Do the Math?

Ok, we all know that to lose weight, calories in must be less then the calories out.  Did you know that you could calculate how much eight you could lose?  Let's look at some math.  

For a trimming fat diet, it is recommended that you eat between 1200-1500 calories per day.  (Talk to your coach, they can hook you up with some information as to hoe many calories are recommended for you based on your height, weight, age and what workout you are doing!)  Just remember never to go below 1200 calories.  This typically will put the body into a starvation mode.  By doing that, you are actually forcing your body to store fat because it is afraid it will not be getting enough food to do what it needs to do (LIVE)!  If you are trying to build muscles, your diet may be closer to 2000 cal. a day.  

We have already talked in a previous post (CHOICES) about how your calorie intake should be healthy choices, not stuff like chips and cookies.  Remember, if you are only eating 1300 calories, why use them all on bad stuff at one meal.

I like to use the website FITDAY.com, to help estimate the number of calories I eat.  It's free, just plug in what you eat (you need to know the portion size) and it tells you calories, percent fat, carbs, protein.  I also like the website CALORIE-COUNT.com to help determine meals from popular restaurants.

Next step, is to determine about how many calories a day your body uses.  This is based on your weight, lifestyle,...

Here is a brief table of some of the calories burned.  If you are a current Beachbody member, you can refer to the nutrition guide for additional information on this.  

For a 150 lb person with a sedentary life, they burn 2100 cals.  If they have moderate activity = 2300 cal., and or a very active person = 2800 cal.

For a 170 lb person, these numbers are: sedentary = 2300, moderate = 2500, active - 3000 cal.

Now, the math.  Take the calories burned minus the calories eaten = the calorie deficit.  So for example, the 150 lb moderate activity level lifestyle person who ate 1400 cal. today:

2300-1500 = 800 calorie deficit

Once you accumulate a 3500 calorie deficit, you have burned off 1 pound of fat!  By controlling your deficit, you control your weight loss.

So, if you have a daily deficit of 450 calories = 1/8 a pound a day loss = 11 lbs of fat in 90 days.

at 900 cal. deficit = 1/4 lb. a day = 22 lbs of fat loss in 90 days.

1600 cal. deficit = 1/2 lb. a day = 45 lbs in 90 days!

It's that easy.  Now you know, just by watching what you eat, you can determine when you can meet your goals to the day!  This process must take focus and discipline to meet the goals, remember the more cheat meals you have, the less deficit for the day, and the longer the process.

(For additional information on this, refer to the Beachbody Nutritional Guide).