How To Actually Lose Ten Pounds

by Wade Meredith on December 7th, 2006

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No, I’m not talking about eating Special K for a week. Losing weight is really simple. Take in less calories than you burn. That’s it.

Put down the wing-ding and listen: Take in less calories than you burn is the only way to lose weight.

Don’t stop eating carbs, don’t start eating fists full of pills, don’t start eating only brocolli with honey or some other crazy thing. Do stop eating more calories than you burn. An average person burns about 1440 calories sitting around all day. So those are freebies. I don’t know anyone who wants to go on a 1400 calorie diet (booo) so you need to find a way to burn some extra calories. Go for a walk or better yet a run. Try my couch to 5k in just 6 weeks plan if it’ll help motivate you. I know I personally won’t exercise much at all if I don’t have a goal like that.

Aim for burning 500 more calories than you consume every day. It doesn’t matter how you do it as long as it’s not because you’re working so hard clubbing baby seals or something. Just find something that puts you in motion that you like, or can at least stand to do for a bit, and do it.

A pound of fat has 3500 calories, so at 500/day you’re looking at ten weeks to lose your ten pounds. That would be true if you were only losing fat. I wish that were the case, but unless you’re really obese, you’ll be losing muscle mass as well. So you’re actually looking at about 6 weeks to lose those pounds if you can manage to eat 500 less calories than you consume every day.

You can make this easier on yourself by getting the most out of your calories. Consume foods that don’t suck for you. Stay away from super-sugary and fatty foods. Proteins and whole grains will make you feel full longer and will help keep you from losing too much muscle mass on your calorie restricted diet.

This is hopelessly simplifying something that people fight to do everyday, but it is the most important part. Balance your “in” with your “out” just like a check book.

That’s the easy part; now you have to actually go do it. I’d give you a nice firm pat on the butt as you head for the door, if I were there. But I’m not, so just rub up against the screen on your way out. Yeah, that’s it.

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