A friend recently asked me about “the calories in vs. the calories out” formula for losing weight. Essentially, this formula is exactly what individuals need to follow to lower their body weight. As long as you do not exceed your caloric output with your caloric intake, you will either maintain or lose weight depending on the deficit. In other words, if your caloric output exceeds your caloric input, you will see weight loss.

Here is an example:

Calories in (what an individual eats) = 1800 cal
Calories out (what an individual expends during daily activity and exercise, etc.) = 2300 cal

This equals a deficit of 500 calories (2300 cal – 1800 cal). If this individual were to continue this pattern over a week they would have a deficit of 3500 calories (500 cal x 7 days) that equates to nearly 1 pound.

This is a safe amount of weight to lose in a week.

Now, the question my friend had regarding this topic was the following:

“What if I were to eat 1800 calories a day of anything (chips, pop, and cookies instead of healthy food), would I still lose weight if I continued to maintain my caloric output of 2300 calories?”

The answer is yes.

Now please don’t think I am promoting this…certainly not…and here are a few reasons why:

1. You will miss out on vital nutrients and minerals by not eating certain foods.
2. You will not be able to create lean muscle mass (which helps you burn calories and is essential for strength and injury prevention…)
3. You will not have the energy to perform daily activities such as walking or playing with your children, etc. because you will not have enough food in your body to function (1800 calories of healthy food is a great deal of food (about 6 smaller meals)…1800 calories of unhealthy food equals about one meal…and you will feel hungry about an hour after you eat it.)
4. You will certainly not have the energy or the motivation to workout because you will feel lethargic and grumpy due to the lack of food (and quality).

These are just a few reasons why this approach is not wise.

As you can see, losing weight is all about math. At Acacia Fitness we can show you what the correct portions of food look like, and help you make healthy choices that will compliment your hard efforts during your workouts. By having both components in tact, you will not only see results faster, but you will also be able to maintain your efforts. We want to give you all the tools necessary to make your healthy weight loss successful…for the rest of your life! Our goal is not to train you forever; it is to train you to help yourself.