You don’t just lose muscle from your legs and arms. You lose some from your heart. Many fad diets provide protein supplements under the supposition that eating more protein will prevent muscle loss, but it doesn’t work that way.

Exercise, generally recommended as part of a weight loss plan anyway, will help preserve muscle tissue. You should make smaller changes in your diets and activity levels so that you lose no more than two pounds a week. It’s relatively easy to determine how many calories you should eat to lose weight if you know the right formulas.

A pound of fat is equal to about 3,500 calories. Figure out how many calories you eat to maintain your weight. And then, if you want to lose a pound a week, you would need a deficit of 500 calories a day.

If you wanted to lose two pounds a week, you would need a deficit of 1,000 calories a day. So if you are eating 2,000 calories a day, cutting your intake to 1,500 calories should result in a weight loss of a pound a week.

Experts do not recommend dieters cut down below 1,200 calories a day, because it is virtually impossible to get sufficient protein, vitamins and minerals on less than that.

Another way of calculating is to determine how many calories you need to maintain your desirable weight and cut down to that level, allowing the excess baggage to drop away. On the average, women need 12 calories a pound of bodyweight for very light activity, 13 for light, 14 for moderate, 15 for strenuous and 16 for very strenuous.

Men need 14 calories a pound for very light activity, 15 for light, 16 for moderate, 17 for strenuous and 18 for very strenuous.

Very light activity involves mostly sitting with up to two hours of standing or walking each day. Very strenuous activities include tennis, swimming, running, basketball and football.

Thus, a woman whose activity level is very light, who weighs 150 pounds – but whose ideal weight is 120 pounds – would need 1,440 calories at her ideal weight. That is 360 calories less than the 1,800 she would need to maintain her current weight – and would result in a loss of about a pound every 10 days.

But by increasing her activity level to moderate, she would burn 2,100 calories a day at her present weight and 1,680 at her ideal weight.

By comparison, a 200-pound man with a very strenuous activity level would need 3,600 calories to maintain his weight, while a 160-pound man who is a couch potato would require just 2,240 calories.

People who want to lose weight should return to the “basic four” food groups and cut their fat intake in particular, since fat has more than twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein. And cutting down on extras can make a big difference. Just 150 calories a day – approximately the amount in either a 12-ounce can of cola or a 1-ounce bag of potato chips – adds up to 54,750 calories, or nearly 16 pounds of weight, in a year’s time.

A new study also indicates that people can lose weight by cutting down on fat and eliminating refined sugar, but not making a great effort to reduce their caloric intake.

So there you have it. Now that you know how many calories you should eat to lose weight, there are no more excuses for you. Start exercising and eating healthy and you will be amazed with the results.

Do you know why diets fail?

Too many people simply resign themselves to being overweight. Experience with overweight individuals shows that there are four main reasons why diets fail:

First, overweight people want overnight solutions. Unfortunately, fast, short-term answers just don’t give dieters what they really want – permanent weight loss.

Second, people eat for reasons other than hunger. Unless they understand the subtle, emotional reasons for overeating, they won’t be able to change their habits.

Third, diets fail because most of them require people to make sacrifices, often literally starving themselves to lose weight. These diets don’t help participants to discover that eating nutritiously is not enjoyable, it’s often all that it takes to control weight.

Fourth, dieting can be a lonely experience. Dieters often feel that everyone else can eat! People losing weight benefit from the support and encouragement of others facing the same challenges. If you’re interested in losing weight, first, avoid the fad diets that don’t work. Second, choose a comprehensive diet program supported by a reputable organization with a track record of results.

What constitutes a comprehensive program? Here’s what to look for:

• The diet should focus on slow, steady weight loss rather than overnight solutions.

• It should be nutritious, providing all the essential vitamins and minerals needed for optimum health.

• It should emphasize changing eating habits and lifestyles.

• Regular exercise should be part of any comprehensive diet program.

• A comprehensive weight loss program should provide tools for stress management and motivation – sorely overlooked in many diets.

• Complete programs deal with the emotional aspects of being overweight, too – developing awareness of the reasons people eat other than hunger.

• Many diets fail because dieting is lonely. A good program should provide support from a group, weight loss counselor or both.

• Good programs are easy and convenient, and shouldn’t feel like a “sacrifice.”

• The diet should be low in cost. Too often, dieters are seduced by slick ad campaigns or fancy offices. But these are not substitutes for reasonable weight loss goals and the commitment to follow through.

• The program should be fun. Class sessions should be enjoyable, motivating and stimulating.

• Finally, a good weight loss program should make participants feel energetic – not tired, weak and irritable.

These are the most common reasons why diets fail.

The Importance of Protein

When dieting, always remember to maintain a normal, properly balance intake of food containing all of the basic food groups as well as needed vitamins and minerals.

Protein is probably the most important nutrient you can consume, and should not be substantially reduced during your dieting period. The major organs and cells of our bodies are composed of proteins. The brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, intestines, liver, eyes, skin, hair, red blood cells and enzymes are all made of protein.

Since protein cannot be stored in the body, it must be replenished daily. If you don’t replace your body’s protein, your tissues will destroy themselves in search for proteins to be used by your more vital organs.

Just imagine how nice it would be to find a natural weight loss diet, which can fit into your everyday life style with very little modifications. Sounds great, isn’t it? Actually, this is possible, if you look things from broader point of view. Due to that, here are some useful tips how to follow your diet program and still enjoy it at the same time!

Tip 1 – Stairs – If you live in a tall building, you are recommended to walk upstairs once every day instead of using the elevator. It will help you burn some excess fat and calories for certain. In addition, when you visit your neighborhood store, make sure you park your car a little bit far away from the entry door, not to close to it and walk for a while. Make an effort and you will see.

Tip 2 – Walking –  You can take 20-30 minutes every day and go for a walk. Or, think of taking out time during the breaks at office and take a mini stroll inside the office itself.  Also, park your car at the extreme end of the parking and walk a few meters.

Tip 3 – Eating out – Although you have started with a weight loss program it does not imply that you cannot eat out. Still, you have to be smart about the food you eat. Make sure you eat more fruits and vegetables and reduce the intake of sodas. Besides, you can eat something before you go to parties and limit the consumption of food while you are there.

Tip 4 – Outdoor activities – Don’t think that you need an expensive gym equipment at home so as to make your weight loss more enjoyable experience. You can take in various kinds of sports and exercises such as hill climbing, sprint, swimming or cycling. No matter which way you choose, it should be done with high intensity in order to achieve excellent results.

Tip 5- Moderation – Once you decide to go on a diet, it doesn’t mean that you should totally cut down on your favorite foods. In fact, all you have to do is to be moderate. A combination of proteins, carbs and fats will provide your body with sufficient amount of the nutrients which will burn more calories and keep your metabolism high. Additionally, make sure that you take limited amount of processed sugar.