Most people consume more calories than they think.
Weight loss is a result of burning more calories than you consume. It doesn’t matter necessarily where those calories are from, though you should aim for good nutrition. Most people don’t realize just how much they eat and as a result the average American is now overweight or obese. A person of average weight only burns 100 calories per mile of running, which is only 5 calories more than a single apple. Keeping a food diary and joining a weight loss program with a pre-determined meal plan can help keep you on track and accountable for your diet. Medically supervised weight loss programs, like the one at Transition Weight Loss, can provide all of the foods, snacks, and drinks you need so you don’t stray from you diet and eat the correct amount of calories necessary for weight loss.
Muscle doesn’t permanently boost metabolism.
Two to three extra pounds of muscle only burns an additional 36 calories a day. The average person does not have time to build up the amount of muscle mass they would need to in order to make a significant difference in the number of calories they burn. Again, it goes back to diet being crucial to weight loss and exercise being more of an addition that can help slightly improve it. While exercise can improve your health in a number of ways, it can also increase your hunger and cause you to overeat.
It’s easy to regain the weight if you don’t stick to a maintenance plan.
Many people end up regaining the weight they lost due to changes in the number of calories they burn at their new weight. Those who weigh 160 pounds burn more calories a day when sedentary compared to those who weight 120. When you weigh less, you have to eat less. Cheat days can ruin your progress. Splurging when you’ve hit certain weight loss milestones can cause you to gain a substantial amount of weight back. Consider a maintenance plan like the one at Transition Weight Loss and be strict about counting calories in order to avoid this.
