How to Lose a Pound a Week

Saying goodbye to a 1 lb per week, 52 lbs a year is easier than you may think!!

In this day and age it’s necessary to make quick and easy changes to adjust our diet. To get started, it is helpful to have a good idea of how many calories you consume and burn on a daily basis.

There are many apps on your phones and computers, that help you track your daily food consumption. I advise keeping track for a at least a week to help you see where and what you can cut out. You can also use an BMR (basal metabolic rate) calculator that will figure out how many calories you need to burn a day based on a person’s’ height, weight, age, gender and level of activeness.

We can offer many detailed tips on what to eat, how much of it, etc.. But we are going to make it even easier...

If you simply think of how to remove 500 calories from your diet a day, you can lose 1lb per week and 52 lbs a year!. If you add exercise to your routine, it can increase your overall weight loss and overall well being.

Here is a quick guide on some common food and beverages that you can avoid or remove from your diet to achieve this goal:

Common Foods

• Bagel w/ Cream Cheese (500-550 cal)
• 2 Pancakes, butter and syrup (520 cal)
• Bacon 4 slices (500 cal)
• Honey Bunches of Oats Dark Granola Cereal with Milk (520 cal)
• 2 Large Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese and a Cinnamon Raisin Muffin (550 cal)
• Big Mac (563 cal)
• Cheddar Cheese (4.5 oz)
• Ranch Dressing ( 80 cal per tbsp!)
• 8 oz Ribeye and baked potato and sour cream and butter (563 cal)
• Lasagna and Garlic Bread (526 cal)
• Fried Chicken and Potato Salad (463 cal)
• Fettuccine Alfredo and Caesar Salad (509 cal)

Common Beverages

• Starbucks Grande Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino with Whip Cream (510 cal)
• 4 Coca Cola’s 12 oz (580 cal)
• 3 Cans of Beer (465 cal) 8 oz
• Long Island Iced Tea (780 cal) 10 oz
• Margarita (540 cal) 8 oz
• Chocolate Ice Cream Shake (950 cal)
• Jamba Juice Peanut Butter Mood Original Size (840 call)
• Fruit Smoothies made with ice cream (450 cal)
• Pina Colada with Rum (425 cal)

What to Avoid

First you want to cut down on fatty foods as they contain at least nine calories per gram. With the removal of bad fats from your diet you can cut out hundreds of calories per day. You want to consume foods that are high in fiber and are whole grain.Whole grains take longer for your body to digest than simple carbohydrates which are found in white rice or processed flours. Choose whole grain bread instead of white and brown rice versus white. These foods contain lots of healthy fiber for you and are not more than 500 calories.

Limit or avoid sodas and fruit juices completely, these drinks contain mostly sugar and a ton of calories. Water is the best thing for you. Candies, cookies and cakes also make the list. You may want to avoid alcohol as it full of empty calories and does not help your body metabolize fat. Don’t skip meals as that can make you feel even hungrier and end up indulging in the very foods you are trying to avoid. Skipping meals can cause your metabolism to slow down, keep eating three meals a day and your body will love you for it.

Foods and Drinks You’ll Love

Low calorie fruits such as oranges, grapes, melons and grapefruit will make wonderful additions to your meal or snack. You also want to add non-starchy and starchy vegetables because they both contain vitamins and minerals that people need to maintain their health.

Non-starchy vegetables include asparagus, baby corn, bamboo shoots, broccoli, kale and many others. You want to focus on adding mostly non-starchy vegetables to your menu to help aid in weight loss. Examples of starchy vegetables includes corn, peas, sweet potatoes, yams, white potatoes and even pumpkins. Salads along with non-starchy vegetables are low calorie and full of nutrients to keep your hunger and cravings satisfied.

Lean proteins such as chicken, shrimp and tuna digest slower than carbohydrates and don’t cause insulin in the body to react strongly. This also helps the body to feel full and keep hunger at bay.

Getting Some Exercise

You should always include some form of exercise routine to go along with your weight loss plan. In order to maximize your result, you want to have both not just one.

Help yourself stay on track by keeping a diary or notebook of the food you eat and how much the calorie intake is. Have notes on the amount of calories you’re burning through exercising. To keep from getting a bit bored while exercising try mixing up your routine, if you like to run maybe you could bike instead. Go to yoga instead of a dance class one day and make sure to add in strength training as well.

Don't think you have to run for 30 minutes a day. You can do a variety of exercise to keep it fun! Change it up by walking briskly for 10 minutes then ride a bike or run for 20 minutes later. This helps even the busiest of people squeeze in at least 30 minutes of exercise.

People want to live longer healthier lives, not just for themselves but for people in their life that matter most to them. They need to have a good support system that helps keep them accountable and provide positive encouragement. This can include not just loved ones but medical professionals such as chiropractors who can help guide a person to appropriate lifestyle changes to achieve the best results.

At Stanford Chiropractic Center, we want to help you achieve a healthier lifestyle from the inside, out. Call us today at 650.326.7000 to set up a Free Consultation.