How much is enough? Too much?
Diet is a loaded term. Here I use it to refer to all the food that we consume, not an isolated effort to eat less. As we know "diets" often do not work because our fat cells stick around for years just waiting for us to over-eat on a few occasions. The key is to modify total caloric intake as a habit. So how do we know how much is enough, or too much?
Every individual will have a different caloric need, and that need will fluctuate daily based on the activity of that person. Ballpark estimate will put daily caloric intake at 2000 calories. If you burn more calories than you take in, weight loss will follow. Now, not all calories are created equally. Our body requires different substances to run efficiently. In the Diet section I have provided example diets that represent a good balance of intake. There are millions of combinations of food; the take home point is to be aware of how much you are consuming and try to balance the types of food you take in.
Keep in mind, this is not a temporary diet. This is a change that has to be sustainable. Focus on finding foods that meet your needs but that you also enjoy eating regularly. If you don't enjoy the food you start eating, eventually you will stop eating it.
Every individual will have a different caloric need, and that need will fluctuate daily based on the activity of that person. Ballpark estimate will put daily caloric intake at 2000 calories. If you burn more calories than you take in, weight loss will follow. Now, not all calories are created equally. Our body requires different substances to run efficiently. In the Diet section I have provided example diets that represent a good balance of intake. There are millions of combinations of food; the take home point is to be aware of how much you are consuming and try to balance the types of food you take in.
Keep in mind, this is not a temporary diet. This is a change that has to be sustainable. Focus on finding foods that meet your needs but that you also enjoy eating regularly. If you don't enjoy the food you start eating, eventually you will stop eating it.
Always have a sense for what you're eating! Look at the label, it's there for a reason!