Calories In... Calories Out... But How Much Goes Out AND How Much SHOULD Go Out?!?!?!

Finally, it's been scientifically proven that the best method to losing, maintaining or gaining weight is the basic equation of ........  (drumroll, please......) CALORIES IN AND CALORIES OUT!!
A Harvard Study reveals “calorie intake alone determine how successful a diet will be.” 

It’s not about any diet plan in particular.  Whether it’s low-fat, low-carb, high-protein — or whatever, in the end, the only thing that makes a difference about losing weight is, yes, my friends, the calories you burn have to be more than you ingest.

All it means is this: We tend to make dieting complicated.  Magic can happen if we just count calories!  Why do we need a Harvard study to prove that to us? 

Dr. Frank Sacks, lead researcher, says his study promotes “a very simple message that cuts through all the hype: To lose weight, it comes down to how much you put in your mouth–it’s not a question of eating a particular type of diet.”  The study will “give people lots of flexibility” to choose the plan that’s right for them. I like these Harvard guys, but I’m sure they are getting paid a lot more than me for having the exact same kind of ideas.

So how many calories do you need each day to lose, or maintain weight? After all, it’s going to be different if you are a 6′ 5″ tall guy, or a 5′ 2″ woman, and take into account things like activity level and age.  For the calorie count of thousands of foods, visit www.thecaloriecounter.com/ , or visit www.dietbites.com/calories/calories-in-a-pound.html to figure out how many calories you need to lose or maintain, weight. 

USDA chart of daily calorie consumption recommendations (for weight maintenance):

• Seniors – 1,600 calories per day
• Children – 1,600 calories per day
• Inactive women – 1,600 calories per day
• Inactive men – 2,200 calories per day
• Moderately active women – 2,200 calories per day
• Teenage Girls – 2,200 calories per day
• Teenage Boys – 2,800 calories per day
• Active men – 2,800 calories per day
• Active women – 2,800 calories per day
• Pregnant & lactating women – 2,200 to 2,800 calories per day

(this info was from an article provided by www.tusconcitizen.com and was written by Sonja Rose)

• But how many calories do we burn?  Well, you can gauge how many calories you burn from an exercise by looking at this site:  http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/calories_burned_list.asp.  This is the LARGEST, MOST COMPREHENSIVE list I have found!!!
• How many calories do we burn the rest of the day during out regular activities?  We know we burn calories when we just sit, as our bodies need the calories for energy just to have our basic functions take place.

--------> Discovery Health has provided this list of daily things we do that should indeed count into that equation of cals in and cals out: 

 1. Shop till you drop

Pushing a cart up and down the supermarket aisles for an hour will burn 243 calories and you'll get acquainted with all kinds of nutritious, healthful foods. Bag your own groceries, take them out to the car yourself, and return the cart to the corral, and you'll burn even more.

2. Open up

Most dentists recommend that you brush your teeth for at least two minutes. In that time, you'll burn a whopping 5.7 calories, but then again, not everything is about weight loss.

3. Make it shine

Do your tables, shelves, and knickknacks fail the white-glove test? Burn 80 calories by dusting the surfaces in your home for 30 minutes and you'll be ready the next time a drill sergeant stops by for an inspection.

4. Pucker power

It may not burn as many calories as dusting, but 30 minutes of kissing is a lot more fun. You'll burn 36 calories and probably miss a bad sitcom.

5. Wrinkle-free weight loss

Burn 76.5 calories with 30 minutes of ironing; just be careful that you don't burn the clothes.

6. Paint thinner

You know you need to paint the house, but you're lacking the motivation. Does it help to know that three hours of house painting will burn 1,026 calories? And by putting on that second coat, you might drop a whole pants size.

7. Sock it to me

You can now look forward to laundry day because 30 minutes of folding clothes will burn 72 calories. Fold enough clothes and you may soon be putting away smaller sizes.

8. Pick up trash and drop pounds

Pick up some waste and reduce your waist by spending an afternoon cleaning up the neighborhood. In four hard-worked hours, you'll burn 1,800 calories and improve your community.

9. Hit the deck

Don't cry over spilled milk or anything else, especially when 30 minutes of mopping the floor will burn 153 calories.

10. Fire the lawn boy

One hour of pushing the lawn mower around the yard burns 324 calories. Sorry, sitting on a riding mower doesn't count. Lose the bag attachment and spend another 30 minutes raking up the clippings and you'll burn another 171 calories.

11. How about Texas Lose 'Em?

Three hours of playing cards burns 351 calories. Ante up and go all in, but don't load up on high-calorie chips and dip.

12. Work up an appetite

You'll burn 74 calories during the 30 minutes you spend preparing dinner. Of course, that work will be voided by high-calorie, fat-filled meals. Instead, choose healthful meals that contain plenty of fruits and vegetables.

13. Get moving

Offer to help your pals move. What's in it for you? Every hour of moving furniture burns 504 calories.

14. Flake out

Those of you who live in warm climates have no idea what a great workout you're missing. Thirty minutes of shoveling snow burns 202.5 calories.

15. A lean sweep

Moving a broom back and forth for ten minutes will burn 28 calories and you'll have a prop that can be anything from a microphone stand to a dance partner.

16. Suck it up

You know the rug needs it, but you may not know that 20 minutes of vacuuming will burn 56 calories.

17. Suds it up

Break out the bucket and hose -- a mere 20 minutes of washing the car will burn 102 calories.

18. Count calories instead of sheep

Even when you're sleeping you're burning calories. Eight hours of good shut-eye will erase 360 calories.

19. Dig the benefits

Two hours of gardening will burn 648+calories, and you'll grow some nice healthful veggies at the same time.

20. Click to fit?

Even watching TV is worth something. One hour spent in front of the tube burns 72 calories. Of course, if you dusted at the same time...

IF YOU HAVE A SMART PHONE, I AM RECOMMENDING A FREE APP CALLED "LOSE IT"  THIS APP HAS A HUGE DATABASE OF FOODS TO USE OR SCAN IN ORDER TO FIND OUT ... IT ALSO HAS A DATABASE OF EXERCISES.... IT ALSO LET'S YOU SHARE YOUR GOALS AND PROGRESS WITH YOUR FRIENDS IF YOU SO DESIRE!!!

FOR MORE INFO... PLEASE CLICK HERE:l http://www.loseit.com/

There is an ANDROID and an IPHONE version!