The weight loss mantra of UAB’s (University of Alabama at Birmingham) EatRight Weight Management system is ‘reduce calories and increase exercise’. But new research from EatRight suggests that for those who have been successful at losing weight, reducing calories is an effective way to keep weight off, especially when it is difficult to find time to exercise. In findings published in the May issue of Obesity, the researchers report that 80 percent of EatRight participants maintain their weight loss during two years of follow up, and most do it primarily by sticking to a low calorie, low energy density diet.
See also:
Health & Medicine

* Diet and Weight Loss
* Fitness
* Obesity

Mind & Brain

* Dieting and Weight Control
* Nutrition Research
* Intelligence

Reference

* Zone diet
* Weight Watchers
* South Beach diet
* Dieting

“Our results show that individuals who successfully maintain body weight after completing EatRight consume fewer calories and have a lower energy density dietary pattern than those who do not maintain body weight,” said Jamy Ard, M.D., assistant professor of nutrition sciences and medical director of EatRight Weight Management Services. “This calorie control led to successful weight maintenance despite the fact that these individuals did not meet recommended exercise levels.”

Ard and colleagues followed 89 former EatRight participants for two years. The 80 percent who had successfully maintained their weight loss consumed fewer calories than those who gained weight, and tended to eat a diet consisting of low energy density foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A low energy density diet means an individual can eat more yet take in fewer calories than with high energy density foods.

“While the importance of physical activity is well established, our study demonstrates that adopting a lower calorie, low energy density dietary pattern may reduce the amount of physical activity that is truly necessary for weight maintenance,” said Tiffany Cox, M.P.H., program coordinator for the EatRight follow-up study. “This could have a positive long term effect on weight maintenance by giving individuals a more easily attainable physical activity goal, which they may be more likely to pursue.”

Ard says research indicates that failing to reach an exercise goal can cause a decrease in self-efficacy and self-satisfaction, eventually causing individuals to cease exercising altogether.

“It’s clear that exercise combined with a low energy density diet is the best approach for weight loss and overall good health,” said Ard. “But many people report finding time to exercise is a major obstacle. It’s encouraging to report that weight loss can be maintained primarily through a low calorie diet.”

EatRight, created at UAB more than 30 years ago, is based on the concept of time-calorie displacement, which encourages a substantial intake of foods that have fewer calories by volume such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while limiting consumption of foods that are calorie-dense such as meats, cheeses, sugars and fats.

The EatRight model includes increasing physical activity and incorporates behavioral intervention to reduce or remove barriers to lifestyle change and achievement of goals. Typically, it is conducted in 12 weekly small class sessions.

Answered by Sharad Singh , an ibibo Master, at 1:25 PM on September 13, 2008

You are eating too few calories. Like the other post mention, you should be consuming at least 1200 calories. By eating too few calories, you are making your body believe it's in "starvation" mode and you slow your metabolism and possible will gain weight. Do some research and if possible find a dietitian or nutritionist that can help you on your body goals. If you eat a "clean" diet that has little or no processed foods this will assist you into getting your body where you want it to be faster, exercising as well cause the last thing you want to be is skinny fat.

One of the things you can do is it to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day. In your case since I don't know your age, an approximate would be about 1450 calories you need daily. Remember thats if you did not move around and just laid in one spot. There is a variety of BMR calculators on the web but a quick way to calculate you BMR ( including regular activity) is 15 x your weight. Which in your case would equate to 1950 calories. One pound is equal to 3500 calories so by reducing your calorie intake by 500 calories a day you can loose 1 - 1.5 lbs a week the healthy way.

Answered by Prashant , an ibibo Citizen, at 2:18 PM on September 05, 2008

If you are trying to lose weight, target at least 500 to 700 calories for breakfast; this should leave you feeling satiated. To experience the benefits of eating such a big breakfast, try this experiment:

1) Using food labels to calculate calories, boost your standard breakfast to at least 500 calories. For example, add to your English muffin (150 calories) one tablespoon peanut butter (100 calories), eight ounces orange juice (100 calories) and yogurt (150 calories). Total: 500 calories.

2) Observe what happens to your day's food intake when you eat a full breakfast vs. a skimpy "diet breakfast." The 500+ calorie breakfast allows you to eat less at night and create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.

Answered by jaivir , an ibibo Master, at 7:40 PM on September 03, 2008

You are eating too few calories. Like the other post mention, you should be consuming at least 1200 calories. By eating too few calories, you are making your body believe it's in "starvation" mode and you slow your metabolism and possible will gain weight. Do some research and if possible find a dietitian or nutritionist that can help you on your body goals. If you eat a "clean" diet that has little or no processed foods this will assist you into getting your body where you want it to be faster, exercising as well cause the last thing you want to be is skinny fat.

One of the things you can do is it to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day. In your case since I don't know your age, an approximate would be about 1450 calories you need daily. Remember thats if you did not move around and just laid in one spot. There is a variety of BMR calculators on the web but a quick way to calculate you BMR ( including regular activity) is 15 x your weight. Which in your case would equate to 1950 calories. One pound is equal to 3500 calories so by reducing your calorie intake by 500 calories a day you can loose 1 - 1.5 lbs a week the healthy way.

Answered by Anju Devi , an ibibo Master, at 7:36 PM on September 02, 2008

Calories are some of the most talked about elements when it comes to weight loss. People seeking to lose excess weight are often preoccupied with the amount of calories they are consuming. While calories are essential for human health, too many calories can be stored in the body as unsightly fat. If you are trying to lose weight, you will need to consume less calories than is necessary to maintain your current weight. Even reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories can lead to weight loss. There are some simple ways to reduce calories without making big changes, as described below.

The first way to reduce calories is to exercise. While you're not technically reducing your intake, you are certainly burning calories, which can help you shed pounds. Not only that, but exercise is essential for total body health. Exercising regularly can even help you reduce stress and foster a sense of personal well-being. Try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio at least three times a week for maximum fat burning effects.

When it comes to making food choices, there are some easy ways to reduce the amount of calories you're consuming. One easy way is by watching what you drink. Stick to water or unsweetened green tea if possible, and avoid beverages like alcohol, juice and soft drinks. Another simple way to cut your calories is by paying attention to your condiment usage. Sour cream, mayonnaise and other creamy sauces and spreads are full of fat and calories. If you cannot bear to eliminate these items from your diet, at least choose the reduced calorie versions.

Another way to reduce calories is to watch how your food is prepared. Go for foods that are steamed or grilled using healthy fat such as olive oil. Avoid fried and breaded foods because they are always going to be full of fat and calories. When it comes to meat, choose fish and chicken over beef. Fruits and vegetables are notoriously low in calories. Some fruits and vegetables actually burn more calories during consumption than they contain. Examples include watermelon, celery and cucumber. These foods also contain lots of water, which is great for the body.

Reducing calories doesn't have to be a mathematical nightmare. Simply by making smart food choices and exercising regularly, you can lose weight. For more information about how to reduce your caloric intake, talk to your doctor or nutritionist. He or she can educate you on healthy and safe ways to reduce calories and reach your goal weight.

Answered by Chandra , an ibibo Advisor, at 12:11 AM on September 02, 2008

Well Shaik

Ways to Reduce Calories

The best way to lower your calorie intake is to substitute a lower calorie alternative for your normal high-calorie food. Here are 4 examples:

Instead of: 1 cup whole milk (150 calories).
Choose: 1 cup non-fat milk (90 calories).

Calorie Saving: 60 calories

Do this once a day and save: 21,900 calories per year.
This is the equivalent of: 6.25 pounds of weight

Instead of: 2 eggs scrambled with 1 pat butter and whole milk (261)
Choose: 1 egg, 2 egg whites, scrambled with skimmed milk (144)

Calorie Saving: 117 calories

Do this twice a week and save: 12,168 calories per year.
This is the equivalent of: about 3.5 pounds of weight

Instead of: 6 oz cream of chicken soup (245)
Choose: 6 oz chicken noodle soup (80)

Calorie Saving: 165 calories

Do this twice a week and save: 17,160 calories per year.
This is the equivalent of: nearly 5 pounds of weight

Instead of: 3 Cups Microwaved Caramel Popcorn (280)
Choose: 3 Cups Airpopped Popcorn (90)

Calorie Saving: 190 calories

Do this three times a week and save: 29,640 calories per year.
This is the equivalent of: 8.5 pounds of weight
Total Calorie Reduction

Total calorie saving: 80,868
Total body fat: 23 pounds

Answered by Priyanka C , an ibibo Master, at 3:16 PM on August 31, 2008

If you are trying to lose weight, target at least 500 to 700 calories for breakfast; this should leave you feeling satiated. To experience the benefits of eating such a big breakfast, try this experiment:

1) Using food labels to calculate calories, boost your standard breakfast to at least 500 calories. For example, add to your English muffin (150 calories) one tablespoon peanut butter (100 calories), eight ounces orange juice (100 calories) and yogurt (150 calories). Total: 500 calories.

2) Observe what happens to your day's food intake when you eat a full breakfast vs. a skimpy "diet breakfast." The 500+ calorie breakfast allows you to eat less at night and create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.

Remember, your job as a dieter is to fuel by day and lose weight by night. Successful dieters lose weight while they sleep and wake up ready for a breakfast that fuels them for another high-energy day.

Answered by Gyan Singh , an ibibo Master, at 7:27 PM on August 18, 2008

Hi Friend,
Tip #1: Green tea
Even if you don't like tea, you can still reap the benefits of this calorie burning drink. Green tea extract is available in the vitamin section of most pharmacies and grocery stores. If you enjoy drinking tea then you'll like the facts about green tea's calorie burning properties.

Studies have shown that drinking six to seven cups, or taking the recommended number of capsules, of green tea can burn 70 calories a day. You don't have to cut any foods to get this benefit.

Just take the capsules as recommended or drink the tea. Green tea is also full of antioxidants that help fight heart disease and the signs of aging.

Tip #2: Don't lick that spoon!
If you make a sandwich or prepare any kind of meal or snack that you spread a condiment or topping on don't lick the spoon. Just a teaspoon's worth of a condiment or food can add substantial amounts of calories over a week's time.

Some examples are:

1 tsp of peanut butter has 33 calories

1 tsp of maple syrup has 16 calories

1 tsp of chocolate syrup has 17 calories

1 tsp of caramel topping has 20 calories

If you lick the spoon after each snack or meal you make, using a low estimate of once a day, in seven days you could add 147 calories a week.

Tip #3: Half and half
If you love regular pop and don't want to trade it in for diet, try mixing half diet and half regular pop. The taste is much better than a diet soda, and you get only half the calories of regular pop. For an eight ounce serving that can save you 50-55 calories.

Tip #4: Milk
If you switch from regular to skim milk you can save 55 calories per serving. If you prefer the taste of whole milk to skim you can try two percent or one percent instead. It'll still shave about 30 calories a serving.

Reduced fat cheeses also have lower calories than their full fat counter parts. Try different blends of cheeses or brands until you find a compromise you're willing to stick to.

Recent studies also suggest that having three servings of low fat dairy products a day can help reduce weight. This is without any dieting or increase in exercise.

Tip #5: Sprays vs. Oils

If you have to eat fried foods try using a non-fat cooking spray. A tablespoon of olive oil has 120 calories, while a nonfat spray has only 1-5 calories.

Tip #6: Measure portions
If you measure out a portion of chips, pretzels, or any other snack you're less likely to eat as much. If you just eat out of the container you might look down and be surprised to realize you've eaten half the bag.

This is especially easy to do with salty snacks. You can save hundreds of calories a week by measuring your portions. For instance, a portion may only be 20 chips. It's hard to eat only twenty chips when you are eating them by the handful from the bag.

If you put the chips in a small bowl you'll see how few there are as you eat them. That way you're more likely to eat more slowly and savor the taste.

Another tip, although it doesn't cut calories, is to drink water everyday. The recommended amount is 64 ounces; that's eight cups. If you decide to drink green tea as recommended above that takes care of six or seven of your servings of water for a day.

Drinking water actually helps reduce water retention. If you aren't getting enough fluids your body will hold onto its reserve because it is prepping for dehydration. If you drink enough water everyday your body will release its excess fluids.

Calories saved by following these tips:
Tip #1- 70/day
Tip #2- 21/day
Tip #3- 50/day
Tip #4- 30-55/day
Tip #6- 115/day
Weekly total- 2107 calories

Answered by kokila vani , an ibibo Advisor, at 5:39 PM on August 18, 2008

Reduce the oil intake in your diet. Avoid oily food. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid drugs, alcohol and oils. You should drinking lukewarm water daily.

Answered by Seema , an ibibo Master, at 4:29 PM on August 18, 2008

well , You are eating too few calories. Like the other post mention, you should be consuming at least 1200 calories. By eating too few calories, you are making your body believe it's in "starvation" mode and you slow your metabolism and possible will gain weight. Do some research and if possible find a dietitian or nutritionist that can help you on your body goals. If you eat a "clean" diet that has little or no processed foods this will assist you into getting your body where you want it to be faster, exercising as well cause the last thing you want to be is skinny fat.

One of the things you can do is it to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day. In your case since I don't know your age, an approximate would be about 1450 calories you need daily. Remember thats if you did not move around and just laid in one spot. There is a variety of BMR calculators on the web but a quick way to calculate you BMR ( including regular activity) is 15 x your weight. Which in your case would equate to 1950 calories. One pound is equal to 3500 calories so by reducing your calorie intake by 500 calories a day you can loose 1 - 1.5 lbs a week the healthy way.

I hope this helps and hope you start eating more.

Answered by Romi , an ibibo Master, at 5:48 PM on August 17, 2008