How Many Calories Should I Eat To Lose Weight?

One of the main question that I've been asked many times by clients is 'How many calories should I eat to lose weight'. The moment I hear this question, I know I have another uphill task. People who have been exposed to calorie concept (i.e. Eat less, stay slim) don't want to get away from this idea/belief.

Most people understand if they burn 3500 calories and they'll lose 1 pound of weight. So if they plan to lose 10 pounds all they need is to burn 35,000 calories. They seems very basic and simple to understand, no wonder people love this belief to death. but my question is

When you burn these calories, you'll burn 1 pound of WHAT?

Now here's the twister for you. I said you'll lose 1 pound of weight, that means you'll lose water weight and muscles (not fat). You don't lose fat by exercising. Think of fat loss as a side effect of exercising. Now whenever you lose muscles, you are slowing down your metabolism. Which means your body will burn less calories per day when you are not working out.

Did you knew that one pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day without exercising?

If you add 10 pound of new muscles in your body, you'll burn 500 calories per day, 3500 calories per week. Oh, by the way, if you add muscles and lose fat, you'll look not only slimmer but also younger. Now we comes to main question...

How many calories you should eat?

This question has been nightmare of most of the fitness trainer I know of... Because the answer is "It depends" on what you eat. If you get all the calories from Veggies, fruits and other healthy foods, then you can eat more calories sometimes you can even eat 3000 calories and still lose ton of weight. If you eat in fast food joints all day, then you have no other choice than dropping calorie...

I know people who have been eating clean and eating more than 3500 calories and yet they were losing fat. The reason is very simple, their body never experienced a nutrition rich state and when they get all the nutrition, their body burns useless fat like butter on hot stove.

So in the end choice is yours, do you want to just lose weight or want a toned body with new younger you.

Do you still want to count calories? For more information, workouts and Diet plans to Fastest way to lose weight