To gauge my clients’ general knowledge on nutrition, I often ask them if they know how many calories are in a pound. I hear various guesses ranging from 12 to 2,000, and they are shocked to learn the answer is 3,500 calories. With weight loss as a common goal for most of my female clients, having proper information on calorie management is critical. The key to weight loss success is understanding the 10 calorie phenomenon.
Calorie management is all about calories burned versus calories consumed. If this number is the same, your weight will remain the same. If you consume more than you burn, you will gain weight. Likewise, if you eat less than you burn, you will lose weight. To grasp how powerful this is, a 10 calorie per day surplus (taking in more than you burn) will result in a weight gain of one pound per year. Doesn’t seem like a big deal? That is 10 pounds in a decade. “The weight just crept on” is really a result of the 10 calorie phenomenon. Bump this number to just 100 calories per day and you are now at a 100 pound weight gain in 10 years!
So why is this so important? I believe that everyone should learn proper portion sizes for themselves and get a good idea of how many calories are in food. I used to think you just had to eat healthy and that was all that mattered. Well with a nine pound weight gain last year, I realized I was missing the other piece of the puzzle. Watching your portion sizes and calorie consumption for a couple of weeks is all it takes to learn what is right for you and your body. Will you have to weigh your food and keep a journal for th rest of your life? Of course not. Just long enough to properly educate yourself on calorie content and portion control.
Discovering the 10 calorie phenomenon has been a true awakening for me and it will be for you too. It puts you in control of your weight management and takes the guesswork out of it. Imagine how empowering it will be to determine your weight loss goal and know you can accomplish it by properly monitoring your calories? Or if you are trying to gain a bit of weight in the form of muscle, you now know how to do it. Either way, you will be able to confidently take control of your weight once and for all.
*The information on this site is designed for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Thank you!
~by Kimberly Olson
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