Health and Well Being July Articles

The United States is one of the fattest countries in the world and has held this disgraceful position for well over 50 years.  It seems everywhere we turn we’re being hit with more information on the lastest and greatest way to lose weight quickly and easily.  Unfortunately, it’s just not that simple.  There are no magic wands or potions that will help you shed those unwanted pounds, but if you’re battling with excess stomach fat or weight, there is hope.  You can lose weight and learn how to lose belly fat when you understand how your body uses calories.

If you want to lose weight fast, there’s a simple formula you must understand.  Your body is going to require a certain number of calories every day, just to maintain itself.  These calories, or units of energy, are the fuel that will provide the basic functions your body must process in order to stay alive.  When we understand how many calories we must consume just to maintain our current weight, it’s easy to figure out where we can make adjustments and jump-start the weight loss process.

The number of calories that your body requires will depend on three main factors, these include the amount of physical activity you engage in, your BMR or Basic Metabolic Rate, and the thermic effect of your food.

Your Basic Metabolic Rate, or BMR, is the amount of energy, or calories, that your body needs to function while at rest.  This BMR will account for about 60 to 70 percent of your body’s daily caloric needs and includes the calories necessary to keep your temperature regulated and your heart pumping.  A reputable formula used to determine your BMR is the Harris-Benedict formula:

Adult male:

66 + (6.3 x body weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years)

Adult female:

655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)

The factor that takes the next highest number of calories is physical activity.  The amount of physical activity or exercise you engage in will have a direct impact on the number of calories your body needs.  Every activity your body performs will require energy to fuel it.  The amount of energy your body requires will also depend on how much you weigh.  The heavier you are the more energy it will take for your body to carry it.

The third factor to consider when determining the number of calories your body needs is the thermic effect of food.  The thermic effect is the amount of energy your body uses in the process of digesting the food you consume.  This thermic effect is estimated at 10% of the calories consumed.

These are the basic building blocks that determine how many calories our body needs while at rest.  Once we know how many calories it takes to maintain our current body weight, we can easily calculate how to lose any amount of weight we desire.  A pound of body weight is equivalent to 3,500 calories, so, if you want to lose 5 pounds you will need to create a calorie deficit of 17,500 calories (3,500 x 5).

Since we already know how many calories are required to maintain our current weight, we simply need to make a deficit or reduction in this number.  For instance, if you have calculated that it will take 2,100 calories per day to maintain your current weight, but you want to lose 5 pounds, you can decide how quickly you want to lose the weight.