When I first heard the phrase "Calories in vs. Calories out" I was a little confused. My thought was that if I worked out for one hour and thirty minutes and burned 700-800 calories, was that all the calories I was allowed for the day? If I am the only person that thought this then I am glad I researched to learn what this phrase really meant; if I'm not the only person who thought this then I am glad to be able to share the knowlege that I learned. Did you know that you burn calories without exercise? Our bodies use energy to perform all of the funtions it needs to for us to live, ie sleeping, breathing, blinking, etc. When we exercise, our bodies need more energy and we get that energy from the calories we consume. There are two equations that I will present that helped me understand the concept "Calories in vs. Calories out" and I hope it can help you too.
The first equation is to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR
  For males: 66 + (6.23 x wieght/lbs) + (12.7 x height/inches) - (6.8x age/years)
  For females: 655 + (4.35 x weight/lbs) + (4.7 x height/inches) - (4.7 x age/years)
I will be the example: 655 + (4.35 x 146) + (4.7 x 65) - (4.7 x 26)
                                       655 + 635.1 + 305.5 - 122.2 = 1473.4
The next equation is the Harris Benedict Equation to calculate total daily calorie needs
  If you do little to no exercise: BMR x 1.2
  If you do light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week: BMR x 1.375
  If you do moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week: BMR x 1.55
  If you do hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week: BMR x 1.725
  If you do hard exercise/sports & phyical work or train twice a day: BMR x 1.9
I will be the example again: 1473.4 x 1.55 = 2283.77 total daily calorie need
In order for me to maintain my current weight, I would need to consume roughly 2283 calories a day. Since I have set a weight loss goal, I have decreased my calorie intake by 500. This may seem extreme to some, but actually it isnt. Take a week and write down every calorie you consume, and you will see that you can find 500 extra calories in your diet that you don't need. Did you know that there are 3500 calories in one pound? So, if you cut 500 a day, you can loose up to one pound in a weeks time. In the four weeks that I have been cutting calories and following my calendar and workouts, I have lost 5.5 pounds. I am, in now way, an expert in weight loss, exercise, nutrion, or training. Doing a lot (and I mean A LOT) of research online, reading magazines, and doing what I feel comfortable with, works best for me. Doing what you feel comfortable with and just pushing yourself a little extra each day or each week will help you succeed. I hope that the information that I have provided today can help you as it has helped me in my journey. Good luck to everyone on their journey!! :-)

---

Comments