There are 3500 calories in 1 pound of fat. For someone to lose 1 pound a week, they would have to have a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day. Maintaining this 500 calorie deficit a day for seven days will allow you to lose 1 lb in a week.
500 cal/day x 7 days = 3500 (1 pound of fat)
The Pros:
1. You resting metabolic rate (RMR): The calories that your body will burn just to keep it functioning.
a. Typical Male: Burns 1200 – 1800 cal/day
b. Typical Female: Burns 1100 – 1300 cal/day
2. Eat what you want: Calories are calories but some foods have more calories than others. If you eat a lot one day, you must workout just as hard the next day.
3. You will be more active throughout the day because you will be conscious of maintaining a calorie deficit. This means to “move more and eat less”
The Cons:
1. Achieving a calorie deficit of 500 cal/day is very hard to achieve. You must be more active throughout the day and also counting your calories. 1500 – 1800 calories a day is standard for losing weight.
2. It is psychological demanding! You must be mentally tough because you must count calories, weigh, and measure your food every single day. Staying motivated will be very hard because you might not lose that 1 lb in the week.
3. You will have low levels of energy because calories = energy. Maintaining a constant calorie deficit will be physically demanding.
To tell you the truth, the reason why so many people are overweight and not losing the weight that they want is because people do not move enough. You don’t have to spend two hours a day at the gym. You must live an “Active Lifestyle” …this means you must walk to the store, wash your own car, clean your house, stand don’t sit, join a basketball or softball league…pretty much don’t be lazy.
Checkout the obesity rates in America from 1985 – 2007
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/maps/index.htm
