subject: A Note of Caution Before the 1000 Calorie Meltdown [print this page] A Note of Caution Before the 1000 Calorie Meltdown
A program posing a 1000-calorie challenge has been gaining much popularity recently, for two reasons: one, it guarantees effective workout session by burning off more than 1000 calories; and two, it claims it can make you fit within a short period of only eight weeks! Can you imagine that? But don't you hurry getting into the challenge yet, until you know how safe it is - and your primary reason for it.
I read somewhere that some people would eat only 1000 calories per day to either stay fit, or drastically lose weight. Naturally, they will starve themselves to death in any workout. It is because their bodies are not getting enough vitamins and minerals, and a serious lack of calcium will put them at risk of osteoporosis. Their metabolism will also slow down to starvation mode, or they will start burning muscle mass instead of fat. Muscle mass is needed to burn calories, and if they lose this muscle, they are not only getting less results, they also have a greater chance of gaining even more weight.
Increasing your calorie intake to a sensible level
Why would so many take the 1000-calorie challenge? It is because of the fact that you will need to burn off at least 3,500 calories to lose one lb. of fat. Yeah, it is that atrocious! But imagine this: your body needs 1000 calories just to keep you alive - lying down, I should add. If that is so, how much should be the calorie intake of an active person to safely burn 1000 calories with every workout?
To go beyond just being alive, the recommended calorie intake for men is at least 1800 calories, and for women, 1500 calories. So if you are to take the 1000-calorie challenge, you need to eat around 3000 calories a day to burn off that much fat. And make sure you eat lots of good food, like fruits and veggies - and no junk or fast food stuff. Drink milk, and drink lots of water. Think of your body's safety first. Don't starve yourself to death. You don't do this for your pride or for a date. You do this for your health - which should be your primary reason.
Many ways to burn calories
Any activity that we do, and each time our body moves, we burn calories. Fat Free Kitchen has come up with a list of physical activities and the calories they burn per half hour. I have picked the most common of all these activities that we normally do outside the workout, such as the following:
dancing - 130
driving car - 50
fishing - 114
gardening - 150-200
house work - 75-125
jogging - 300-450
kissing (lips locking) - 6.4 cal per minute
lawn mowing (power) - 125
lawn mowing (push) - 150-200
mountain climbing - 270
rowing - 378
roller skating - 315
running - 325
sitting at the desk - 50
stairs (downstairs) - 210
stairs (upstairs) - 300-500
swimming - 250
tennis - 261
volley ball - 93
watching TV - 50
walking (strolling, level surface, 1-2 mph) 60-75
walking (leisurely, level surface, 3 mph) - 150
walking (brisk, level surface, 3.5 mph) - 180
walking (fast, level surface, 4.5 mph) - 200-240
It seems that all we really need is an active lifestyle to maintain a healthy calorie level. In addition, do you know that we also naturally lose weight while our body is at rest? That's about 400 calories for a complete 8-hour sleep. Good to hear, huh? But don't you indulge in it!
