Many people aren’t sure what calories are!
Ask the average person what calories are and see the answers you get!
Calories are a measurement unit to quantify energy.
In order for you to gain weight, you need to be consuming more calories than you burn.
On the contrary, if you are attempting to lose weight, you need to be consuming fewer calories and using more.
Things in the real world are not that simple.
Most people believe that drastically cutting down on calories is all that’s required to lose weight while having total disregard for the types of foods being consumed.
This is completely the wrong approach to take and is the perfect recipe for people to starve themselves and eventually ditch the diet.
A more pragmatic approach would be to implement permanent changes in the diet that are designed to make any calorie deficit more bearable. In other words, these changes are meant to avoid starvation.
AuthorityFoodNutrition.com have carefully researched and devised little dietary and lifestyle changes that have shown to ease weight loss journeys for many people.
Protein Is King
Whether you are seeking to build muscle, tone up, or even lose weight, protein is vital.
Adding more protein into your diet has shown to be the most effective and efficient way to lose weight without putting in a lot of effort.
Not only does protein help to suppress appetite, but it also helps to speed up the metabolic system.
Protein demands a lot of energy to metabolize itself, which means a protein-rich diet incinerates calories consistently.
Protein is universally recognized as the most filling nutrient that humans consume. One particular study seems to suggest that people who consume 45% of their calories in the form of protein took in almost 500 fewer calories daily.
Protein is also the best way of fighting off hunger cravings.
A different study noted that when 25% of any calories consumed were in the formal protein, food cravings and food thoughts were cut by up to 60%. Moreover, late-night munch urges were cut by 50%.
As you can see, for long-term, long-lasting, and steady weight loss, a high protein diet is a must. Best of all, high-protein diets have shown to help people avoid regaining weight or at the very least slow it down should they choose to abandon their diets.
Cutback on Carbohydrates
One of the basic principles of losing weight is to cut down on the carbs.
Experts believe that by sticking to a low carbohydrate diet can enhance the chances of losing weight when compared to a calorie restricted diet.
Diets that are low in carbohydrates are known for providing many other benefits for overall health including helping to alleviate symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
Not all people find it easy to cope with a low carbohydrate diet, and that’s okay, provided you get in plenty of fiber-rich carbohydrates usually from sole-ingredient foods.
Learn to Hate Sugar, Especially in Drinks!
By simply eliminating sugary drinks such as soda and most fruit juices, your calorie intake could be massively reduced.
Most dieters tend to think that fruit juices, especially “freshly squeezed” ones are really healthy. Little do they know that these so-called “fresh” fruit juices contain a lot of sugar, and are usually the main culprits responsible for dietary failings.
Liquid calories are different because they are not acknowledged by the brain like the solid calories. This means that by drinking high-calorie juices, the mind still thinks that the body requires further calorie intake.
Sugary drinks are also believed to be responsible for increasing levels of obesity, especially in children.
The damage caused by sugar is not limited to weight gain. Sugar can trigger all sorts of diseases and completely wreck the metabolism.
The bottom line is that there is entirely no requirement for a person to consume soda and fruit juices, plain water is a much better alternative.
Speaking of Water
A growing number of people are drinking more water when trying to lose weight.
Experts believe that by increasing water intake, a person can burn more calories for longer.
By merely drinking up to 2 liters of water a day can help you to burn up to 120 more calories.
Another clever hack is drinking water before eating. Drinking just before your meal has shown to enhance weight loss by up to 45%.
Certain caffeine beverages such as green tea and coffee are also great aids for weight loss. It is common knowledge that caffeine works to supercharge the metabolism momentarily.
Did We Mention Exercise?
The human body is an fantastic piece of machinery. When you consume fewer calories, your body automatically compensates this deficit by burning less.
This is exactly why a lot of the popular diets that involve calorie restrictions can bring the metabolism to a standstill over time. Restricting calories can also deplete muscle mass.
The best way to counter this is a regular resistance training which is designed to exert the muscles to the fullest.
Not only does resistance training help you to burn fat, but it can also make your body into an aesthetically pleasing work of art!
You don’t necessarily have to go to the gym to perform resistance exercises. Simple routines such as crunches, squats and press ups can be performed anywhere.
Swimming, jogging, and cycling are great forms of cardiovascular exercise. Regular cardiovascular exercise will not only assist you in losing weight, but it is also vital for maintaining good health and overall well-being.
There’s no substitute for exercise because the array of benefits are endless. Regular exercise helps to reduce risks of developing certain diseases, helps to prolong life, and promotes more energy.
