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The Science of Weight Loss
"Simply put, we lose weight if we consume (energy IN) less than we use (energy OUT).
Energy IN comes from the food and drink that we eat and is measured in calories (Cals, cals or kcals) or kilojoules (kJ).
Energy OUT is then energy used ("burned") by our bodies, the vast majority of our energy OUT is spent maintaining the basic functions of the body, awake or asleep.
__________________________________________________________________
| Total Energy Out |
|________________________________________________________________|
|Exercise| Movement | Basal metabolism |
| ~10% | ~20% | ~70% |
|________|_____________|_________________________________________|
Exercise - concious activity, such as sports, hiking, running, etc.
Movement - Daily movement for common activities, such as cooking, cleaning, going to work, NEAT
Basal Metabolism - Energy required by your body with no movement, also known as BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
Most of our energy OUT is used for maintaining a body temperature, our heartbeat, feeding the brain, and our liver function. We burn a minority of our energy OUT in other physical activities of work, home, school, or play. The energy OUT spent doing a particular activity varies by its intensity.
For fat gain: Energy IN > Energy OUT
Fat is stable: Energy IN = Energy OUT
For fat loss: Energy IN < Energy OUT
Assuming that our weight is not decreasing, our energy IN is not less than our energy OUT. To lose weight, this equation needs to be unbalanced, so energy IN is less than energy OUT (a deficit). Then, our body burns fat (the body's stored energy) to compensate for the deficit.
Naturally, we can achieve this in two ways. We can consume less energy IN by eating fewer calories and we can use more energy OUT with adding activity. However, as a practical matter, it is achieving the eating control that is the key to weight control.
It is a lot easier to deny ourselves a ~300 Calorie/kcal slice of cake than walking 3 miles to burn it off. People who are bedridden can lose weight without any exercise whatsoever. While exercise is very good for us for many reasons, it is a mere secondary helper to weight loss. For most people here in /r/loseit, their path toward getting lighter and healthy is roughly 80% dietary habit changes, 20% exercise habit changes.
While improving our eating and exercise habits is excellent for our health,
changing our eating habits is required for weight loss.
changing our exercise habits is secondary for weight loss.
Be Realistic
Besides the very basics, you have to be realistic and accept that, if you want to lose weight, you're going to have to change a few things. Possibly the most important realization is that you need to make a lifestyle change. The majority of people need to change their diet as opposed to go on a diet; reverting to old habits will see you reverting to old body-weights, too.
Important facts to bear in mind--
Mirrors lie - Or rather, your brain lies. By seeing yourself in the mirror on a daily basis, it's very easy to get dissuaded by your apparent lack of progress. The problem is that we constantly adjust our self-image and aren't very good at remembering what we looked like a month ago. Don't work only on the reflection in the mirror because you'll likely get discouraged. (See Phantom Fat below.)
Weight loss isn't the aim - What you're really trying to achieve is fat-loss, and you may see inches lost off your body without any drop in weight. Taking some other measurements and photos can be useful in seeing fat loss when the bathroom scale is not the bearer of good news. When you hit a plateau, you'll be glad that you took the trouble."
https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/index#wiki_the_science_of_weight_loss
View Diet Calendar, 19 January 2021:
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2618 kcal
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Fat: 81.30g | Prot: 190.16g | Carbs: 294.74g.
Breakfast: Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe High Protein Bar (Small), Premier Nutrition High Protein Shake - Vanilla, McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Oreo Sandwich Cookies - 100 Calorie Snack Packs, Apples . Lunch: Orange, Cuties Mandarin Orange, Uno Uno Deep Dish Pizza. Dinner: 1% Fat Milk, Post Fruity Pebbles, Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt - Vanilla (150g). more...
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