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To lose one pound of weight per week, men should eat on average 2,000 calories and women 1,500.1
Although this may seem like slow progress, research shows that people who lose weight too fast end up putting it back on again. One study found diets where food was insufficient led to greater fat storage than if food was always abundant.2
You don't have to deprive yourself - by making smarter choices you can cut down on calories without eating less or feeling hungry.
Here are some simple ideas for eating smarter:
The summer holiday season is the time when you want to look toned and lighter evenings give you more time to get outside and exercise. It's recommended that you do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week.8
Here are some fitness tips to help you tone up and lose weight:
Jo Waters is a health writer who has contributed to a variety of newspapers and magazines including the Daily Mail, Mirror, Nurture Magazine and the Express.
See more of Jo Waters' work.
Nothing beats a healthy, balanced diet to provide all the nutrients we need. But when this isn't possible, supplements can help. This article isn't intended to replace medical advice. Please consult your healthcare professional before trying supplements or herbal medicines.
1How many calories per day, Authority Nutrition
2An adaptive response to uncertainty can lead to weight gain during dieting attempts, Evolution, medicine, and public health
3Chrono-nutrition: a review of current evidence from observational studies on global trends in time-of-day of energy intake and its association with obesity., Nutrition Society (Great Britain)
4Egg breakfast enhances weight loss, International Association for the Study of Obesity
5A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
6Eating attentively: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of food intake memory and awareness on eating , The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
7Why calories in alcohol are extra-fattening , Drinkaware.co.uk
8Physical activity guidelines for adults, NHS
9Do All Activities "Weigh" Equally? How Different Physical Activities Differ as Predictors of Weight, Society for Risk Analysis
10Core-strength exercises, Mayo Clinic