Want to gain weight? Take in more calories than you burn.
Want to lose weight? Burn more calories than you eat.
Simple, huh?
Actually, NO... because each person uses calories differently.
But-- we do know generally what kinds of activities give us more calorie burning power for the time spent on them. Running burns more calories than walking for the same amount of time... but I DON'T RUN (unless chased), and so I like to know how more low-key activities affect the calories I'm burning.
Did you know that I burned about 77 calories by reading and commenting in a few diaries for about an hour? I surely didn't-- until I went looking for a calorie calculator to see how much certain activities burned. Pretty interesting stuff, actually. Join me below for a look at some little things that can add up to a little weight loss...
WHEE (Weight, Health, Eating and Exercise) is a community support diary for Kossacks who are currently or planning to start losing, gaining or maintaining their weight through diet and exercise or fitness. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are working on your weight or fitness, please -- join us! You can also click the WHEE tag to view all diary posts.
For me the key to losing weight seems to be to move more ...dieting doesn't really do it. And moving more doesn't have to be strenuous exercise... it really does help to park the car farther out and walk into the grocery store. Little changes that burn a little more calorie/fat intake make for a little weight loss. I've lost 24 pounds since January-- making small additions to get me moving. Mind you, it didn't take much at first... I had been restricted from just about any activity for almost three years due to an ongoing blood clotting problem. So, just doing the grocery shipping counted as big time physical activity at first. Now I can walk for miles and miles (and choose to do so some days), but I can also do little day to day things that help. I'm using muscles I forgot I had-- good stuff!
Info on Calorie Burning
Calories Burned Calculator is the site I used to get the 77 calorie figure for my diary reading. You can type your weight in and check to see the approximate number of calories you burn doing several different activities for the time that you specify. (Note-- sometimes you have to scroll down the page a bit to get to the calculator.)
Another site had average calorie useage for some activities that many of us do all the time-- usful info I thought:
Housecleaning 864 - calories per one and one half hour
Yard Work 555 - calories per one and one half hour
Laundry 150 - calories per one and one half hour -this may be my weight loss key-- I do laundry WAY longer than that!
Shopping 325 - calories per one and one half hour
Bowling 415 - calories per one and one half hour
Calories Burned Chart
Then there's the cool article I found about how kissing really does help us be healthier... my kind of fitness!
Kissing to help stay in shape!
Anyway, my point for all of this is that by paying attention to what you are doing each day and that by making even small changes, you can help yourself. For me, I know that the small changes were easier to stick with and when they became habit, I could add on new things. The small things have added up to some pounds shed and a more energetic me.
Upcoming Diaries:
July 30 Thu AM - mommyof3
Thu PM - cusoon
July 31 Fri AM - gchaucer2
Fri PM - help
Aug 1 Sat AM - sheddhead
Sat PM - help
Aug 2 Sun AM - louisev
Sun PM - Brimi
Aug 3 Mon AM - help
Mon PM - help
Aug 4 Tues AM - Kascade Kat
Tues PM - help
Aug 5 Wed AM - Edward Spurlock
Wed PM - ???
You can be a diarist too! Let us know if you want one of the open slots!
P.S. DRINK YOUR WATER!!!