{"id":12962,"date":"2009-10-13T09:59:21","date_gmt":"2009-10-13T14:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=12962"},"modified":"2009-10-13T10:06:24","modified_gmt":"2009-10-13T15:06:24","slug":"the-mathematics-of-weight-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/10\/the-mathematics-of-weight-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mathematics of Weight Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

Weight loss is often shrouded in mystery. Thousands of diets<\/a> with variations on what it takes to lose weight proves this. While it’s not necessarily quite as simple as calories in, calories out<\/a>, that is a very important starting point to getting yourself to your weight loss goals.\"weight<\/a><\/p>\n

So much of weight loss comes down to simple math. We already know that Americans consume too many calories every day. I came across data for the period of 2000-2002 that states Americans at that time consumed 3,790 calories a day (UN Food and Agriculture Organization). When you consider the fact that the average man only needs about 2,000 calories to sustain his weight, slightly less for women, it doesn’t take a mathematician to see the dilemma.<\/p>\n

There are approximately 3,500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3,500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise, or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say you take the advice of most experts and shoot for two pounds of weight loss a week. That means you need to cut 7,000 calories for each week. That sounds like a lot, but if you are one of the people eating nearly 4,000 calories a day, there are some simple changes that can add up really quickly.<\/p>\n