Lose Weight with Energy Balance

Many of my clients ask what is the best and healthiest way to lose weight? So I have decided to put in writing what I have been telling them:

Maintain a proper energy balance

Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy IN) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active (energy OUT):

• The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same (energy balance)
• More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain
• More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss

To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.
You can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you:

• Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss
• Are physically active
• Limit the time you spend being physically inactive

This information comes from the National Heart Blood and Lung Institute. They have a great website with lots of tools to help you lose weight and stay healthy. You can visit them by clicking the link at the bottoms of this blog.

One last word of advice: You won't find weight loss in a bottle or in a pill.  Losing weight takes a lifestyle change, and you won't lose pounds overnight. After all, how many years did it take you to put them on? Also, if you are obese, the best thing to do is talk to your doctor, and work out a plan of action to help you lose weight. You might want to check with your insurance company as well. Many of them have wellness programs available for you to use free of charge or with a small co-pay.

Yours in the Dao,

Tom

Here's the link I told you about:
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute