A Calorie Is a Calorie
















Calories in vs. Calories out




In fact, a low level of aerobic fitness has been identified as a stronger predictor of cardiovascular disease mortality than other risk factors, including body fat.

Redman said she hopes the message that gets through is that exercise is equal to diet when it comes to losing weight.

She wants to see people change the way they view exercise -- looking at it in terms of calorie expenditure instead of number of minutes.

So, rather than working out for 20 minutes a day, she recommended people focus on how many calories you need to burn through exercise to achieve weight loss goals.

Losing a pound a week translates to a 3500 calorie deficit or 500 fewer calories a day, which is best achieved by cutting 250 calories and burning 250 calories each day through exercise.

Most people who are successful at losing weight and keeping it off use a mixture of diet and exercise. You'll likely find it easier if you use both tactics, mainly because you can eat more if you exercise more.

A severe reduction in calories makes it more difficult to meet your nutrient needs. It may also drain you of energy and slow your metabolism -- making it even more difficult to lose those extra pounds.

To lose weight, your best option is to work both sides of the calorie balance equation: fewer calories in and more calories out.

Any way you look at it, the message still comes down to eating less and moving more.