Three weeks into January and New Year’s resolutions are well under way. The goal at the top of many 2014 lists is to shed a few pounds. It is fairly common knowledge that to accomplish this goal it is necessary to cut a few calories and exercise. But do we know how many calories to cut from our diet or burn in each work out?
The NDSU Wellness Center dietician Janet Brown puts it simply, “Weight loss is simple math, energy in needs to be less than energy out.”
An attainable weight loss goal to aim for is 1-2 pounds per week. There are 3,500 calories in one pound of fat, which equates to a deficit of 500-1,000 calories per day (500 x 7 = 3,500), in order, to lose 1-2 pounds per week. This deficit can be achieved through a lower calorie diet, regular exercise, or a combination of the two. To put it into perspective a few simple examples of energy intake/expenditure are provided below.
|
Energy Intake/Expenditure
|
Calories
|
|
Snickers
|
250
|
|
1 Oz. Almonds
|
170
|
|
1 Cup Mixed Veggies with 2 Tbsp. Ranch
|
175
|
|
Walking/Running 1 Mile
|
100
|
|
Zumba Class
|
360-530/Hour
|
|
Indoor Cycling Class
|
480-1,720/Hour
|
Using the table of energy intake/expenditure examples you can see that walking/running 5 miles (500 kcal) per day OR cutting out 2 Snickers bars (500 kcal) per day equates to losing 1 pound per week; while a combination of the two equates to losing 2 pounds per week. There are many ways to personalize your plan to achieve your goal – whichever way you spin it make sure energy expenditure is higher than energy intake and you will be on your way to achieving your 2014 resolution.
If you need tips on setting S.M.A.R.T. goals see blog post: “Staying Committed to Your New Year Resolution.”
https://ndsuwellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/staying-committed-to-your-new-year-resolutions/
Track your calories with free apps on your phone!
Myfitnesspal
LIVESTRONG.COM
Calorie Count
Lose It!
NDSU Wellness Center 