The "C" Word....

The word that strikes fear into every dieter's heart...how many CALORIES??

Calories are a mess to explain- I can hardly understand the science behind assigning a number to certain foods. The calories we know and hate are a measurement of energy, yet in science they can also carry a meaning 1,000 times greater than we use. The energy in food in actually measured in kilocalories...confusing right? Well, for our general use, let's talk the talk and walk the walk. A calorie is a measure of the energy content of food. One calories- the kind we see on food labels- is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a liter of water by one degree Centigrade...I took this definition from Marion Nestle. Sounds complicated, right? Ultimately, what we need to know is this:

Diets are about calories. Eat too many, your weight will go up. To lose weight, you can do one of the two: eat fewer calories than your body needs each day or use up your excess calories by increased physical activity. Or try both for a double whammy! Either way, if you are on a diet, the only kind that REALLY work are those that incorporate fewer calories.

Now I am sure you are DYING to know how I claim that high profile "low carb" diets do NOT work. For my knowledge (which is immensely vast), I turn to an explanation of Marion Nestle, amazing all-knowing nutrition champ. If youi know how calories work, you know to base your diet around two numbers:
1) 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day are the range of calories that maintain body weight in most people.
2) 3,500 calories per pound equals the number of calories in one pound of body fat.

Now, knowing what we know, in order to LOSE 1 pound, you would have to eat 3,500 calories fewer than what you need to maintain your body weight. So if you are focused on a diet that involves high fat intake, you are bound to get discouraged because you are not really adjusting your calories intake. We should pay attention to fat, sugar and carb intake, but overall, be careful that you are not falsely losing water weight...it has a way of coming back!! To lose one pound of body fat a week, you have to take in 500 fewer calories per day or increase your activity to burn 500 calories per day...I choose to do both. And when you think about it, that candy bar you need after lunch...500 calories right there!! Or give up the tater tots from the lunchroom...yes, I know how GOOD they are, but when your jeans fall off, that feeling beats the taste of tots hands down!

Overall, understanding calories is tough, but weight loss doesn't have to be- burn more than you take in each day. I can promise you if I can do it, anyone can. I recently ran for 8 minutes straight at the gym and yesterday I ran a mile around my neighborhood and I ran .5 without stopping! That is BIG for me- so if I can do it, you can too!! Start logging those calories and keep them down...eat some veggies and fruit, give up the Big Macs and chips and soda.

And if you need to vent about why losing weight has to be so hard, remember that your health and fitness are worth a little sacrifice....and you can complain to me!! I will totally agree with you- then we can share a smoothie....all natural, of course!

Signing off,
Miss Mad