Everyone’s looking for that magical ‘pill’ or overnight miracle to lose fat and build muscle. Every year, there’s a new diet book, diet product, diet pill, exercise gadget, and/or exercise philosophy promising quick and easy results. Well the truth of the matter is, there are no quick and easy solutions, at least none that will last a life time. As I’ve said many times, it takes a lot of dedication and hard work.

A lot of us get really hung up on what the scale says. But weight doesn’t really tell you much about your overall health and fitness status, or even how you look! That’s why I will always refer to it as fat loss not weight loss. An important part of determining how much you should weigh has to do with what makes up that weight. Your weight should be made up of a healthy ratio of lean muscle mass, bone, and a percentage of body fat?

A lower body weight is not necessarily the goal to improve your health. Have you ever heard it said that muscle weighs more than fat? Well in truth, muscle is more dense than fat. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, but muscle mass is more compact and only takes up 1/3 the space! If you go on a healthy weight loss program, which includes regular exercise, you will almost certainly gain muscle and lose fat. The scale may stay the same or may even go up, but you lose inches, since muscle takes up less space. What most to believe or understand is, this is okay!

The most important thing is to lose body fat. The only way to lose fat is to create a calorie deficit. One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. So, in theory, to lose ½ pound to 1 pound a week, that means creating a deficit of 250 to 500 calories per day, either by eating fewer calories or burning more in physical activity. To maximize fat loss, minimize the drop in your metabolism, energy, mood, and grades, and increase the chances that you won’t gain it back, lose weight slowly. Decrease your intake slightly by 300-500 calories per day and increase your exercise level. (Note: You should never cut calories to less than 1200 a day. Your body needs that much for the very basic functions. I will discuss that more in a separate article.) Aim for about 0.5-2 lb. weight loss per week. If you are very overweight, 2 lb. per week is acceptable. But, if you only have a few pounds to drop, the rate should not exceed 0.5-1 lb. per week.

Of course, there are several factors, that can make it more difficult than simply cutting and burning calories. If you seem to have an exceptionally difficult time, you should consult your doctor to discuss what you are doing and what may be preventing you from losing fat.