Tips
Calculate BMR (http://www.radicalbehavior.com/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-a-day/):
1) Calculate your BMR
This is your base number of calories a day you burn just by being alive and doing activities like breathing.
Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
So for me it would be:
BMR = 66 + (6.23 x 195.2) + (12.7 x 70) - (6.8 x 29) = 1,973.89*
* Here’s a quick tip - you can paste the formula into a Google Search, Google will calculate the equation for you.
2) Calculate your Activity
Using the Harris-Benedict Equation, you can calculate how many additional calories you need for daily activities.
- If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
- If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
- If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
- If you are very active (hard exercise/sports) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
- If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
Since I sit at my computer for about 12 hours a day, I would say I fit into the sedentary lifestyle. So I need to take 1,973.89 x 1.2 to get 2,368.67 calories. That is the number of calories I need to eat a day to maintain - not lose or gain weight.
3) Lose Weight
Approximately 3,500 calories equal one pound of weight. If you ate an excess of 3,500 over what you need to maintain, you would gain one pound. That’s one extra Big Mac a day for a week right?
So to lose weight, I need to create a calorie deficiency. The bigger the deficiency, the faster I’ll lose weight. So, combined with exercise, which would burn additional calories, a goal of 2,000 calories a day is good. It will be slow but steady weight loss - about a pound every week.
One thing to note though. Part of the BMR calculation is your current weight. As you lose weight, you need less calories per day and therefore need to continually adjust your daily caloric intake as you lose weight. 2,000 calories a day may be a good goal for me now, but, for example, when I’m 180 pounds, I need to cut that to 1,900.
I saw this on Day by Day’s Blog - “Fit by Jen, Inc.”.
- Get Mentally Prepared – Make sure you really want to see this all the way through no matter how hard it is or how long it takes.
- Set Goals – Set goals such as a start date, how many days a week you are going to work out and what time you are going to work out. Remember to be realistic; realistic goals are easier to achieve.
- Clean House and Get Educated – Get rid of any temptation foods then go grocery shopping. Read the labels and know what they mean.
- Have A Support Group or Person – Even if it is just one person you can share your ups and downs with. Keeping a diary can also be helpful.
- Keep Track of Your Progress – Track both inches and weight lost. Remember there is a difference between tracking your progress and obsessing; using a scale in a gym or fitness club instead of keeping one in your house is a good way to prevent obsessing.
- Exercise – Even if it is walking around your house for 15 or 20 minutes at a time or walking around a store or mall. Something is better than nothing.
- Success is Not Handed to You – You have to work hard and steady. There is no “Magic Pill” that you can take.
- Stay Positive – Focus on the outcome no matter how long it takes. You will have your good days and bad days; just remember to not let the bad days bring you down.
- Moving Through the Dreaded Plateau – Change up your routine. Shock your body again and up your exercise.
- Get Rid of Your Old Clothes – As you loose weight and your clothes get too big get rid of them. If your clothes get a little tight you won’t have anything else to wear, and that’s good motivation to stay on track. Plus everyone likes buying new clothes every so often.
- Reward Yourself – It’s okay to splurge every once in a while and in moderation. Pick one day and have one thing you normally would not have. But then get right back on track for the other days.
- No More Fast Food – Make time to shop for the week and plan your healthy meals.
- Buy Fresh Food – Buy fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meats such as chicken, pork and turkey and fresh fish. Canned or processed foods are high in sodium.
- Read Labels – Read the labels on food and know the difference between good and bad fats and carbs.
- Whole Grains are Better – Switch to 100% whole grain rice, bread and pasta. Whole grains have less sugar and starch and are not processed.
- Drink Plenty of Water – You should drink 64 ounces or more of water a day. Stay away from sodas and sweet tea. You can lose up to 20 pounds in one year by completely cutting out sodas.
- Know Your Daily Intake Values – Stay under 1,500 calories, 35-40 grams of fat, 150 grams of carbs and 2,500 milligrams of sodium a day. One teaspoon of salt is about 2,300 milligrams of sodium.
- Watch Frozen Meals – Pre-prepared and frozen meals are usually high in sodium.
- Eat Breakfast – Breakfast is the most important meal. It helps start your metabolism to get you through the day.
- Portion Control – Eat small portion meals and have healthy snacks throughout the day. Eat slowly and put down the fork and rest. Drink water before and during your meals.
- Eat 6 – 8 Servings of Fruit and Vegetables – Fruits and vegetables make good snacks throughout the day.
- Eat 3 Servings of Protein – 3 servings of protein a day helps build lean muscle mass and increases your metabolism.
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