How To Lose Weight And Get In Top Shape

Perhaps the most frequently asked question in the world of fitness is how to lose weight and get in top shape.  The solution is simple: a caloric deficit.  It is a process of greater consumption of calories, in relation to their intake. That will result in the loss of fat deposits.  To maintain the current body weight, for example, it is necessary to have a daily intake of 2500 calories.  If we take in 2200 calories, it means that we have taken in fewer calories. That’s how we achieved a calorie deficit of 300 calories. A calorie is actually energy that our body uses for all physical activities.  When we are in deficit, that energy will be compensated by fat deposits.

Factors that affect the caloric deficit are:

– the basal metabolism – these are the calories that the body uses to perform the basic body functions necessary for life (circulation, breathing),

–physical activity – the number of calories that we burn as a result of some type of training,

–the physical inactivity – the number of calories that we burn during the day. Inactivity which is not demanding enough to be characterized as training (easy walking, using stairs, cooking, cleaning) and

–the thermic effect of food – the number of calories that our body burns spent on processing and digesting food.

To determine how many calories we need to consume per day to achieve a caloric deficit, we need to use a simple formula. We need to start with a calorie intake that is sufficient to maintain our current body weight and stick to it for a week.  At the end of the week, we should check if we have remained at the same body weight, so reduce the calorie intake by 200-300 calories.  Then you should monitor how your body reacts to the reduced calorie intake. 

Another option is to start measuring your food and track how many calories you are consuming.  After one week, depending on the result, reduce the daily caloric intake by 200-300 calories.  The internet is flooded with apps and calculators that can calculate your calorie intake and average daily calorie burn.  They are based on formulas that take into account your height, weight, age, gender, and activity level. It’s not 100% accurate, but it’s a solid starting point.

To burn more calories, we need to be active, move more often, and incorporate weight training 3 times a week and cardio 2-3 times a week.  If we need to consume 2500 calories to maintain our body weight, if we consume the same number of calories through food, and if we burned 300 calories through some type of cardiovascular activity, we are already in a calorie deficit.  The decision is ours whether we will achieve a caloric deficit with diet alone or with a combination of diet and cardio. The calculation is the ratio between the calories consumed and the calories burned.

Healthy weight loss is when we lose 1% of our total body weight per week.  It is very important to remember that the goal is to lose fat and maintain current muscle mass. But in a meantime, we should still feel good and have enough energy throughout the day.  It is risky if you lose more and cause hormonal imbalance.
After some time in the weight loss process, it is inevitable that the metabolism slows down.  Our organism very intelligently recognizes that it no longer needs as much energy to sustain life.  Or in other words, losing fat is not his priority, but his only goal is to survive.  Therefore, in order to continue losing weight, we need to reduce our caloric intake to continue losing subcutaneous fat.

A key factor in losing fat deposits is a caloric deficit, regardless of what food we eat. We still recommend eating healthy, balanced, and high-protein food,  rich in micronutrients.  You should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, foods with a large volume, and a low caloric value, which will reduce your hunger, and positively affect your health and training performance.  Of course, our recommendation is to include weight training and cardiovascular activity 2-3 times a week.  It is very important not to lose muscle mass.