How to Lose Weight - The Basics of Weight Loss

The real secret to long lasting weight loss is to make small changes and to make these changes lifestyle changes for life.  Yes, you could follow every new fad weight loss idea out there and you will lose weight but without making a commitment to making yourself more healthy you will never be able to maintain this new weight loss.  So we go back to the fundamentals. 

Rules of Weight Loss

To lose one pound of fat, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities. That sounds like a lot of calories and you certainly wouldn't want to try to burn 3500 calories in one day. However, by taking it step-by-step, you can determine just what you need to do each day to burn or cut out those extra calories. Below is a step by step process for getting started.

1.    Calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Your BMR is the amount of calories your body needs to maintain basic bodily functions like breathing and digestion. This is the minimum number of calories you need to eat each day. Keep in mind that no calculator will be 100% accurate, so you may need to adjust these numbers as you learn more about your own metabolism.

2.    Calculate your activity level. For a week or so, keep an activity journal and use a calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising, lifting weights, etc. throughout the day. Another, easier option is to wear a heart rate monitor that calculates calories burned. After a week, add your totals for each day and average them out to get a general idea of how many calories you burn each day.

3.    Keep track of how many calories you eat. For at least a week, enter and track your calories online (e.g., with Spark People) or use a food journal to write down what you eat and drink each day. Be as accurate as possible, measuring when you need to or looking up nutritional information for restaurants, if you eat out. After a week, add your totals for each day and average them out to get a general idea of how many calories you eat each day.

4.    Add it up. Take your BMR number and add your activity calories. Then subtract your food calories from that total. If you're eating more than your BMR + your activity calories, you're at risk for gaining weight.

Before you start I want you to take a before picture so you can judge how your progress is.  I have one in a bikini, not gonna post it here.  I have posted one that I will use to gauge my success. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

It's my 37th Birthday!!    I woke up this morning and decided that this might be some good motivation.....  You see I am overweight.  By about 50 pounds,  about 2 years ago I divorced a man, who over the course of 16 years sucked everything that fun and exciting about me out.  When I left I was determined to become the woman I once was.  Now of course this wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.  I joined the gym worked out 5 days a week.  I read everythiing I could about weight loss.  Started a diet, yes my first mistake.  Now although after 5 months I had lost 23 pounds I hit a plateau hard.  Despite my best efforts I was stuck.  So I decided perhaps it was motivation and counselling from a pro I needed so I joined LA weight loss.  Excited and determined I attended the store 3 days a week, continued at the gym and happily purchased box after box of their protein bars and weight loss juice only to lose 8 pounds after 6 months.  Stuck yet again.  Angry, frustrated and feeling defeated I quit LA, walking away from a thousand dollar investment.  Now 2 years later down about 40 pounds and holding I have tried every diet every fast everything I can think of to lose the last 50 pounds.  So I decided to ask all of you to join me in my weight loss journey.  Everyday I will post a healthy daily meal planner with recipes, tips and even some motivation.  I know how hard it can be to do it on your own.  TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT!!!