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Despite all of the diet strategies, or what we at Saratoga Health & Wellness like to call “fad diets” out there, weight management boils down to the simple equation of calories in vs. calories out. Sure, there are diets that promise weight loss by eliminating food groups, or eating cabbage for every meal but they really have no secret. Nor is this something you can continue to do for the rest of your life!

Calories are the energy in food. Your body has a constant demand for energy and uses the calories from food to keep functioning. Energy from calories fuels your every action, from fidgeting to marathon running.

The Equation:

This may sound trite, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight, and vice versa.

 Because 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound.

 This may sound daunting. So, lets boil that down a bit…

  •  Cut 500 calories/day from your diet
  • Burn 500 calories more/day through exercise
  • Cut 250 calories/day from your diet AND burn 250 calories/day through exercise

 Any of the above = 1 lb./ week of weight loss, because 500 cal x 7 days = 3500 calories

 Weight loss doesn’t have to be difficult. Bring it back to basics – calories in vs. calories out.