The Secret of 3,500 Unveiled!

[JohnnyBee]

Most people don't know that it takes 3,500 additional calories of your weekly allotment to add a pound of weight. If you want to lose a pound a week, you must give up an additional 3,500 calories of your weekly allotment. The easy way to stay on track each day to lose 1 pound per week is to give up 500 calories per day. You can achieve this through diet and exercise. Thus, at the end of each day, if you can give back a minimum of 500 calories from your daily allocation and stay consistent each day of the week, you will lose a pound per week. 7 days at 500 calories per day = 3,500 calories lost which equals 1 pound of weight loss. I use a calorie app such as "Lose It" to keep me focused and on track of my daily calorie intake. Despite all the diet books out each year, this 3,500 calorie secret formula will forever and ever be the key to understanding weight loss or gains. Thus, said in a more simpler way, it comes down to moving more and tracking your steps and active minutes with your Fitbit and eating less and tracking your calories with an app like "Lose It". Once you know your daily calorie intake amount and are able to give up a minimum of 500 calories per day, you will lose weight! Of course if the opposite occurs, you will gain weight. It is that simple! Mystery solved!!! Good luck and please share your thoughts!!

[HelenaFitbit]

You are correct! 

There are no magic pills or shakes, only consistency and proper caloric management 

[carl669]

while i'd say that calories in vs calories out is somewhat relevant, relying purely on calorie counting is too simplistic.  while a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, the source of the calorie matters as our bodies react differently to different sources.

if it was simply a matter of calories in vs calories out, there wouldn't be a plethora of posts all asking "my calorie deficit is ###, so why didn't i lose weight this week???"  there's a great article here that goes more in depth:  http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/do-calories-matter

[JohnnyBee]

Carl...You make an excellent point in your post and in the article about not all calories are born equal. I've always been a strong proponent about differentiating empty calories from healthy calories that come from eating Vegtables etc. Although nothing in life is straight forward, the point that I was trying to make is that 3,500 calories above ones weekly allocation is the basic math to gain a pound or losing a pound. Move less, eat more is usually the making of weight gain. Although there are millions of weight loss books out there the 3,500 calorie calculation will always be the math behind weight loss or weight gain. Realizing there are always exceptions

[JohnnyBee]

Helenarriaza, good to hear that you understand the basics!

[LewWagner]

Back when I was in my weight loss and wellness program (lost 130 lbs in a little less than 10 months), I was in a negative calorie count per day of between 2,700-3,000 calories.  I was losing between 3-2 pounds a week (more at first and much less at the end).

I did it without fancy or expensive diet programs, just back to basics, good nutrition, no piecing, smaller portions, no processed meat or veggies, no pasta.

Also an OCD-like determination to get up every morning and go out for that darn walk/jog/hike...then at lunch, then around dinner.

It can be done with less than 3,500 a day, but it probably depends on what your intaking and how your burning the cals during sane exercise segments.  3 3.5 mile walks around the neighborhood as an average per day at around 1 hour per segment.

[JohnnyBee]

Why no Vegys Lew Wagner??

[Dominique]

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@JohnnyBee wrote:
Why no Vegys Lew Wagner??

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I'm curious too. Or maybe @LewWagner meant no processed veggies (eg. canned vs. fresh)?

[LewWagner]

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@Dominique wrote:

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@JohnnyBee wrote:
Why no Vegys Lew Wagner??

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I'm curious too. Or maybe @LewWagner meant no processed veggies (eg. canned vs. fresh)?

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No processed foods (like canned veggies).  Only fresh vegetables.

[dancefoxtrot]

I sometimes use frozen organic veggies and that is second only to really fresh organic veggies. 

No junk like salt, sugar and preservatives added to them. Convenient but I eat fresh also.

Agree that empty calories stink and nutrient dense ones ROCK. We can get healthier day by day.

As a woman, almost 74 actually, I limit myself to 1200-1300 healther calories so I can lose 1.1 lbs a wee or so. I'm mindful of nutrition as no calories to waste. Down 5.9 lbs in a 34 days so far with logging and 10k or more steps most every day. 18K 15K or 12k ocassionally. Drinking lots more water when hungry at night. 

Barbara