HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU NEED EACH DAY? PART 2

Here is a quick and easy way to estimate the number of calories that your body needs in order to maintain your current weight; remember, this is an estimate.

For sedentary people: Weight x 14 = estimated cal/day to maintain current weight

For moderately active people: Weight x 17 = estimated cal/day to maintain current weight

For active people: Weight x 20 = estimated cal/day to maintain current weight

Note: Sedentary is defined as someone who does not engage in any formal/aerobic exercise at all. Moderately Active is defined as 3-4 (30 minute) aerobic sessions per week. Active is defined as 5-7 (30 minute)aerobic sessions per week.

If you consistently go over the needed amount of calories (energy) each day and you're not very active, you'll eventually gain weight. On the other hand, if you cut back the number of calories consumed each day, you will lose weight; weight loss will be faster yet if you add more exercise to your daily routine.

Every 3,500 calories adds up to a pound. If you cut back by 500 calories each day, you will have a "calorie deficit" of 3,500 calories, and you should lose about 1 pound per week. If you do nothing to change your eating habits but you exercise aerobically and burn off an extra 500 calories each day you should also lose approximately 1 pound per week. If you do both, you should lose 1.5 - 2 pounds each week. Your weight loss will vary from week to week, dependent on water retention (which is temporary) and replacing fat with muscle as you exercise (muscle weighs more than fat, however your clothes will fit better with muscle/lean body mass than if you weigh the same but your weight is fat).

Your best chances at being successful at weight loss and at maintaining your weight is to aim for a healthy weight loss goal of 1/2 to 2 pounds each week. It is not advised, nor is it healthy, to consume less than 1,200 calories per day; any less than this will not give your body the balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins and minerals that it needs.

Keep a food diary to help you to find ways that you can cut back those 500 calories each day. Many people simply switch to diet (artificially sweetened) pop, avoid juices, and use skim milk in coffee and cereal and find that they can eliminate a good number of calories. Little changes can add up to a lot. As I said in a previous post, it's important to keep a food journal, at least at first. I couldn't believe how many calories I could consume in little "bites, tastes, and sips". These small amounts do have calories, they do count, and they do add up! Try skim milk instead of 2% milk, light whole wheat bread instead of white, low-fat mayonnaise on sandwiches, or even mustard (which has 0 calories). Watch out for condiments such as ketchup, which has sugar, and therefore calories.

Decide on a few calorie-cutting strategies each week, and stick to them; make them a permanent part of your new, healthier lifestyle.