How do you lose weight? Well, there is a really very simple rule to losing weight – or more accurately losing excess body fat. In general:
If you burn more calories than you consume then your body will draw on fat stores to get energy and so you will lose weight.
Does this mean then, that if I go on a crash diet, that you will solve any excess weight problems? No not really. In fact, it’s a pretty risky course of action that the body is designed to overcome by eventually adjusting your metabolism burning less calories.
The body needs food! FOOD = ENERGY or CALORIES
Essential Macronutrients
Indeed, the calorie is a unit of energy! Your body needs the macronutrients that food provides: protein (fish, meat, eggs) every day, and some fat is essential for brain and hormone function.
Carbohydrates like potatoes, bread, and so on, are also helpful- though non-essential – and are what gives us additional energy. Plus, many foods, especially fruit and vegetables, contain vitamins that we need.
So, if you starve yourself, yes you will lose fat and weight but you will also deprive yourself of necessary macronutrients and start to lose muscle mass – which actually is the best tool you have for burning calories! Of course, if you don’t eat at all for long enough – you will die!
Exercise
Therefore, the other important component we need for effective weight loss is exercise and specifically strength training exercise.
There are two types of exercise: aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic exercise uses oxygen. Exercises such as swimming and running are good examples of this. Aerobic exercise is good at burning calories but it doesn’t help you improve your metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories). It doesn’t build muscle mass.
Anaerobic exercise, without oxygen, such as weight lifting, body weight exercises and what we do at Ladies First Fitness are all examples of strength training. Strength Training builds muscle mass, which as I have said earlier, means that you are increasing your metabolic rate and therefore increasing your capacity to burn calories, even at rest!
In conclusion therefore, if you are worried about you excess weight then you need to have a strategy. At a basic level the first is to eat less calories than you are burning. Secondly, eat the right kind of calories and also do some exercise: particularly strength-training.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/12-tips-to-help-you-lose-weight/
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