Principles of Weight Management

Proper nutrition (eating a well-balanced diet) and daily physical activity are key components of any effective weight management program. At its core, weight loss occurs only through a negative energy balance or caloric deficit, which is produced when we expend or burn more calories than we take in. The most effective way of creating this caloric deficit is through a combination of diet (restricting caloric intake) and exercise (increasing caloric expenditure).

In essence:

CALORIES CONSUMED < CALORIES BURNED = WEIGHT LOSS

Once you understand this basic equation, you can calculate and manage your calorie intake as well as offset it with physical exercise to achieve your daily caloric deficit and lose weight. To put it into perspective, a daily caloric deficit of 1100 would result in a weight loss of around 1kg over a period of a week. Part of successful weight loss is setting realistic goals that you can achieve, since meeting your goals keeps you motivated to stick to your healthy lifestyle. Start with more modest targets and work your way up to your ideal weight loss goal.