Many understand the concept that by consuming too much fat it will end up being stored on our body. The science underlying this concept and the natural benefits of a low-calorie diet is less well understood. To be successful in a weight loss program we need to understand the role fat plays in our diet and why it does indeed make us fat.

The energy obtainable from a particular food is dependant on the percentages of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins that make up that food. Energy is quantified in a measure called a calorie. This has been defined with reference to the energy required to heat one litre of water 1 degree centigrade when at sea level.

This is of course not a lot of use when trying to lose weight. In weight loss or exercise a calorie is a measure of energy expenditure and is more correctly a kilo-calorie (one thousand calories) and is calculated initially in a laboratory setting.

A guideline would be that a pound of fat (0.454 kg) stores 3500 calories of energy. To lose a pound a week on a low-calorie diet someone would have to reduce calorie consumption by approx. 500 calories per day (The maths behind this is the 500 calorie reduction is 3500 per week and that is equivalent to 1 lb of ugly fat).

The good news is that many foods purchased in the supermarket are well marked with the number of calories which can be used to make some estimates. How many calories that we use depends on a number of factors such as how active we are and how much muscle we have on our frame.

Women require a lower calorie intake than do men, mainly because of their lower muscle proportion. If they are sitting around they may use 1700 calories per day, an active man may use 2900 calories or higher with hard physical work. Normal walking could use around 100 calories per mile for a 150 pound (70kg) person. We would need to walk 5 miles every day to achieve a 500 calorie deficit if we did not move to a low-calorie diet.

The number of calories in our food depends on the relative percentages of fat, carbohydrates, and protein. A snack that has a high proportion of fat may have two times as many calories as a snack that consists of protein and carbohydrates. This is because fat has 9 calories per gram whereas protein and carbohydrate only have 4 calories per gram. The dairy food groups such as milk, cheese, and butter typically have a higher fat content and it is best to shop for a low fat alternative if you are looking for a low-calorie diet.

Investigations have often concluded that lean and and heavy men have a similar calorific intake. How-ever the obese men ate a higher proportion of fatty food which is more easily stored as fat than other food groups. Carbohydrates and protein require more calories to convert them to fat. Studies show they can consume as much as 25% of the calories in the food during this process.

If the proportion of fat in a diet is lowered, even with no reduction in total in the actual calories eaten, this can result in some weight loss. In spite of all the reduced fat choices that we have to eat, we still eat more fat than we need. It is found in a lot of those nice little additions we put on our food for taste such as dressing and sauces, and of course in a lot of those little treats such as deserts, cakes, and biscuits.

If a low-calorie diet is the aim reducing or eradicating these will be of great benefit. Reducing fat will give a good result even with a similar calorific intake. Remember that fat has just over twice the number of calories as the other food groups and is a very good area to target in a weight loss program.

In any weight loss program it is best to not be in a rush so that the body can adapt to the changes and a boom and bust cycle of dieting and weight gain is avoided. Find some new low calorie foods to use on a low-calorie diet that you can really enjoy and which can be used to replace the high fat snacks. We all find it can be a little tricky to drop that treat we save up for ourselves, but we need to if we are to have a long and healthy life.

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Unfortunately the people in the countries in the developed world have increasingly been gaining weight in general but in particular have excess abdominal fat.

Most people don’t like the way this looks or how it inhibits them from activities which they otherwise might undertake. Weight gain has serious health implications but it is the stomach fat in particular that is indicative of an increasing health risk, and this is not often realized.

The worst of the offenders is the visceral fat lies within the abdominal cavity and spreads around the internal organs. The fat around your stomach is not as risky as this type of fat which has been identified in studies as being much higher risk.

This visceral type of excess abdominal fat has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, various forms of cancer and certain types of metabolic irregularities, not to mention breast cancer and the need for gallbladder surgery in women. Certainly grounds to consider doing something to lose that weight.

An indication of this fat type is the rounded body shape and not so much the pear shape. The best measurement is at the waist and this will often indicate potential health issues. The use of the BMI (Body Mass Index) does not measure the riskier visceral fat, but is mainly a measure of total body fat.

By reducing this internal fat through diet and a good workout program many health benefits will be realised. It is certainly worth reducing as this fat has been identified as having a role in the production of hormones that can really knock our health. These hormones can interfere with the correct functioning of the liver and cholesterol production, not to mention the resistance to insulin, and the likelihood of getting cancer.

The excess abdominal fat on the outside of your muscles (subcutaneous fat), is more difficult to move but is not as risky.

But people can do something to reduce these risks. Working out the major muscles of the body 3-4 sessions a week, even in a moderate way, will provide certain health benefits.

Walking and jogging will start you off and exercise with weights will also help as the larger muscles use a greater amount of energy both while being used and for maintenance.

Concentration on a healthy diet incorporating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, combined with modest portions of lean protein sources such as lean meat, will also help in reducing belly fat.

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Entirely too many people are carrying extra weight around these days. There are many different reasons, some genetic, others environmental. And the truth is, some of us are looking for ways to lose weight fast. The following outlines three varying ways that you can lose weight in a week naturally and effectively, without sacrificing your health in the process.

It’s important to know that the human body is 75 percent water. This means that our body requires large amounts of water to sustain its self. Our bodies retain, or store water for future needs — the result of millions of years of evolutionary wiring. The majority of people carry around 5-8 excess pounds of water weight. We can lose this entire amount within a week by simply consuming more water. If you drink around a gallon of water per day, your body will be fooled into thinking that it no longer has to retain water, and you will be able to eliminate the excess fluid.

The second plan to lose weight in a week is to change the diet to one that is completely comprised of fruits and vegetables. Green salads can consist of large amounts of food with very few calories. In addition to the number of calories being greatly reduced, the amount of fiber will be greatly increased. The fiber will help to cleanse the bowels by getting rid of much of the excess waste that is caused by eating foods that are bad for us.

What’s the third plan?  Still as simple as the first two, increasing the amount of water you drink and fruits & vegetables you eat. But to stay healthy, the body requires certain amounts of protein, which can be found in meat, poultry and fish, and also carbohydrates, which are common in grains. The carbohydrates are needed to supply fuel for the body to burn while the reduction in caloric intake will result in loss of weight.

Weight loss will be a bit slower with this plan, but it does take a more healthy and balanced approach to dieting to lose weight. It also allows you to take in the nutrients your body needs while ensuring your calorie intake is lower than the amount of calories you burn every day.

A good average weight loss for a single week is between 8 and 20 pounds following the balanced plan. Assuming of course that your body has that much extra weight to lose. As most of us do, this is a very realistic weight loss goal.

For most people genetics dictate that we will gain weight and therefore it will need to be lost again. An average North American will gain around one pound (0.45kg) every year after the age of 25. Before we are even 50 years we have gained a massive 25 pounds (11 kg) of surplus fat.

The body cannot deal with this fat that is not used when muscle mass is lost through not exercising and metabolism is slowed. Fat weight loss becomes critical, and we are only a little over half way in our life expectancy.

The chance of getting sick or injured increases as muscles disappear leading to a reducing quality of life. As we do less we can do less and quality of life deteriorates. Genetics dictate that we are well tailored for surviving through physical action and part of this is that we store fat for when it may be needed. Unfortunately we are no longer exercising anywhere near what our bodies require, and is capable of.

It is estimated that fewer than one in five North Americans exercise for the recommended 20 minutes at a time for three of more days a week, two exercise for less than 50 minutes a week, and two in five basically do nothing at all.

Fat weight loss then becomes absolutely essential. For best results this will be in combination with increasing metabolism through the gain of muscle which has the added benefit of providing physical support. A physically active lifestyle will improve our overall well being and outlook on life, and also lower all the health risks detailed earlier. We will find that we will be less likely to pick up an illness, our heart will be stronger, and blood pressure will decline. Furthermore cholesterol readings will be down, sleep will be more relaxing, we will see less of the inside of a hospital, and best of all we will live longer.

It is not generally known that every pound of muscle that you have uses around 50 additional calories/day to maintain. So if you can gain only 10 pounds (4.5kg) of muscle you will be able to eat 500 additional calories /day without gaining weight. Many people lose muscle when dieting because they are not eating enough to sustain the muscles so it is important to maintain adequate intake of the right kinds of food.

It is very important to incorporate resistance training into your exercise routine so that muscle mass is maintained and fat loss is maximized. It is best to not just do long slow exercise, but to also incorporate some interval training to increase and decrease the heart rate, which is exactly what the human body is designed for.

Protein should be available at every meal with a decrease in the carbohydrate and fat food groups. A diet incorporating protein will assist muscle growth at the same time as assisting with losing body fat.

The first step is to decide to make an improvement in lifestyle, and the best way to begin is slowly. There is no need to rush and thereby get discouraged and quit.

As exercise levels increase and diet is improved the fat weight loss will begin to happen. As you get fitter and leaner you will feel like doing more and getting involved in life again, it is very worthwhile. Patience is required as it may even take a few years to reach the targets, and also in keeping with the program from then on.

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