Weight Loss Tips

A. Principles of Weight Loss


During any weight loss program, the following important factors must be clearly understood and made a part of the program.

1. Weight loss will take place when the calories expended by the body are more than the calories consumed. Therefore reducing the intake of calories through a well balanced diet is important for most weight loss cases.

2. The RMR (resting metabolic rate), which is the amount of calories consumed by the human body at rest for performing essential body functions such as beating of the heart and keeping the body warm makes a huge difference to the calories consumed by an athlete every day.The more the lean body mass (muscle weight), the more is the RMR of the body. The athlete’s lean body mass should be increased through weight training and aerobic exercise so as to increase the RMR.

3. If the weight loss program leads to weight loss accompanied by a loss in lean body mass (reduction of muscle weight), it will also mean that the RMR will decrease as well. The reduced RMR will mean the body will require less energy while at rest and the chances of regaining the lost weight will be extremely high. It is therefore essential that the muscular fitness is increased along with the weight loss. Therefore, a mix of aerobic exercise (to burn calories) and weight training (to increase the lean body mass) is the best technique for losing weight.

To summarize, any weight loss program is based upon the principle that when the number of calories burned by a person in 24 hours is greater than the number of calories consumed, weight loss takes place in the individual. The net deficit in the calories burned and used is made up by the fat in the body which results in a loss in weight. The smaller your muscles are, the fewer calories you will burn; the bigger your muscles are, the more calories you will burn. But remember that strenuous exercises with weights (including, but not limited to, dumbbells and barbells, Nautilus-type machines, your own body weight, and other forms of resistance exercises) is the best way to increase your muscle size, and thereby increase your metabolic rate. This will result in far more calories being burned all day long, even at night while you're sleeping.


B. Weight Loss through Exercise and BMI


1 pound of body fat = 3500 calories

WEIGHT LOSS (IN LBS) = (CALORIES BURNED - CALORIES CONSUMED)/3500

As a sports nutritionist, you must emphasize the importance of exercising for weight loss. Even though this may seem the hard way round the problem, it is much healthier and more fun. The formula behind a successful weight loss training program is simple - Burn more calories.

Here is a chart explaining the approximate number of calories burnt in 30 minutes by the body during various exercises:

The caloric expenditures listed in the table below are for people with about a 20 percent body fat level.

Aerobics (low impact) - 185
Cycling (recreational, 5mph) - 120
Cycling (moderate, 10mph) - 300
Cycling (vigorous, 15mph) - 480
Skipping 300
Step Aerobics (low impact) - 225
Swimming - 265
Walking (moderate) - 145
Walking (vigorous) - 195

1. One pound of fat is burnt by burning 3500 calories through activity. So, to burn one pound of fat would take 11.5 half-hour sessions of moderate cycling per week. This may seem difficult to most people. So it is advised that a healthier food intake program should be combined with the exercise routine. The emphasis should be on healthier food intake rather than less food intake (dieting).

Proper food is essential for the maintenance or restoration of health. There are six classes of food substances: carbohydrates, fats and oils, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and water. A calorie is a unit of heat used to measure body metabolism and "how fat" individual foods will make you. Technically, a calorie is the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of water by one degree Centigrade. Carbohydrates and fats are the chief sources of calories. Proteins may also furnish calories. One gram of these nutrients, when burned in the body, supplies the following number of calories:

Carbohydrates 4 Calories
Fat 9 Calories
Proteins 4 Calories
Alcohol 7 Calories

From the above figures, you can see that fat is a concentrated source of calories. This is the reason why overweight people are asked to reduce their intake of fatty foods. Alcohol is also a concentrated source of calories, supplying 7 calories/gram. This is one of the reasons that beer drinkers end up gaining a beer belly. The amount of calories needed for body functions varies with age, sex, activity, and climate. Boys are usually more active than girls and require more calories. If you eat more calories per day than your body uses, the excess is changed into fat and stored in the body.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of the amount of fat on the body. BMI is defined as an individual’s body mass (in kgs) divided by the square of the individual’s height


The critical values of BMI for males and females are 27.8 and 27.3 respectively. One of the variables the BMI formula does not take into account is lean body mass. It is possible for a healthy, muscular individual with very low body fat to be classified as obese if we use the BMI formula. If you are a trained athlete, the weight calculated on the basis of the percentage of fat on your body would be a better indicator of what you should weigh.

BMI below 20:

It indicates a lean BMI, which means you have a low amount of body fat. If you are an athlete, this can be desirable. If you are not an athlete, a lean BMI can indicate that your weight may be too low which may lower your immunity. If your BMI and body weight are low, you should consider gaining weight through a good diet and exercise habits to increase your muscle mass.

BMI between 20 and 22:

A BMI in this range indicates the ideal, healthy amount of body fat which is associated with living longest, and the lowest incidence of serious illness. Coincidentally, it seems this ratio is what many individuals perceive to be the most aesthetically attractive.

BMI between 22 and 25:

A BMI in this range is still considered acceptable, and is associated with good health.

BMI between 25 and 30:

You are considered hefty and should find ways to lower your weight through balanced diet and exercise. You are at a high risk for a variety of illnesses with your present weight. You should lose weight by changing your diet and exercising more.

BMI over 30:

A BMI in this range indicates an unhealthy condition. Your excessive prosperity is making you prone to heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, gall bladder diseases and some cancers. You should lose weight by changing your diet and exercising more.

Weight loss requires a change in eating habits and life style as well as a regular dose of exercise to burn fat. People who are grossly overweight have a great problem on their hands, and you must ask them to stop worrying and attack the problem with a positive mind and motivation. Will power is an important factor in weight loss, and you must help the trainee believe that weight loss is possible. While mentioning this, you must also drive home the point that weight loss cannot take place in a matter of a few days. It is a hard road that will require the person to abstain from unhealthy foods and take regular exercise. (something that the overweight trainee will not be used to). Weight loss trainees are not only required to be administered fitness counseling but also mental counseling to keep them motivated.


C. The ZigZag Method of Weight Loss


The zigzag approach to weight loss is considered the most scientific approach and one that leads to long term reduction of fat. The following issues must be kept in mind while understanding the zigzag method of weight loss:

1. The more the lean body mass, the more is the RMR (resting metabolic rate or the rate at which the body consumes calories at rest) and the better the capability of the body to burn fat while at rest.

2. The key to weight loss is to reduce the fat and increase the lean body mass and RMR. If you do this, the weight loss will be permanent.

3. A calorie deficit diet leads to a reduction not only in fat, but also in the RMR because the lean body mass is also reduced by the calorie deficit diet.

4. The problem confronting the weight loser now is how to increase the lean body mass, which requires a positive calorie balance diet.

5. The zigzag approach is the best approach to reducing fat for longer periods, increasing the lean body mass and the RMR.

Rules to be Followed to Make the Weight Loss Successful: