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05-07-2005, 11:18 AM
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#2 (permalink)
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First off, Ric, get rid of the idea that you're doing anything "wrong". Concentrate instead on positive changes you can make that will help you lose weight.
I just checked to be sure and see that a "stone" is approx. 15 lbs. so you want to lose about 20 lbs or so. That's very attainable. Losing weight is simple - easy no - despite what the ads selling diet plans tell you. It all comes down to the fundamental Energy Balance Equation: Everyday we take in energy from the foods we eat and the liquids we drink. If we take in more energy than we use, the excess is stored as fat. If we take in less energy, we burn reserves of fuel and lose weight.
All diets are based on that fundamental fact. You'll note I said "energy", not "calories". "Calories" are simply a measure to get a rough estimate of the energy stored in the foods we eat.
As a starting point, you need to estimate how many calories a day you need to maintain your current weight. To do this, you need to calculate your RMR (resting metabolic rate). This is the number of calories you would burn each day at complete rest. It doesn't factor in activity. There's an excellent online calculator I use a lot at RMR. It averages five different methods.
Remember, this is your RMR. We have to add an activity multiplier. So to this figure, use these numbers:
Activity Multiplier
Sedentary = RMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = RMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = RMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = RMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = RMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)
Now that you have a total figure, try reducing that number by 500 calories a day. This is all trial and error to find out what works for you. Use a journal and right down the food you eat. Eat as "clean" as possible - healthy foods, not the processed white foods. Eat 5 to 6 smaller meals a day to keep your metabolism revved up. You can't afford to have it slow down. And keep doing the exercises you've been doing. Try and throw in some resistance exercises - weights. If you feel you're lacking energy, then that's a sign you've cut the daily total too low.
That should give you some guidelines to get started, Ric. If you want some "sample" plans to give you an idea of what to eat, let me know and I'll post some. For now I'll leave them out as this post is getting too long!
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