Proper Diet for Weight Loss

A proper diet for weight loss is founded on the very basic and simple truth that eating fewer calories combined with exercising more results in weight loss. There is no such thing as a magic formula or secret recipe that will make you lose weight with certainty the way a proper weight-loss diet will.

Facts

• A pound of weight consists of 3,500 calories. Consuming 3,500 calories over what your body burns, you gain one pound. Consequently, by burning 3,500 calories over what you consume, that pound will be lost instead of gained. Calories come from protein, carbohydrates and fat. A gram of protein or carbohydrates contains four calories, while a gram of fat contains nine. It is best to eat fewer grams of fat and more of protein and carbohydrate.

Caloric Intake

• There are established guidelines for the total calories people should consume according to their sex, height, weight and level of activity to maintain their present body weight. To lose weight, skim off a couple hundred calories from that total. If your recommended caloric intake is 1,700 calories per day, to lose weight you should consume 1,400 calories per day. "It's calories that count," according to the Mayo Clinic article "Weight loss basics."

Cutting Calories

• Cut calories by eating and cooking healthily. Natural foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains are usually low-calorie. By piling calorie-ridden cheese on the broccoli or breading and frying the steak, you increase the amount of calories. Broil, bake, stew, grill and boil healthy foods instead. The general rule for weight loss is 1,500 calories per day for women and 1,800 calories per day for men, but consult your doctor first.

Exercise

• Weight loss is achieved faster and better when diet is combined with exercise. Exercise revs up your metabolism, the rate at which your body burns fat. A faster metabolism burns fat faster. Exercise improves circulation and blood pressure, lowers bad cholesterol and creates muscle. Exercise tones your body as you lose weight, leading not only to a thinner you, but also to a healthier and more attractive you. Consult with your doctor before embarking on an exercise plan.

Tricks and Tips

• Do not think that you are cutting calories simply because a label says "low fat." Many low-fat items are high in sugar. Low-fat does not mean low-calorie. Remove one slice of bread from your sandwich. This will deduct 70 to 120 calories. Skip the mayo. Use other condiments like mustard or ketchup. This will also save you about a hundred calories. Drink a diet soda instead of regular, and you will save about 150 calories.