Are you wondering how to count calories for weight loss success?
In recent years, calorie counting has fallen out of favour as a weight loss regime with fad diets, low-something diets and elimination diets becoming increasingly popular. The fact remains however, that weight loss is scientific. To lose weight, you have to consume fewer calories than your body needs and uses. Ergo for successful weight loss, you need to track calories to be sure that you are under-consuming. But the ways of counting calories have been updated. Here's how to count calories for weight loss success.
The first answer to how to count calories for weight loss success is to figure out how many you need each day. Rather than simply starving yourself to make sure your calorie count for the day is low, do the math related to your height and weight to figure out how many calories you need to actually maintain healthy body function and energy. Once you have this base number, you can then start to make sensible food choices about what you are eating, and once you have hit your magic number, you know that anything after that isn’t appropriate for weight loss.
You might be out of shape, and as a result even the mildest forms of exercise might leave you feeling exhausted and aching. Don’t mistake these feelings of tiredness and exertion for the actual amount of calories burned, because it is almost always much less than you think. An entire CrossFit rountine, for example, only burns 417 calories, which is pretty much only two candy bars worth!
Sure, there might be 70 calories in an apple and 70 calories in a small donut, but you need to understand that the quality and nutritional composition of the two foods is very different. The donut is filled with sugar and fats, while the apple is filled with fibre and vitamin C, which is much much better for you!
For some reason, dieting purists feel like using an app is a form of cheating, but if you need something to help you track your progress and encourage you to make the right eating decisions, then go for it! There are hundreds to choose from, so I’m sure you will find one that suits your personal needs and preferences.
There are certain foods out there that can further induce calorie burning, and one of the best is cayenne pepper. Adding just half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder to your meal can maximise calorie burning properties in your body by up to 300%! Another added benefit of cayenne pepper is that it can actually help to supress your appetite and reduce food cravings. Educate yourself about other foods that help torch calories.
Fitbits are all the rage right now, but for some people they can provide a false sense of security and achievement when it comes to weight loss. When you hit your 10,000 steps in a day, you might fall into the trap of thinking that you have burned an amazing amount of calories and so treat yourself with an indulgent snack after dinner. Add to the mix the fact that many trackers aren’t even accurate, and they can start to be more of a hindrance than a help.
If the idea of counting every single calorie that goes into your body isn’t one that you like the sound of, then you can get around this and still make great progress by doing something like following a set meal plan. You don’t have to do the specific counting, but you can rest assured that the meals you are eating have already been approved for a weight loss lifestyle.