One Simple Rule

The most important thing you have to know about weight loss is the following:

If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight

If you consume more than you burn, you will store the excess as fat.

 

 

[ad]

 

 

At the basic and fundamental level, weight loss summarized in that one simple rule. Unfortunately the details of that one simple rule are enough to fill thousands upon thousands of volumes. Going forward, I’m going to attempt to boil that incredible volume of (often contradictory) information into one place.

How many calories are you burning?

There’s a reason that my first post was a Basal Metabolic Rate calculator (HERE). It’s because the number one thing you need to know about losing weight is how much you can eat without gaining weight.

Before you get started with it, there’s pretty much just one option that you might not be clear on: Activity Level you’ve got some choices there:

  • Sedentary – You work in an office, and don’t get much exercise.
  • Low – You might go for the occasional walk, but not much more than a few hours a week of physical activity
  • Moderate – You make an occasional effort to work out, 2 to 3 times a week
  • Active – You engage in vigorous activity 3 to 4 times a week.
  • Very Active – You work out 5 times or more per week.

If you haven’t done so already, follow that link and use the BMR calculator now. The number in the big box is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). It is the number of calories your body uses every day. Eat more than that, you’ll put on weight. Eat less, you’ll lose weight.

How much less?

Great Question! More on that later…

[ad]