The Secrets to Calorie Counting

The question everyone wants to know the answer to - is there a magic wand when it comes to losing fat and weight loss in a short period of time? Well, believe it or not, there actually is. All you have to do is successfully manipulate your calorie intake in a way that manipulates your body's metabolism.

Sounds complicated? It's not. All it does is cut through the mass of material out there that shows you how to lose weight from this part of your body, and how to go on this diet, and how to take this supplement, etc etc. Any internet search on the subject of weight loss will pull up a myriad of options - 90% of them don't work, and most of them bombard you with jargon and leave you even more confused than when you started.

But the good thing to know is that you don't really need to know all about the science and details of weight and fat loss. It's actually pretty simple, and breaks down something like this: we need calories to function. They are the fuel that we need in order for our bodies to work. They are the gasoline that ensures our engines run smoothly. Without enough calories, like a car with no gasoline, we go nowhere.

The principle of counting calories, and knowing how many you need, is actually pretty easy. It can seem really daunting, and you often find yourself thinking 'is this really worth it?', but it doesn't need to be like this. Every person is different - we all have different needs and requirements when it comes to nutrition and calorie intake, but as an accurate guide, consider the following:

· Calculate the daily calorie intake you need by multiplying your body weight in kilograms by three. For example, if you weigh 80 kilograms, 80 x 3 = 240.

· Next, just add an extra 0 to that number, so we have a total of 2400.

· This is your magic number. In order to maintain your body weight at this present level, you must consume 2400 calories per day.

Therefore, logically, if you want to lose weight, then all you have to do is maintain your current lifestyle but consume less than 2400 calories per day. It's really that easy!

Make sure you pick a diet that works for you - you need to keep your base metabolic rate at a fast level in order to process the calories. Your body is used to a certain amount of calorie intake, so try cutting it down slowly, a bit at a time, and you will begin to see results quickly.

The next dietary strategy that you take depends entirely on you. Now that you know how to manipulate your calorific intake, the influx of diet plans and exercise plans that come your way may make a little bit more sense! In order to burn off a few more calories, take a little light to moderate exercise, and you'll find that the weight will drop off even more quickly. The more you exercise, the more fuel your body needs, and therefore the more calories you burn!