Healthy Weight Loss

 I talk a lot about goals and what it takes to reach them once they're made.  And, it is hard work to reach your fitness goals.  It IS worth it.

And, for those of you whom aren't sure where to start for healthy weight loss, here's great steps to get you started.....

LOVE this blog!

Steps for healthy weight loss, and keeping it off for good! Straight from Motivation Into Habit blog on Tumblr, check it out!

1. Weight loss = calories burned > calories consumed.
2. 3500 calories = 1lb fat
3. The recommended healthy amount of fat to lose = 1-2lbs per week. 
4. If you aim to lose more, your weight loss is too fast. The faster you lose weight, the more likely you’ll gain it back. You’ll make a dramatic and unsustainable change in your diet/lifestyle, and then you’ll switch back to your old “bad” ways.
5. Slow weight loss = permanent weight loss.
6. Creating a 500 calorie deficit per day = 1lb of fat loss per week (500x7=3500).
7. Everyone already burns 1200+ calories each day just by leading a sedentary life, by being a couch potato. This is called your AMR.
8. You can create a calorie deficit through cutting calories from food and through exercise.
9. It is more beneficial to burn calories through exercise over cutting calories from food. 
10. Everyone has a specific BMR according to their stats (age, height, weight). This is the MINIMUM amount of calories your body requires in order to survive and keep your heart beating, lungs working, other organs working, etc.
11. Eating below your BMR will slow down your metabolism. In turn, you will burn less and less calories because your body thinks it’s starving. This is a natural mechanism in our bodies to protect itself. There is no way around it. Your metabolism WILL slow down. Period. Eventually you will plateau. 
12. Creating a deficit that is too high, will also slow down your metabolism because your body is not getting enough energy to sustain itself. Your muscle will start breaking down, you’ll be worn out, etc.
13. Creating a 500 calorie deficit from food will put you way below your BMR, and your metabolism WILL slow down over time.
14. It is better to create a 500 calorie deficit from exercise which will INCREASE your metabolism, making you burn more calories, it will build muscle, which will also allow you to burn calories, and you will have tons more energy, and thus will be able to burn more calories. By eating enough, you will preserve your muscle and burn off fat. If you don’t get enough energy, your body will metabolize muscle, thus making you burn less calories and slowing down your metabolism.