|
 | | | How can I get enough nutrients without consuming too many calories?
- Choose a variety of foods from within each of the basic food groups to help achieve recommended nutrient intakes (see USDA's MyPyramid website). Avoid excess calories by limiting consumption of foods high in added sugars and solid fats, and alcoholic beverages—these provide calories but are poor sources of essential nutrients. And because calorie intake must be balanced with physical activity to control weight, stay active. See NIH’s Physical Activity and Weight Control publication).
|
| | | When I eat more than I need what happens to the extra calories?
- Consuming extra calories results in an accumulation of body fat and weight gain. This is true whether the excess calories come from protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol.
|
| | | How can I burn off my stored body fat?
- We all need some stored fat, but if it is excessive it increases risk of premature death and many serious disorders, including heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. This is particularly true if excess fat is in the abdominal area.
A body mass index, or BMI, of 25 or higher is an indication that you probably have excess body fat. And a waist circumference of over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women indicates excessive abdominal fat if BMI is 25 or higher. (See NIH's "Calculate your Body Mass Index") The best strategy for losing excess weight/fat involves calorie reduction, increased physical activity, and a behavior change plan. (See Interested in Losing Weight?)
|
| | | How many calories do I need to burn to lose a pound of weight?
- You need to burn off 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. This translates into 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound in a week, or 1000 calories per day to lose 2 pounds in a week. (1-2 pounds per week is generally considered to be a safe rate of weight loss). This can be achieved by eating fewer calories or using up more through physical activity. A combination of both is best.
|
| | | I’m on a diet to lose weight. Won’t doing exercise just make me hungrier?
- Moderate exercise usually does not increase appetite and may actually help to control it. And people who exercise regularly are more likely to keep the weight from coming back after losing weight. Check out the Medline Plus Encyclopedia’s entry on Physical Activity for great information on the many benefits exercise has for those who want to control their weight.
|
|  |
Last Modified: Mar 12, 2008 | |
|
|
