Nutrition and Weight Management
Energy and macronutrients
Protein and carbohydrate each supply 4 kcal per gram, fat supplies 9, and alcohol supplies 7. Energy balance governs weight change: roughly 3,500 kcal approximates one pound of fat, so a deficit of 500–1,000 kcal per day yields about 1–2 lb of loss per week. General protein guidance is about 0.8 g/kg body weight for sedentary adults and roughly 1.2–2.0 g/kg for physically active clients. Fat should not be driven below about 20% of intake because of hormonal and fat-soluble vitamin needs. Fiber intake of roughly 25–38 g per day supports satiety and glycemic control.
Hydration and behavior
A body-water loss of about 2% of body weight can impair performance; encourage fluids before, during, and after exercise. Sustainable weight management favors modest deficits, resistance training to preserve lean mass, and behavior change over extreme restriction.
Traps and a rule of thumb
The commonest trap is misassigning calories per gram - fat is 9, not 4. Others include promising “spot reduction,” which does not exist, and recommending supplements outside your scope. Rule of thumb: 4-4-9-7 (carb, protein, fat, alcohol). Worked example: a 2,400 kcal plan with 30% of calories from fat gives 720 kcal from fat; dividing by 9 yields 80 g of fat per day.