Okay, people, please post your questions/comments! Some of you are sending me fabulous emails with questions and comments, and it would be so great to have them here so we can all join in.
A few of you have asked me about "tricking" your metabolism while dieting so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode. Basically, here's how it works: figure out how many calories you need in order to get to the size you want. There are online calorie calculators which can help you do that. In my opinion, however, many of them are way too low, which was confirmed when I interviewed the nutritionist on Tuesday, who said she would feel uncomfortable telling anybody -- exercising or not -- to eat less than 1,700 calories a day. That's just for your brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, etc., to function; that doesn't give you energy for cardio or weightlifting.
Most of the calculators I've used tell me to get anywhere from 1,400 to 1,800 calories per day to reach my ideal weight (135). Because I work out so much and usually am lifting weights 3-4 days a week, however, I add calories to that to make it 1,750. Currently, I am purposely cycling my calories, so one day I'll have 1,300 calories, the next day I'll have 2,200 calories, etc. This allows you to control your calorie intake without your body kicking into calorie conservation mode. When you consistently eat too few calories, your body then holds onto every single calorie you eat in order to ensure its own survival. It's primal.
Okay, I found a formula online on how to calculate your calorie needs to lose weight. You can go here to find it yourself, but I'll spell it out for you to make it (relatively) easy.
Step 1 - Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR):
655 + (4.3 X weight in pounds) + (4.7 X height in inches) - (4.7 X age in years)
Step 2 - Calculate your activity level:
•If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent
•If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent
•If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 40 percent
•If you are very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods.): BMR x 50 percent
•If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 60 percent
Step 3 - Add this number to your BMR.
The result is how many calories you can eat to maintain your current weight. If I eat 2,072.28 calories a day, I'll stay where I am. So 1,750 is a good number for weight loss for me.
Another way to do this is, cycle your carbs between high-, medium- and low-carb days. It's the same principle, because carbs tend to make us gain weight (especially the wrong kind, i.e., white bread and flour products). You can search Oxygen magazine online and find that article, which tells you specifically how to do this.
At any rate, it's almost 11:00 a.m., and I haven't eaten or exercised yet. I didn't get up until 9:00 a.m., which I rarely do, so everything is in slo-mo right now. Gotta go eat, then get to the rest of our Saturday. Have a good one, I'll be back later.
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Can you say "pretzel," anyone? Because that's what I feel like after doing Winsor Pilates full workout. I believe Pilates is a great workout, BUT it's only for people who have a decent baseline of fitness. If I hadn't been doing all the other workouts I'm doing, this would be very frustrating. She has you doing balancing and what is supposed to be curling over, but is for me tipping over. It did fly by, however, and I did not check the clock as much as I usually do.
Have done well with eating so far, have enough left over at 6:30 for dinner and a snack. I'm slightly hungry, getting hungrier, so I'm thinking chicken sounds good. I ate out twice today, once at Burger King -- and can you believe that a flippin' veggie burger is 400 calories?! We also took the kids to our favorite local French bakery, Bonaparte Breads, which is an amazing, decadent treat. I had a tiny little sliver of the most delicate Opera pastry, and enjoyed every morsel. Because their desserts are so creamy and full fat, you only need a little bit to feel satisfied. Maybe this is why French women are thin?
We are doing Family Movie Night tonight, but I still need to find a decent movie and make dinner. Will be back to post the rest of my eating journal. Pretty low calorie day. The day started out kind of late, so I don't feel like it's too off. Will have a higher calorie day tomorrow.
Night.
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Eating journal:
Saturday, 12-12-09:
10:00 a.m. – slept late
1 cup coffee w/1 sweet & low & 3 tbsp organic creamer – 52
Subtotal: 52
11:30 a.m.
2 eggs scrambled – 140
1 cup mashed potatoes fried in nonfat spray – 100
3 tbsp ketchup – 45
1 whole wheat sandwich thin – 100
1 glass iced tea w/sweet & low – 00
Subtotal: 385
2:30 p.m. – Burger King while waiting for Jiffy Lube
1 veggie burger – 400
1 coke zero – 00
Subtotal: 400
3:45 p.m. – at Bonaparte Breads with family
1 small sliver of Opera pastry – 200
1 cup coffee w/3 tbsp full fat creamer – 100
Subtotal: 300
6:00 p.m.
1 glass water – 00
7:00 p.m.
1 piece baked chicken – 130
1 ½ servings shrimp – 165
Coconut shaved 4 tbsp – 140
1 tbsp light mayo – 35
2 tbsp barbeque sauce – 50
Iced tea w/sweet & low – 00
Subtotal: 520
7:30 p.m.
1 no sugar added fudgecicle – 40
Subtotal: 40
Total Daily Calories: 1,697
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