So here we are in the New Year and many people are “gung-ho”
to start a weight loss program. This
blog is going to help you do just that, in a healthy and responsible way.
The main problem I see with motivated people who want to
shed extra pounds is that they go too extreme and it ends in self defeat. Usually the problem begins with the calorie
equation. If you are at least twenty
pounds overweight then chances are that you are currently eating between 500 to
1,000 more calories a day than your body needs to maintain an IDEAL body
weight. In women this could mean you are
eating 2,500 calories per day and for men about 3,000 cal per day. So the New Year hits and so does motivation
and you decided to go on a calorie restricted diet. Often times women try to eat under 1,200
calories a day and men try to shoot for 1,500 or less. BIG MISTAKE!
For one, that is an extreme drop in the daily food intake you are use
to. Even with the best will power, after
a week or two your body will rebel and you will go right back to wear you were
before. (Do not pass go, do not collect
$200 dollars). So you attempted
something that is not manageable and now just two weeks into January it’s all
over. . .EXCEPT it isn’t over. What you
have done is a “crash” diet. You may be
done with the diet, but your body isn’t!
Extreme calorie restriction throws your body into what is called “fight
or flight” mode. It begins to hoard fat
(as it fears famine) and starts to break down muscle tissue to create glycogen to
feed itself. SO….your body has now
stopped burning calories at a normal pace which slows your metabolism by up to
40%!!!!! Not only that, it is now “eating”
lean muscle tissue. Muscle is used to
burn calories; the more you have the more calories you burn each day. That makes for a higher metabolism. BUT if you body is breaking down muscle to
feed itself, you are lowering your metabolism.
If that wasn’t bad enough I want you to think about this. Your heart is a muscle and your body with use
the heart for fuel just like it will any other muscle group! Many people who suffer from eating disorders
die of a heart attack. Why? Because the extreme calorie restriction caused
their body to “eat” its own heart (and other organs as well).
Okay now that I have you good and scared and ready to go eat
a big bowl of Ben and Jerry’s let’s talk about HEALTHY weight loss. How do you find the perfect calorie
equation? If you are a victim of crash
diets (under 1,200 for women or 1,500 for men) then start by adding back in 150
calories per day. Do this for a week and
then add in another 150 (depending on how low you went to begin with). This will keep your body from going into
shock and hoarding calories.
Next. If you are a
woman I want you to commit to 1,800 calories per day. Do this for TWO WEEKS. (Be sure to include at least 30 minutes of
exercise 3 to 5 times per week). If the
two weeks ends and you have lost more than 4 pounds then try adding another 100
calories per day. (Weight loss at a
faster pace may be tempting in the beginning but will result in a crash in the
end). Now you are at 1,900. In two weeks if you are losing 1-2 lbs a week
then you have found your magic number.
IF after the first two weeks you have gained a pound or two then instead
of adding calories you need to move down to about 1,500 cal per day. Again, do this for two weeks and then check
your weight (as stated above). If you
are a man then you will do the same thing, but you will start at 2,000 calories
per day and check the results in two weeks.
Everyone’s body is different and this is one of the best
ways to figure out what is best for you.
The goal is to be able to eat as many calories as possible while still
losing weight. Don’t be afraid of
gaining one or two pounds that first two weeks.
It will be worth it to find the right balance that get’s you to a healthy
weight and keep it off. Be sure you keep
an online food journal the entire time.
Don’t “guess” how much you are eating.
For this to work it must be scientific.
Good Luck!
