How Weight Loss Works in Your Body

Losing weight, explained in the simplest way, happens when the body burns more energy (calories) than it gets from food and drink. That difference is called a calorie deficit. Here we explain how that process works inside the body and which habits go with it.

How the body uses energy

The body burns calories all day long, even when you rest:

• At rest: to keep the heart, lungs, brain and other systems working.
• When digesting: processing food also uses energy.
• When you move: walking, working, exercising. This is the part you can change the most.

The body stores the energy it doesn't use, mostly as fat. When it gets less than it burns, it draws on those reserves. That's why, when most people talk about losing weight, what they are really after is losing fat.

Step 1: what you eat

The first place to look is your plate. If you eat more calories than your body uses each day, it stores the rest. If you eat a little less than it burns, it has to use what it has stored.

A good start is to cut back on:

• Sweets
• Sodas and sugary drinks
• Fried foods and meals with a lot of fat
• Meats with a lot of fat
• Refined flours, like white bread, white rice and white pasta

And to eat more of the foods that fill you up with few calories: fresh vegetables, which bring fiber and leave you satisfied, and lean proteins, like chicken, fish, eggs or beans.

Step 2: movement

Moving more is the most direct way to get your body to burn more energy.

• Aerobic exercise or cardio (brisk walking, running, cycling, dancing): burns energy while you do it.
• Strength exercise (weights, squats, push-ups, yoga or Pilates): burns less in the moment, but builds muscle, and muscle uses more energy at rest than fat.

After an intense workout, the body keeps burning a little more than usual while it recovers. Ideally, combine both types on most days of the week.

Step 3: your mind

Losing weight is as much mental as it is physical. There is fast food on every corner and a thousand excuses not to move. That's why what lasts are small changes you can keep for life, not a quick diet or a two-month plan.

Take it slowly and patiently: one new habit at a time.

Where to find support

If you want to pair your eating and exercise with a supplement, everything we carry is in Weight Management. Read each label before you start.

For more details, call us at 787-304-0458.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.