Nearly everyone, at one time or another, has wanted to shed some extra weight. There have been numerous fad diets floating around for decades like the Atkins and Banana Diet, but these are just fads. There is no way you’ll only eat meat or bananas for the rest of your life. The best way to lose fat and keep it of is to attempt to lose a pound per week – and there is a simple formula we can use to make that happen.
First Things First: How do Calories and Weight Loss Relate To One and Other?
Calories and weight are mathematically related as a calorie is simply a unit of heat/energy and the body stores unused energy as fat. The answer to how many calories are in a pound is 3500. Yes, 3500 calories is equivalent to a pound of body weight. This means if you over eat by 3500 calories, you will gain one pound, and if you deprive yourself of 3500 calories, you should lose a pound (in theory).
So, Now how do I lose a pound (or two) per week?
Now that we know there are 3500 calories in a pound, we simply divide 3500/7 days per week and come to the conclusion that to lose a pound per week, you need to be in a 500 calorie deficit each day. If you want to lose two pounds per week, you need to be in a 7000 calorie/week deficit (or 1000 calories/day). Two pounds lost per week is commonly accepted as the maximum rate of weight loss that is healthy. Anything more and you’re likely going to lose muscle, become dehydrated or force your body into starvation mode (which is an entirely different topic).
Sounds Great, Where Do I Get Started?
If you’re ready to start your journey into losing a pound per week, simply start here at the BMR Calculator and follow the steps along until you end up at the Weight Loss Calculator tool. By the time you’ve completed all three calculators, you’ll know exactly how many calories to consume in a day to lose that pound per week. I hope this has answered the question “How to lose a pound a week”.
