A Journey to Better Health
It’s all about that math!
No matter what program that you choose to accomplish your health and fitness goals, the only way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you use in your everyday activities. Take away all of the bells and whistles – all of the gimmicks, weight loss is about simple math. The challenge is that most people do not appreciate how many calories they burn in the process of just living life. Add on to that extra calories that are burned by engaging in exercise or extra physical activities, such as gardening and you are on the road to better health.
But the first step is understanding about calories and how they affect your ability to lose weight. By understanding this, you can set your own expectations and can lose weight based upon your schedule.
Step One: Get your numbers!
Check out this calorie intake calculator. Plug in your numbers for age, weight and height. Identify your activity level (be honest) and the calculator will tell you how much you are likely to lose based upon how many calories you consume and your activity level.
Step Two: Figures your calories!
Once you get your calculator results, identify the number that is produced for “Calories/day to maintain your weight” and jot it down.
Step Three: Set your target!
Open the skinnythick spreadsheet and insert your Maintenance Calorie number. Next, decide how many calories you want to consume on a daily basis. I chose 1200 calories per day, based upon the averages I saw in hospital-based nutrition programs. A guy or a very active person may choose a slightly higher number, say 1500.
You may decide to choose your daily caloric intake number based upon how much you want to lose each week, rather than the number of calories you want to take in. But please adjust your number so that you can achieve your objectives in a healthy manner.
Step Four: Start your journey!
Once you plug in your numbers, you will be able to see how many calories that you must consume in order to achieve a weekly weight loss goal. Knowing this information will help you understand what you need to do to succeed in losing weight. Develop a nutritional program to help you lose weight at your desired rate! Check out our skinnythick recipes to start you on your way!