow your metabolism responds. Your body receives hunger signals in the brain and energy-saving pass. This means rather than burning calories the body gets stingy with them.

The other thing that happens, when missing breakfast is, by the time lunch time, you still feel hungry and almost always end up overeating. And because of this added pressure on your digestive system, most of its energy is depleted your body works hard to digest and absorb all that food. Needless to say, you will not feel very productive when you return to work, a feeling that can last several hours.

Another important benefit of not skipping meals is that your level of blood sugar is more stable, which keeps insulin in check - reducing unnecessary fat storage and ensuring that you have levels adequate energy to perform their daily tasks with less physical and psychological stress.

5. Water

 It was thought that drinking plenty of water throughout the day was an essential element of a strategy to lose weight; the theory was that an adequate amount of water - 8 eight oz glasses a day - gives you a feeling of fullness which reduces periods of hunger; and unless you are hungry, unless you try - which means fewer calories.  

Recent studies have suggested, however, that the choice of high water content foods such as fruits and vegetables and the mixture of water with meals like soup has a greater effect on satiety, they just s 'potable water. And it can reduce total daily calories.In other words, including water rich foods like watermelon and other fruits and vegetables, juices and soups in your diet is more effective compared to satiety than relying solely on drinking water. Therefore, you would not be drinking 8 glasses of water a day, if you receive an adequate supply from your diet. In fact, drinking 8 glasses of water per day is a misconception. 

 This number was reported by the National Academy of food and nutrition sciences in the United States. They also mentioned, however, in the same report, the majority of water people need comes from food. (4)

The recommendation for a healthy individual is to drink one cup of water or juice with every meal. (Ibid)

It is also important to note that the human body is composed of 60 to 70% water. All members are 

constituted by a large amount of water. The blood is mainly composed of water. So it makes sense to ensure that you always get an adequate supply. These are some of the functions of water:

- Regulates body temperature- Carries nutrients to organs- Carries vital oxygen to cells- Eliminates waste from your body- Protect all your organs and joints

6. Exercise
 As you know, exercise participation is an important factor in weight loss and maintenance of weight loss. In addition to weight loss here are 20 important benefits of physical activity.

1. Increases thermogenesis (increase in body temperature to burn calories).The basal metabolic rate 2. Increase caloric expenditure increased even during periods of rest or sleep.3. natural stimulants press in the body helping to improve overall psychological state. In other words, you can change your mood to a more positive state. (5)4. relieves stress and reduces the risk of chronic diseases related to stress. (Ibid)5. Improves sexual function6. Reduce high blood pressure levels.7. can increase good cholesterol (HDL)8. Reduce high blood cholesterol levels.9 improves blood circulation.10. Increase the level of oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and improves endurance. VO2max varies directly with the level of fitness.11. The increase in lean body mass (muscle) while reducing body fat - improving body composition and therefore improving physical appearance.12. Improve self-esteem.13. Causes a natural tendency to be more aware of eating healthy and can improve the diet of a person.14. Strengthens the musculoskeletal system protecting the body against unexpected shocks.15. strengthens the immune system of the body and, therefore, slowing the aging process.16. strengthens bones and fights against osteoporosis - especially important for post - menopausal. (6)17. strengthens the immune system of the body and, therefore, slowing the aging process.18. Helps to fight against chronic diseases, including many forms of cancer and heart disease. (7) (8)19. When combined with stretching exercises that can help reduce pain in the lower back.

20. Improves physical condition in pregnant women making it easier to cope with the trials of childbirth: It increases energy levels; It helps reduce back pain; It improves circulation and reduces swelling and development of varicose veins; tones muscles making it easier for the body to return to pre-pregnancy state. You should check with your doctor, however, before you begin exercising during pregnancy. (9)

How much exercise is needed to lose weight?

It depends on your goals and fitness. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:

- How much weight you want to lose?- How old are you- How much do you weigh?- What is your physical condition?- What is your daily caloric intake?- Will you combine exercise with caloric restriction?

If you are overweight, more than 20 books, you must participate in a program that includes diet restriction (reduce total daily calories by 500 cal.) And regular exercise (6-7 days per week). You should exercise for at least 30 minutes at a time - for best results increase the duration (up to 60 minutes).  

Your target intensity should be between 65-75% of your maximum heart rate - in other words, a comfortably vigorous level of intensity. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that a good weight loss program should consist of daily caloric expenditure of 300-500 calories from exercise. (10)

How calculated the heart rate? An easy formula to determine your maximum heart rate works by simply subtracting your age from 220. If you're 40 years old, for example, the maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute (220-40). Train 70% of your maximum heart rate, simply multiply 180 by 70 and divide by 100, which equals 126 beats per minute.  

Therefore, to form a 70% intensity level of the maximum heart rate of your heart rate training should be 126 beats per minute. How heart rate during exercise is calculated? Simply take your pulse by counting the number of beats for a period of 10 seconds.

 Multiply that by 6 and you have the number of beats for a period of minutes - which is your heart rate training. Before beginning the exercise, however, get clearance from your doctor, especially if you are a beginner.

7. Exercise for Weight Loss Maintenance

Once you reach a desirable body weight, you can change your workout routine in how to maintain weight loss. This means that you can reduce the frequency of your workouts 3-4 times a week. The duration and intensity should remain the same - 60 minutes at a comfortably vigorous level. Notice to achieve a higher level of fitness, exercise intensity must be turned up a notch to keep the difficult routine and also burn more calories.

What types of activities should you participate in? There are many forms of exercise that are effective in producing the loss of proper weight and fitness. Some of them include aerobics, step or boxing aerobics, cycling, spinning, climbing the stage, training on elliptical machines, cross country skiing (real version or machine), in-line skating , ice skating, swimming, running, skate boarding, and sports such as basketball, hockey and football.  

There are many more. The important thing is to choose one that you really like. This way, your chances of sticking with it in the long run will be much higher.

Have fun, get in shape, lose those extra pounds and keep them off!