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At the end of 2001 I entered a Contest at work to loose weight. I ended up losing nearly 27lbs and won $55! Not bad, eh? Of course I'm still not under 200lbs (my personal goal is to be about 190lbs) and since the end of that Contest I've gained back about 8lbs. I have learned considerably about Health & Fitness and would like to share that information. Below is a series of "facts" that I've accumulated: First and foremost: Before beginning any diet/exercise program you should consult with a doctor. I am no specialist, I've had no official training. I'm sharing what I have read in many web pages and experienced in with my own personal weight loss journey. Also, each person is different. I am a 29 year-old, 6' 2" male. Factors such as sex, age, height, weight, body composition (fat, muscle, bone, etc. percentages), metabolism, hormones, etc. all affect your ability to loose weight. So what has worked for me may not work for you, but generally speaking, this information applies to everyone. * Your body gets energy from what you eat. Specifically what you can digest: carbohydrates (simply: sugars - "pure" energy), protein (building blocks), fat (miscellaneous vital duties - "stored" energy), and alcohol (special, burns before other forms of energy because it can't be stored). * A calorie is a unit of energy. Carbohydrates and protein each have about 4 calories per gram. Alcohol has ~7/g, and fat has about ~9/g. * A calorie is a calorie. It doesn't matter (for weight loss/gain) whether is comes from a carbohydrate, fat, or protein source. If you consume 200 calories they will still take the same amount of exercise to burn regardless of if it's a donut or two bananas. The exception is alcohol, which cannot be converted to fat by the body, so the body burns it first. * Carbs and protein are more efficient foods. You get more "bang from your buck" eating these foods than those high in fat. Also lower fat diets are better for your cardiovascular system. * You MUST still get SOME fat. Fat isn't all evil. Your body needs it to absorb vitamins, cushion your organs (especially in women), and line your cell walls (among other duties). But you don't need too much. Only 20-30% of your overall intake of calories should come from fat. * Now, on your body to loose one pound you have to create a 3500 calorie deficit in your system. * The healthiest way to loose one pound is by eating 1750 calories less and burning (via "extra" activity/exercise) 1750 calories. This 50/50 method is "ideal." If you can do it, that's great. * It's highly recommended to never consume less than 1000-1200 calories per day (without very specific doctor advise). Everybody needs this amount of calories just to survive (pump your heart, breathe, blink, think, digest, etc.). There are some people who's bottom line is less, but for the most part 1200 is a good basement. * A healthy weight loss is generally between 2-4lbs per week. Too much weight loss too quickly can be bad for a number of reasons: too much dieting can mean you're not getting enough nutrition which can lead to all sorts of issues; losing weight too quickly can cause your body to think it's "starving" and it'll actually stop burning fat (ie your metabolism slows down); too much exercise can hurt you, thus preventing future exercise. * It's helpful to know how many calories your body uses every day. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is what your body uses at rest. Your AMR (Active Metabolic Rate) is what your body burns with day-to-day activity. Regardless of the results, remember that 1200 should always be your basement. My BMR is about 2250, my "Not very active" AMR is ~2700. That means if I don't do anything (like "normal" - such as sit around at work, watch TV at home) I can eat ~2700 calories a day and neither loose nor gain weight. If I were "Moderately active" I could eat ~3150 calories a day. I like looking at the "Not very active" number and then subtracting my exercise (see below) from what I eat. * A basic way to figure your approximate BMR is to take your weight and multiply it by 10. That's your BMR. This is only a terribly rough guideline (to get truer results you should factor in your sex, age, height, and body composition and/or take some really elaborate technical tests). In the below links I have sites to calculate this for you. * To find out your approximate AMR add your activity level to your BMR: If Not very active, increase BMR by 20%; Lightly active, inc 30%.; Moderately active, inc 40%.; Very physically active, inc 50%. Like I said, I calculate using "Not very active" so when I do exercise I can calculate that specific amount and remove it from my food intake. In the below links I have sites to calculate this for you. * So to loose 2lbs a week you need to have a 7000 calorie per week deficit; ideally 500 calories eaten less and 500 extra calories burned each day. Again, that's ideal. The idea being that you don't want to "only diet" because a stronger body (ie one with more muscles through exercise) works for you to loose weight (muscle burns more energy than fat in your body) plus your body is healthier (better cardiovascular system, stronger muscles to reduce strain on other parts of your body, etc.). Also, if you work-out you can still eat many of the goodies you like (which is harder if you're inactive). My net daily intake (after exercise) needs to be between 1200-1700 calories to loose at least 2lbs/wk. *Contrary to popular opinion, there isn't really such a thing as "bad food" - just "excess" and "lack of activity." * Keep a journal. Write down what you eat and what you do to exercise. You can be very specific with your food list (like me I list calories and add it up, etc.) or just list "I ate x, y, and z today." This puts into perspective what you're consuming. I like looking at mine like a budget. I have so many calories a day I can "spend" - if I exercise it's like working for money (a 3mph 15min walk pays me 111 calories - that's an apple or banana and change or a couple of Chips Ahoy cookies) which is incentive. For example: One days I had a ton of food (big breakfast, ate out at mexican - had a beef taco, cheese enchilada, nachos - over 3200 calories in one day!!!), but I also ran a mile (-208 calories) in the morning, took a 2hr hike (-1316) in the afternoon, and spent 20min shopping (-81) - that day my net calorie intake was only 1667. It's also good to write down you exercise as motivation - you'll see improvement over time. I havn't been able to run a 10min mile since high school, but I can now. I'm going to try to make a 9min mile, then maybe an 8! Or if your thing is weights (which I want to get into) you can watch the numbers rise and you'll actually be able to track it!!! * Know what you eat. I find it useful to read labels and write down the calories. I often even measure my food. For example, a bowl of breakfast cereal to me is 2 cups cereal and ½ to 1 cup of 1% milk. Pay attention to the serving size, that bowl of cereal is smaller than what I used to have, but according to most cereal boxes it would be considered two servings! Sometimes I have to weigh my food too. Some things like, fruits and veggies, don't have labels. * Exercise. Do something you like and do it when you can. Me, I like walking, hiking and swimming. At work, I walk on my 10min breaks (twice a day) and often on my lunch break too. On my days off I hike or play with my dog at the park or go swimming. * Exercise adds up. You don't have to do it all at once. With little exception three 10min work-outs will be about as effective as one 30min work-out. * Cross-train. When you can, vary your routine. If you only do the same stuff your body gets used to it and it's less effective. * Eat a balanced diet. Specifically refer to the Food Pyramid. * Take a basic multivitamin each day so you fill any gaps in your basic nutrition that may be caused from "dieting."
Health and Fitness Links:
Essential Sites I use frequently: The Calorie Control Council Calculator I use this when a label isn't available. I try this when the above is lacking. This site ROCKS! Fuel Up: How Many Calories Do You Need? How I originally calculated my BMR/AMR. Basal Metabolic Rate and Active Metabolic Rate Calculator
How I now get my BMR/AMR.
The info on this site is excellent.
Interesting/Entertaining Articles: "How Many Calories Are You Using?" and Other Burning Questions. Calorie Burning and Weight Loss How many calories should I cut back to lose five pounds? Calories: Does it Matter Where They Come From? How Many Calories Does it Take to Lose One Pound? Food Pyramid - How much is a serving? What's more important: Calories or Fat Grams? Which are Better Desserts: High in Fat or in Sugar? Does Eating Fat Keep the Body Warm in Winter? Which Matters Most for Weight Loss: Speed or Distance? Are Exercise Equipment Calculations Reliable? Trail Nutrition and Food - Calories per Ounce Kimberly's Slim Pickin's - Eating Out Dr Jo - Lean, Mean, Mexican Cuisine Weight Management and Healthy Lifestyle Through Small Changes and Balance Commercial nutrition sites I've used: Here are some "generic sites" I've only just browsed: Calories & Weight - The USDA Pocket Guide International Food Information Council Foundation IFIC - Glossary of Food-Related Terms |
© 2004 Bob Clemins, content last updated 03/23/03,
format updated 06/17/04.