Losing weight is as easy as it is to make money on the stock market. "Buy low and sell high" and you will make money. Eat less calories than you burn up in a day and you will lose weight. Of course, doing both is as easy and as difficult as they sound.
How do you know how many calories you burn up in a day? There are some ways to estimate that. More after the fold.
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Update: I've fixed some of the math in the sample formulas
Here is the classic formula for calculating your resting metabolic rate and then your caloric needs:
Harris Benedict Forumula for Women: Step 1
BMR = 655 + (9.6 X weight in kilos) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years).
Don’t forget: 1 inch = 2.54 cm and 1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs.
Example of BMR
You are 25 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall (160 cm), your weight is 150 pounds (68 kilos).
Using the harris benedict formula for women: 655 + (9.6*68) + (1.8*160) – (4.7*25) => Your BMR is 1478 calories.
Harris Benedict Formula for Women: step 2
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as followed:
• If you are Sedentary - little or no exercise
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.2
• If you are Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.375
• If you are Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.55
• If you are Very Active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.725
• If you are Extra Active (very hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.9
Total Calorie Needs Example
If you are very active, you will need to multiply your BMR of 1373 (see above) with 1.725.
1373*1.725 = 2368 calories.
Therefore you need 2368 calories to maintain your current weight.
Harris Benedict Formula for Men
formula: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X weight in kilos) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)
Don’t forget 1 inch = 2.54 cm and 1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs.
Example
You are 28 years old, you are 5"9 feet tall (180 cm), Your weight is 200 pounds (91 kg).
Using the harris benedict method for men: 66 + (13.7*91) + (5*175) - (6.8*28) ==> Your BMR is 1998 calories.
Harris Benedict method for Men: step 2
To determine your total daily calorie needs, now multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
• If you are Sedentary - little or no exercise
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.2
• If you are Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.375
• If you are Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.55
• If you are Very Active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.725
• If you are Extra Active (very hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.9
Example
If you are extra active, multiply your BMR of 2022 (see above) by 1.9 = 3842.4 calories.
This means that you need 3842.4 calories to maintain your weight.
Both these formulas underestimate caloric requirements for those with high muscle mass and overestimate for those with high fat percentages.
You can also have someone else do the math for you:
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/...
There are 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. If you have a 3500-calorie deficit per week through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound. If you create a 7000 calorie deficit in a week you will lose two pounds. The calorie deficit can be created through diet, exercise or both, preferably.
But it isn’t always as easy as that. There are some men and women can be on a calorie restricted diet and don’t seem to lose any weight, and other folks who eat all the time and don’t seem to gain any weight. What gives?
These formulas are just estimates, based on averages. One big reason why someone differs from the "average" is because his or her resting metabolic rate is either higher or lower than average. What is the metabolic rate? The metabolic rate accounts for the amount baseline amount of calories that are burned just by keeping the various body systems functioning with the energy they need. These calories are burned even if you remain at rest all day.(total metabolic rate is determined by ADDING the calories that are burned through physical activity).
Resting metabolic rate affects about 60-75% of calories that are expended, so it can have a dramatic effect on how quickly or how slowly you will lose weight if you are trying. The older we are, the lower are metabolic rate becomes as we lose muscle mass with age.
One way that people can slow their metabolic rate is by maintaining a calorie deficit that’s too large or for too long; this evokes a starvation response. Your body is saying, I don’t know when my next meal will be so I’d better so down on the metabolism so I will have enough calories. However, you must have a calorie deficit if you want to lose fat. The secret is to use a small calorie reduction and to avoid any diet that calls for extremely large calorie reductions.
Body fat is nothing more than stored energy. To release stored energy, you must
be in a calorie deficient state. Calories not only count, they are the most important factor in a fat loss program. If you are eating more calories than you burn, you will not lose fat, no matter what you’re eating or what kind of training you’re doing. Some foods may get stored as fat more easily than others because of the way they affect your hormones and blood sugar, but always bear in mind that too much of anything will get stored as fat. You can never override the laws of energy balance.
The strictly mathematical model of calories in versus calories out doesn’t always work because of the body’s weight regulating mechanism – also known as the starvation response. The math does give you a starting point, however, and works for many of us. As long as you avoid the starvation mode, you will continue to get steady, predictable fat loss by using a small, temporary calorie deficit in conjunction with aerobic exercise and weight training.
How to increase your resting metabolic rate? So you can lose weight more easily? There are basically three ways: increase physical activity, engage in weight-strengthening activity and get off fad diets.
How to increase resting metabolic rate?
Physical activity: use a treadmill, bicycle, elliptical machine, walk, swim, aerobic dancing, walk stairs at work, any aerobic exercise where the heart rate is elevated by activity, for 50-60 min/day, 5-6 days a week.
Weight training: Engage in some weight-bearing activity that will build lean body or muscle mass. Muscle burns calories while fat does not. Try resistance training with at least 8-10 strength exercises of 1 set of 12 reps, at least twice weekly. We need more muscle mass than most of us have.
Fad diets: Instead of starvation type diets, you should try and eat 5-6 small meals a day. Eat moderate portions, with generous vegetables. Avoid processed foods. Drink plenty of water, avoid caffeinated beverages and fruit juice.
In summary, elevating your resting metabolic rate can be a challenge. It is a harder task as we get older since we become more sedentary and naturally lose muscle mass with age. Make a conscious effort to get more activity in your life, including cardiovascular for heart health and caloric burn and strength exercises to build lean body mass. Avoid the latest food fads. Adopt basic, consistent eating habits of smaller, more frequent meals and drinking more water. You can do it!
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