Calories Count When Trying to Lose Weight or Diet

How can you lose weight healthfully and keep it off? Think calories!

What is a calorie?

Calories are really just a measure of energy. A calorie is defined as the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water (about a thimble full) by 1 degree Celsius.

So what does this mean for nutrition? Simply put, calories are in food, and they provide energy to the body. The problem comes when there is an imbalance of energy—too much energy in and not enough energy out.

Calories Count!

To lose weight, you have to create an energy deficit in your body. One pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories. Therefore, losing one pound requires a deficit of 3,500 calories. So, to lose one pound per week, you’d have to decrease your calories by 500 per day; to lose two pounds per week, you’d have to decrease your calories by 1,000 per day.

To create a calorie deficit, you can either:
1. Decrease your calorie intake, OR
2. Increase your calorie (energy) output through exercise.

Exercise Helps Burn Calories

Physical activity is very important to maintaining good health, and it helps to burn calories. Many people don’t realize how easy it is to burn calories and create an energy deficit by adding physical activity to their daily routine.

The total number of calories you burn depends on your weight, the activity you choose, and the intensity level of your activity. If you exercise at a higher intensity level, you will burn more calories.

Consider the following averages for a person weighing 175 pounds:

30 minutes of…	Burns this many calories…
Sitting or watching TV	42
Bowling	57
Volleyball	120
Gardening	171
Walking	183
Step aerobics (4 inch bench)	198
Hiking	201
Golf (carry clubs/walk)	210
Skating (ice and roller)	264
Tennis	267
Running/jogging	306
Racquetball	315
Basketball	318
Stairmaster	366
Dance (high intensity)	372
Swimming (breast stroke)	375
Aerobics (traditional)	402
Weight training (circuit)	411