Have you been trying to lose weight and just not seeing the results? You might be incorrectly calculating your calorie input and output, which is a major reason why people struggle so much. Let’s take a look at basic math and see if that might help.
-calories in: Is the food you consume, plus the energy your body uses up
-calories out: the number of times you exercise, minus the amount of energy used while sitting/sleeping
How to balance your calorie input and output
To lose weight, you’ll need to either eat less, exercise more, or a combination of both. But if you eat too little, your body will start to break down muscles to get the energy it needs. And if you don’t exercise enough, your body might not be burning as much energy as you think. It can be difficult keeping track of these things. A good strategy is to record your calorie intake and output every day for several weeks to get a baseline. You can use this information to adjust your calorie intake as needed.
Why is calorie input and output important?
When you calculate calories in and out, they don’t account for the energy you take in by eating or burning off during exercise. That’s why it’s important to calculate both. Your body composition is an important part of weight loss, too. Lean tissue (muscle) burns energy much more quickly than fat does. So if you’re losing weight, but your muscle mass is decreasing, then you may be gaining weight.
A great way to lose weight is to do some cardio exercise in the morning and then reduce your caloric intake for the rest of the day. This way you’ll burn off calories at a high rate, which will encourage your body to use stored fat for energy.
When you’re trying to achieve a specific goal, it can be easy to get frustrated and discouraged if you don’t see quick results. But keep in mind that it can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks for your body to get used to a new way of eating. So give yourself a little time to adjust and build up your lean tissue with exercise before you start seeing results.
