TOP 10 New Year’s Resolutions
according to Squidoo.com
- Quit smoking
- Get fit
- Lose weight
- Enjoy life more
- Quit drinking
- Get organized
- Learn something new
- Get out of debt
- Spend more time w/family
- Help others
On many of our 'New Year’s Resolutions' lists is the desire to "LOSE WEIGHT". A standard on most lists, it can be one of the hardest to stick with. So why not break it down to the most simplest of terms; nutrition and exercise. Most importantly, we should keep our resolutions clear and achievable. Let’s be realistic.
Let’s start with calories. How many calories do we really need to eat every day anyways? That’s fairly simple to determine. The average person can lose weight eating around 1500 calories per day. In other words, trimming about 500 calories from your daily diet. To be more specific you need to determine your Basal Metabolic Rate, or the number of calories your body needs to function. (Yes, a little math is required, just fill in the chart below.)
|
Men | |
|---|---|
|
Start with 66 |
+66 |
|
Add your weight in pounds x 3 |
+ |
|
Add your height in inches x 12.9 |
+ |
|
Minus your age in years x 6.8 |
- |
|
Your BMR results: |
= |
|
Women | |
|---|---|
|
Start with 665 |
+665 |
|
Add your weight in pounds x 4.3 |
+ |
|
Add your height in inches x 4.7 |
+ |
|
Minus your age in years x 4.7 |
- |
|
Your BMR results: |
= |
Now that is just part of the calorie equation. Next we need to factor in how active, or inactive, we are. Calculate your Activity Level and add it to your BMR:
|
To Calculate your Activity Level |
AL |
|---|---|
|
No exercise |
BMR x .20 |
|
Light activity |
BMR x .30 |
|
Moderate exercise |
BMR x .40 |
|
Intense/Prolonged daily exercise |
BMR x .50 |
|
Highly active daily for job/sport |
BMR x .60 |
Now add your Activity Level number to your BMR alone and this will be the number of calories needed to maintain your current weight.
BMR + AL = Calories needed daily to maintain current weight.
So, in order to lose weight, we need to cut calories and / or increase our activity to burn calories from our diet. However it is advised not to go below 1200 calories per day. Our bodies need these calories to function. Before starting any kind of diet you should consult with your physician to find out what's right for you and your body.
For more info about healthy weight loss visit:
www.mayoclinic.com/health/calories/WT00011
