Equation #1 -- A pound body fat equals almost 3500 calories
Equation #2 -- To lose weight, the calories eaten must be less than the calories burned
As a math major, I am embarrassed to say that I have struggled with these equations for most of my adult life. At this point of my life, I had hoped to be sashaying down Tryon Street with my "I HAVE WON BANNER". It saddens me to admit that in 2011 I am still fighting the battle of the bulge.
So, why have I been toting what equates to the extra weight of a grade school student on my frame? What makes this particular equation so unsolvable for me?
To lose 36 pounds this year, I must burn more than 125,000 calories than I take in. You see my picture. It is very obvious that I need some HELP!
For the cooks and nutritionists that are reading this blog. Email your tips on healthy recipes, meal planning or any other food tips.
Since I am a very time deprived single parent, I am pleading for everyone to share tips on how to burn the most calories in 30 – 45 minutes a day. Really, please shoot me an email. I will share what I learn in a future blog.
When it gets right down to it, it doesn't matter how I decide to lose the weight -- on my own or through some type of weight loss program. Before I pick up the fork or move anything towards my mouth, I must simply DO THE MATH.
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6 comments:
Oh yes, the math - the aspect of weight loss that frustrates the crap out of me. All those Holier Than Thou people who keep jeering that all it takes is to eat less and exercise more don't understand how this math really works. Every bite of every food that has any semblance of good taste has at least 1,000,000 calories. The only foods that are extremely low in calories have absolutely no taste or flavor, or worse, have a taste, flavor or aroma that induce gagging. To make it worse, you can exercise for an hour with an intensity that nearly causes your death and you have burned what, 5, 6 calories? It really is a major battle.
Nancy - I respect that everyone has a right to say what they want to say on an open blog but please, if you can, ignore J's comment. Wow, what a downer, defeatist post. How incredibly unhelpful. I would also argue just plain wrong. J doesn't seem to understand what you said about how important the math is. You are right on. I do suggest that you don't do things like add daily numbers up to look at what you have to do in a year. It just makes it overwhelming. J is wrong to say that if you work out intensity you'll drop dead (unless your doctor says you have an issue) and he/she is also wrong that you will only burn 5 or 6 calories. How ridiculous and again, defeatist. Eat less, exercise more WORKS. Just eat half of whatever you usually eat and don't exercise and you will lose weight slowly. Probably a pound or two every two weeks. Add exercise, particularly high intensity work once you've worked up to it and you should lose (on average, which might mean not every week) 2 lbs per week. So don't let it or J get you down. He/she is just fighting his or her own demons. I've been there every excuse in the book. I've been there, we all have.
Suggestions for a higher calorie burning workout. Know your heart rate zone and get, with your doctor's permission 30 minutes of 75-80 percent of your target rate. No matter what the exercise (although some exercises like walking on a flat surface won't get you there) if you are in that range the calories burn at an equal rate. If you add weights to the workout you burn more. You can walk and get this target zone - at least in the beginning - but you have to walk on a treadmill at the highest incline with as much speed as you can. You should work up to this. Or you can walk in a hilly area and don't avoid the hills. You need to be panting. Breathing hard. The great news is that after only a few weeks or maybe a month, you will crave that feeling because you'll know you are taking care of yourself and losing weight or at least working off the calories you've eaten. You go girl!
If you have access to a spin bike - wow. Big workout, big calories, big left workout and it is fun.
- One of those holier than thou folks who has lost 23 lbs :-)
I don't know how old your child(ren) is, but can you involve them in your exercise? If they're older, they can walk/run too. Or possibly ride a bike or scooter beside you.
I have taken my 3 kids to a track that has a playground next to it. I run laps while they play and I can keep an eye on them.
Just some ideas. Keep on keepin' on!
Nancy, I highly recommend Running Mate 5k 101 podcasts. These podcasts got my wife and I off the couch and across the finish line of a 5k in 9 weeks. It's like running with a personal trainer beside you who will gradually build up your endurance.
I love ALL of the suggestions. Please keep them coming.
Jillian Micheals has a 20 minute (or so) DVD that combines weights and cardio. It left me sore and exhausted and when I started doing it, I was running 15-20 miles a week. It is a very impactful workout when you are time starved. I also enjoy the "Fit Deck"- they are like playing cards with different exercises- I'll just draw cards for 20 minutes, an hour- however much time I have and you get a different workout every time.
Strength training seems to give you more bang for the time, increases your muscle and metabolism.
If you do cardio- definitely go hard. I used to run very long distance and it did nothing but make me hungry. Then I started doing intervals and really pushing hard for 30-40 minutes (think sprint, recover, sprint). That not only took less time, but it killed my appetite and got me fitter, and slimmer.
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