To lose weight how many calories do I need to burn – Wan Wan Wan!
I can’t stand every time I hear this question: “how many calories do I need to burn?” Now, I guess I could do the right thing when asked this question and be like the hundreds of other ridiculous weight loss sites, programs and so-called experts out there and tell you that the answer to the question how many calories do I need? to burn is five hundred a day! You see you need to eat 500 fewer calories per day or get enough exercise to burn at least 500 calories per day to lose 1-2 pounds! Wan Wan Wan!
But being correct is never one of my best points! Already then?? What is that information going to do for you? Who in their right mind thinks that they are going to count the calories consumed or burned for the rest of their life? Instead, adapt this to your mindset and you will see much better results with your weight for life!
Ok, so most people know that they need a certain amount of calories for their body to function properly. If you’re active or doing other, more strenuous tasks throughout the day, you need even more. I recommend thinking of the calories you need for energy as money in your pocket. Everyone has a total calorie “budget,” and with any budget, you should break it down into “needs” and “extras.”
With your financial budget, the necessities would be things like your mortgage and groceries. Extras would be like vacations, eating out, new shoes, etc. On a calorie budget, needs are the minimum calories required to meet your nutrient needs. Nutrients found in food are the essential building blocks we need to sustain life, grow, and be active. Healthy eating is often misinterpreted as drastic calorie reduction or strict unbalanced diets. Which usually originates by the way with that hated question of how many calories do I need to burn?
By choosing foods with less fat and no added sugar, you make the best nutrient purchases. Why waste extra calories on foods high in fat or sugar when the healthier options taste just as good? When considering what to eat over the course of a day, don’t ask yourself how many calories I need to burn, instead think about it like this: You want “the most bang for your buck.” Depending on the foods you choose, you may be able to burn more calories than the amount required to meet your nutrient needs. These calories are the “extras” that can be used in luxuries like solid fats, added sugars, and alcohol. These are your discretionary calories. If you’ve been good all week and eaten clean meals… from time to time there may be some room for you to have a little indulgence. It’s when our calorie count is always overdrawn with extra calories, that it doesn’t allow you those treats, because you just keep storing more calories, in turn, more fat.
When asking the question of how many calories do I need to burn, the best rule of thumb to follow is the 80/20 rule which applies in 2 different ways. The first is that 80% is what you eat and 20% what you do, that’s the deciding factor whether or not you reach your weight loss goal, much easier than asking how many calories do I need to burn. The other rule of thumb when wondering how many calories do I need to burn is 80% of the time you should be eating to fuel your body, 20% is enough to enjoy junk food. With that in mind, make informed decisions about what you put into your body. Every time you eat something, ask yourself: am I eating for fuel or for pleasure? Take pride in your educated choices and pass on your health knowledge to the people you care about, it’s all about knowledge, so teach someone something today! Explain to them that the question is not how many calories do I need to burn, but rather how many do I need to function throughout the day and lead a healthy life?