We all know the term calories and at least have a basic understanding of what it’s for – it provides energy for your physical activities like walking, gardening, biking, and so on as well as your body processes such as breathing, digestion, and heart beating.
The calories that you do not use get stored in your body as fat. Essentially, 3,500 unburned calories convert to about a pound of fat. On the flip side, burning 3,500 beyond your consumption burns that one pound of fat into energy because of the calorie deficit in your body.
The infographic below simplifies the caloric intake and equivalent amount of activity to burn it off
There are many more activities that you can do in place of the ones here. Measurement devices and smartphone apps that tell you how many calories you have burned are also readily available.
Food supplements can also help you as you burn away those excess calories. For instance, as your body starts burning fat, fish oil, specifically those labeled EPA/DHA (Eicosapentaenoic acid and Docosahexaenoic acid respectively), aids in greatly reducing inflammation. It also improves HDL and lowers triglycerides – a fact that your heart will thank you for especially since high blood triglyceride levels are a big risk factor for heart disease.
Probiotics are also another supplement that aids in reducing weight gain. Many studies have shown that probiotics have anti-obesity effects. The imbalance of the gut bacteria is caused by dietary factors. This, in turn, results in weight gain and energy balance. A properly balanced gut environment significantly helps the body absorb nutrients effectively and has been known to alleviate many health disorders over time.