How To Count Calories

differently for men and women due to usual body differences. The rate is calculated for men by adding 66 with 6.23 multiplied by body weight.

This figure is added to 12.7 multiplied by height in inches. Six point eight multiplied by age i.
Weight loss not only means an exercise program, and meal planning, but also calorie counting.

Counting calories can seem daunting at first, especially when understanding that everything from coffee creamers, sugars, salad dressing and other condiments, to full course meals, and snacks are all part of the calorie equation.

It isn’t, however, just a matter of counting calories. Different people need different caloric amounts, and it depends greatly on factors such as how much weight an individual desires to lose, along with the basal metabolic rate.

The basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories the body needs during rest to continue to function. There are some differences in BMR when it comes to gender.

The rate is determined s subtracted from the previous figure. The sum is the BMR for men. For women 655 is added to 4.35 multiplied by weight. That figure is added to 4.7 multiplied by height in inches.

Four point seven multiplied by age is subtracted from previous sum, and that is the resulting BMR for a female.

The BMR sum is then calculated on a scale of activity. For instance, The BMR is multiplied by 1.2 for a sedentary lifestyle, 1.375 for light active, 1.55 for moderate active, 1.725 very active, and 1.9 for extra active.

This resulting figure gives individuals the total caloric intake and the amount the body needs to maintain the current weight.

Once individuals know the total caloric intake, and the amount needed to maintain weight, they can begin making adjustments to meals and reducing caloric intake for weight loss.
Keep in mind it takes a 3,500 calorie reduction to lose one pound.

For those who want to lose one pound a week they would need to give up 500 calories a day. Dieting alone often means a much slower means of weight loss than dieting and exercise combined.

Exercise will result in more calories burned per day, and the more intense the workout the more weight loss is achieved.

A few things to consider during weight loss is to avoid restricting too many calories. Not more than 1,000 calories a day should be cut.

Starvation diets often reduce metabolic rates, and the body goes into starvation mode and begins storing fat.

 Excessive weight loss is also dangerous, and can result in poor health. Don’t attempt to lose more than two pounds a week.

When on a diet and exercise plan its best to pace oneself and to realize even positive changes take time.

Weight loss is a day by day process, and means not just losing weight to fit in the summer bathing suit, but a more realistic goal is to see it as a lifestyle change.

Learning better eating habits, and implementing a healthy lifestyle will naturally result in permanent weight loss.

How To Change A Poor Diet

When people think of diet they think of food. We must first clarify what a diet is all about so that you understand how diets differ from one person to another. Every person needs a certain amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to survive.

 Not every person needs the same amount of these elements to survive. The basis for a diet depends on your age, metabolism, activities, and nutritional needs.

A poor diet usually translates, over time, to poor health.

 A younger person can overcome the deficiencies of a poor diet and still function normally compared to an older adult.

What Causes a Poor Diet?

Poor diets are generally the result of bad habits. In a fast-paced, fast food world, we become accustomed to eating quickly and eating processed foods. As this routine becomes part of our daily routine, the end result is a poor diet.

Your body has the remarkable resilience to still function adequately, even though it has to work harder to process junk food and the likes. But, there comes a time when your body, as regenerative as it is, starts to fail.

Unfortunately, most people don’t wake up to the fact that their diet needs changing until it reaches this point. Fortunately, you are about to find out how to change a poor diet right now.

Small Changes Equal Big Results

As mentioned, poor diets are usually the result of bad habits. Eating fast, eating on the run, eating late at night, all these habits perpetuate eating foods that are not good for you – mainly fast foods.

To change bad habits you must first identify those habits. You may not be able to change your daily routine, but there is always a small change you can make. It could be 10 minutes here or there; this is where you start. You must start from where you’re at and work from there.

Breakfast is an important meal. Focusing on a good breakfast makes the rest of your day good. Breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated, it only has to be digestible and somewhat nutritious. What do we mean by digestible? Pancakes with heavy syrup and bacon and ham is hard to digest in the morning.

It takes more energy, and instead of feeling energized you will feel sluggish. This is not the way to start your day. Oatmeal with honey and berries is much better and simpler to make.

What you must keep in mind with any meal is: the heavier the meal the more time it takes to digest. There’s also a similar correlation with processed, junk foods – it takes more energy to process these foods than the benefits derived from them. These are all things that contribute to a poor diet.

Changing a poor diet should be done by changing poor habits one at a time. It may start with simply taking an extra 10 minutes at dinner to relax and enjoy the meal. From there you can replace poor quality foods with better, nutritious foods.

Trying to change too many things at once usually ends up in frustration, and you’ll revert back to your old, bad habits.

Diet drinks not 'diet' after all

There are currently numerous campaigns trying to raise awareness of the negative health effects of sugar, particularly on weight gain and 

Sugar is highly pervasive in our diet. Approximately  of processed foods and drinks contain added sugar.

Additionally, the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has increased fivefold since the 1950s.

Numerous  have pointed to a link between SSBs and cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and 

The alternative to SSBs promoted by soft drink companies is the sugar-free, "diet" drink. These artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) are said to be healthful and prevent weight gain.

But researchers from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom argue otherwise.

Full-sugar versus 'diet' drinks

A new commentary on existing ASB research and policy -  in the journal PLOS Medicine - argues that ASBs are just as ineffective in preventing weight loss as their full-sugar counterparts.

The commentary is a collaborative effort between Imperial College London, University of Sao Paulo and the Federal University of Pelotas - both in Brazil - and Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

According to the authors, in the U.K., SSBs make up a third of the total sugar intake among teenagers. In Brazil, they are the second largest source of dietary sugar, and in the United States, SSBs account for almost half of the added sugar in Americans' diet.

The researchers - led by Prof. Christopher Millett - argue that although SSBs are very high in  they contain almost no essential nutrients. Additionally, "convincing epidemiological evidence" has suggested that consuming SSBs increases the risk of being overweight or obese, as well as developing diabetes.

ASBs are becoming more and more popular as an alternative to harmful sugary drinks. By 2008, the number of American children consuming ASBs had doubled, compared with 1999.

Soft drinks, fruit juices, flavored water, and ready-to-drink  and tea are all artificially sweetened. Because they taste similar to their full-sugar counterparts and have none of their energy content, ASBs are perceived as healthful,

as it is believed they do not trigger any energy compensation mechanisms.

Additionally,

"taxes and regulation on SBS and not ASBs will ultimately promote the consumption of diet drinks rather than plain water - the desirable source of hydration for everyone," mentions Prof.

Carlos Monteiro, one of the authors of the review.

Diet drinks a 'potential risk factor for chronic diseases'

However, researchers explain why the common perception of diet drinks might be wrong.

ASBs can still cause a compensatory mechanism by stimulating sweet taste receptors. This can, in turn,

 increase appetite and stimulate the secretion of gut hormones. Knowing that ASBs are low in calories might amplify these effects and lead to excessive consumption of other foods.

This chain reaction could lead to weight gain, obesity, and obesity-related complications.

In fact, Millett and team point out that several observational studies and meta-analyses have correlated ASBs with increased body mass index and a higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases, such as .

However, observational studies are vulnerable to so-called reverse causality - for example, people with obesity might tend to consume more ASBs because they are trying to control their weight, rather than the ASBs causing the weight gain themselves.

Even so, randomized controlled trials of ASBs have shown either no effect at all on weight loss, or only minor reductions in weight.

The authors warn against the dangers of biased research and conflicting interests. They refer to a systematic review that has shown studies sponsored by beverage companies tend to report positive effects of ASB on weight management.

"The lack of solid evidence on the health effects of ASBs and the potential influence of bias from industry-funded studies should be taken seriously when discussing whether ASBs are adequate alternatives to SSBs," says Dr. Maria Carolina Borges, first author of the new review.

 Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com