TheFatLossAuthority.com Asks How Many Calories Do You Need to Lose Weight? Is There A Simple Answer?

Diets and diet plans have always been extremely popular, and perhaps always will be. Given the fast pace of our lives today, many modern people are interested in how to lose weight fast. Sometimes there just isn't time to lose weight slowly, over a period of weeks or even months. For example, an upcoming social engagement may only be a week away — what do you do?

The "physics" of weight-loss is very simple to understand: In order to lose weight, you must take in less food energy (in the form of calories) than you expend. Keep in mind that a single pound of fat in your body represents about 3,500 calories, so for every 3,500 calories you go without (a caloric deficit), you will shed 1 of those unwanted pounds.

But you can get some help! For example, did you know that low calorie alcohol is available now? These are alcoholic drinks that have been specially reformulated so that they are not as calorically-dense as traditional alcohol. Low calorie alcohol is a particularly good option for those who drink on a regular basis (even for those who take just 1-3 drinks per week).

Another alternative is to choose foods with low carbs. Foods that are less carbohydrate-dense contain less calories, and are a good way to eliminate unnecessary calories from your diet. Low-carb foods also have advantages if you are concerned about developing diabetes, or if you are already trying to manage a diabetic (or pre-diabetic) condition. It is even possible today to select restaurant menu items that are low-carb foods.

When doing any sort of dieting it is very important to try to shed weight in a manner that is safe. For example, if you were to eliminate even 500 excess calories from your diet every day, in the course of a week that would add up to 3,500 calories, enough to safely shed 1 excess pound. In a month, that would add up to 4-5 pounds — a very reasonable and easy-to-obtain goal for anyone.

For the more ambitious, you could try doubling that caloric restriction — try to eliminate 1,000 calories from your diet, or you could supplement the food caloric restriction with exercise and vigorous physical activities, which would burn more calories than normal. This approach would allow you to burn up to 2 pounds per week!

Whatever your preference, keep in mind here that the goal is not just to lose weight, but to keep that weight off. It is the long-term result that is important here — and what you want to aim for is true lifestyle change, living in a way that is more vital and health-affirming — and it can take time to implement these changes in a way that they "stick" forever.

Finally, when making any health-related lifestyle changes, such as dieting or starting an exercise regimen, you should do careful planning based on careful research, and always be sure to discuss your ideas and plans with your personal physician before commencing your program.