Diary of a Loser: Entry 6/1/2010

Monday, June 7, 2010

Entry 6/1/2010

Weight: 222 lbs. Down .5 lbs from 5/29.

Tip: Set short, intermediate and long term weight loss goals. If you need to lose 30 pounds set a long term goal of 20 weeks. That will be an average of 1.5 lbs per week which is a nice healthy rate of loss. Set an intermediate goal 12-13 lbs in 2 months. your short term goals should be 1 - 2 pounds every week and .5 - 1 pound every 3 days. I would advise weighing every 2-3 days. You can have short term weight fluctuations that are not related to the fat you're losing but due to several other factors (I've discussed some of these in earlier post). If you weigh everyday and you are not losing its easy to get discouraged and give in to cravings. It's okay to not lose any weight over a 2-3 day period but you are doing something wrong if you don't lose within a week.

Share your goal with at least one person, more is better. Ask them to make you accountable by asking you at least once a week how much you lost.

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Some Basics (changes in review)

There is no such thing as a quick loss diet with lasting results. Forget about the fads if you want to lose weight and keep off the fat in a healthy way. There are a few inescapable facts concerning weight loss.

First of all, a pound of fat contains 3500 calories. If you want to lose a pound of fat, you must burn 3500 more calories than you consume. Here's the equation : Fat lost or gained = (Calories consumed - Calories burned) / 3500. If you want to lose a pound fat a week, you must on average burn 500 calories a day more than you consume.

Second, you must consume enough calories each day to keep your body from thinking it may starve. If you don't get enough calories your metabolism will slow down thereby burning less calories and you'll just feel tired and hungry. Also, if the deficit is too large and last more than a few days, your body will start consuming muscle, the organ that burns the calories. The accepted wisdom seems to be 1200 calories for females and 1800 for males. One to three pounds a week is a healthy rate of fat loss.

Third, muscles burn the calories (your brain burns some also but for some people its negligible :) ), therefore exercise is a important part of any weight loss effort. It does not have to be strenuous. Walking is wonderful, it will burn extra calories and build muscles in your legs. Try to work up to at least 2 miles a day. If you walk 2 miles in 34 minutes (3.5 mph), you'll burn approximately your weight in extra calories. Use the calculator below. I strongly suggest you lift weights at least twice a weak. Try to increase or maintain all your muscles.

Exercise Calculator (click in box to select Pace)

Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate calories you burn walking:
Pace:
Weight:
Time:

BMI =	(weight in pounds * 703 )
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	height in inches²