Simple, it is a basic equation that uses calories, BMR, and exercise. For the simplest formula:

Photo courtesy of projekt xie

Your daily caloric intake – your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to keep itself going; breathing, heart beating, muscles working, etc) = your net calorie intake

(For more information about BMR, click here, or for your own specific BMR number, use the calculator on the homepage.)

1500 – 1500 = 0

In this case, you wouldn’t be gaining or losing weight. Your daily caloric intake is equal to your BMR.

Using your net calorie intake and then adding exercise to determine your caloric loss, determines how you can “really” lose weight.

Your net calorie intake – your exercise (measured in calories) = how many calories you lost for any particular day.

Photo courtesy of See Reeves

1500-1500 = 0 – 500 = -500 calories or 500 calories lost for that day.

In order to lose weight, you need to have a negative calorie balance.

As an example, if your diet consists of a well balanced breakfast, healthy lunch, small snack, a light dinner, and a small piece of fruit for the entire day that equals 1500 calories; and at the same time if your BMR is also 1500, then you’ve balanced your caloric intake with your BMR.

Therefore, by this example, you would have essentially gained or lost no weight.

Taking this scenario further, if you also jogged that day, using 500 calories, the net caloric intake would have been in the negatives.

When you exercise, you burn calories. Whenever you reach a 0 balance in your calories, your exercise will use your body fat for its energy.

This is how you lose 1 pound.

Photo courtesy of ralphg

A pound equals 3500 calories. So to lose a pound a week, you have to have a negative calorie balance of 500 calories per day.

To lose 2 pounds per week, you need to have a negative calorie balance of 1000 calories per day. Anything more than that, is not recommended—but before you undertake any type of exercise or weight-management routine, check with your physician.

These formulas are the basis of weight loss and why eating less and exercising more is the key.

But, don't worry too much about the math; that's why we have calculators.

Of course, you can eat less than 1500 calories per day, but it isn’t recommended to eat less than 1200 calories per day.

Practically speaking, every adult body requires at least 1200 calories to keep your body functioning.

Eat smart and incorporate exercise. It’s that simple and that’s the bottom line.

Because, after all, it’s about a healthy lifestyle!

© Iowa Avenue