If you watch any sort of television, then you've probably seen weight loss success stories that are unbelievable. These stories feature individuals who lose hundreds of pounds in just months and even more than ten within the first week! Well, it's important for you to realize that this is not a safe weight loss rate for most people and that you're going to lose much more slowly than that. If you want to find the weight loss rate that is safest for you, then continue reading on.
- What's Your BMR?
- What's Your AMR?
- Determining Calories
Each and every person has a different metabolism that is based on genetics, daily activity, age, weight and a number of other factors. You have to work with your metabolism if you want to lose weight safely and at a steady pace. Your BMR is your basal metabolic rate, which basically means the number of calories you would need to stay in bed all day and do absolutely nothing.
In order to figure out this number, just use an online calculator. These are readily available and will also do the entire math for you within seconds. All you need is to enter in your age, weight and height, and this number will be generated off of that. Generally you should never eat under your BMR, as that is what your body requires in order to simply function.
The only exception to eating under this is if you are under a medically-supervised diet where you are constantly being monitored by a physician. Most people you see on television are on a dangerously low-calorie diet where they are eating calories lower than their BMR, which is why they are losing rapidly, but is also why they will eventually gain the weight back.
Your AMR, otherwise known as active metabolic rate, is the number of calories you normally burn on a regular basis. You can find this number again by using online calculators, but you will need to give a little bit more information than you would with your BMR. You just have to determine how active you are (do you exercise on a regular basis? are you on your feet for most of the day?) in order to get the correct number.
After you determine your AMR, you will have a starting point for weight loss. Generally, it's recommended to cut 500 calories per day if you want to lose 1 pound per week. This is a safe weight loss rate that most people can easily deal with without dramatically changing their daily lives. You can cut the calories by exercising, eating less or both!
If you want to lose 1 pound per week, the subtract 500 calories from your AMR and that is what you will need to eat on a daily basis. It's not recommended to eat less than this, as this can cause you to feel sick and your body may end up holding onto fat instead of releasing it.
If you want to lose more than one pound per week, then you should consult with your doctor. This is going to require more exercise, as eating less is generally going to hinder your weight loss efforts. By following these steps, you can learn how many calories you need for a healthy and safe weight loss rate.
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