How to Lose Weight

This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions that exist in the fitness world. There are so many websites and adverts claiming to have the new chemical or supplement that can lower your weight in next to no time. The simple answer is there is no quick solution, it takes hard work and dedication but can be achieved by anybody willing to put the work in.To begin with losing weight is a pretty simple concept; eat fewer calories than your body requires to function. So for example, if your body uses 2000kcal a day, eating 1500kcal will mean you lose 500kcal a day. One kilogram of body fat contains 8000kcal so it would take 16 days to lose 1kg of fat. To work out how many calories your body requires, you need to find out your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is the number of calories the body uses to breathe, think and complete the day to day physiological processes. There are numerous BMR calculators online, I would post the equation on here but it would only confuse you, I'd advise a quick Google search for a BMR calculator and inputting your height and weight into there. You will also use calories undergoing exercise and your day to day routine so try to take this into account, again with the use of tools on Google. This should give you an idea of how many calories you use, take a note of the number.So you would ask why do so many people fail and struggle to lose weight and remain at that weight for a long period of time. The answer bizarrely is because they treat it as a diet.You can lose weight by following a diet; however you will not maintain it as eventually you will stop that specific diet. So what can you do? The answer lies in changing your lifestyle and the way you eat. Below is a list of methods that people use that are incorrect:Starvation and skipping mealsSkipping meals such as breakfast is not going to help you lose weight. You will be consuming less calories throughout the day but it begins to slow down your metabolism. Your metabolism is your body's ability to digest food and transport it to the necessary areas of the body which require it. Your metabolisms speed and effectiveness is gauged predominantly by the bodies muscle mass percentage, how often you exercise and by how often that you eat. Skipping meals will put your body into a state of starvation, it does not know when the next meal is going to come so will slow down how quickly it metabolises (digests) the food that you consume and will store it as fat.Slow metabolismPeople complain they genetically have a slower metabolism but as explained previously, the speed of your metabolism depends on how much muscle you have, how often you exercise and how often you eat. You can increase the speed of your metabolism by improving any of these three factors, personally I would recommend increasing how often you eat to between four to six meals per day.SnackingSnacking is a massive no go for anyone looking to lose weight. Insulin governs when carbohydrates that you consume are stored in the body; the trick is to maintain that insulin level throughout the day by eating well balanced calorie meals, eating little and often. Snacking results in a large 'spike' in your insulin levels causing the carbohydrates (glycogen) in your blood stream to be stored. Once those glycogen stores are full, it will be stored as fat. So to conclude, don't snack, it will make you put on fat.Yo-yo dietingThis term is used by explaining what usually occurs when dieting. People will lose considerable weight in the first month or so, then put it back on over the next two months, over and over and over again. To stop this you need to understand now, there is no such thing as a diet for long term weight loss. You can lose weight in the short term but if you revert back you WILL put the weight back on. So what is the solution? You need to change the way you eat and live. Remove the idea that a diet will fix you and I'll explain what you need to do in the next segment.This is how to lose weight1) Eat between four to six meals throughout the day with balanced calories in each. So for example 500/500/500/500kcal for four meals a day.2) Having worked out your BMR and how many calories you use a day with day to day activities and exercise, remove 400kcal from this amount. If you are having 2000kcal a day go to 1600kcal and split that up into four meals for example: 400/400/400/400kcal3) Do not skip meals4) Do not snack5) Count calories and keep a diary for the first couple of weeks to see how much and how often you are eating6) Have one cheat meal a week such as a big pizza to ensure that your body keeps guessing and that your metabolism remains high7) Keep hydrated by drinking water and avoid sugary drinks due to the high kcal levels8) Ensure you include fats/proteins/carbohydrates in each meal and adequate fruit and veg

So chances are I have destroyed many of your existing ideas and thoughts on how to lose weight, too many myths exist and that's why I created this log, to dispel them and educate you. I promise if you follow this method you will lose weight and you will keep it off. If you have any questions or comments let me know and I'll answer them as soon as I can.By Ben Anthony Perry