This is a guest article by Bob Mauer.
Weight loss can become a task of the mind rather than the body.
It’s easy to say you want to lose weight, but following a diet plan can be difficult.
In many ways, weight loss can feel like an impossible task, however it doesn’t have to be. Losing weight can be easy when you have the right tools and help available.
What Are the Important Numbers?
The numbers you need to be concerned about are calories, and your basal metabolic rate (BMR). These are two key figures you must measure in order to successfully track your weight loss.
Please note that I have not mentioned weight as one of the key figures.
Weight is an inaccurate measurement, because it does not take into account the fact that you will gain muscle when you exercise. Since muscle weighs more than fat, and you will also be losing inches — the scale simply won’t be able to detect that.
Mel adds: I’ve writen about this recently in, “Don’t Measure Weight Loss Success By the Scale.
sxc.hu: bjearwicke
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate at which you burn calories at rest.
Knowing what your BMR is will help you to know how many calories you need to take in each day. And, as long as you match the number you won’t gain weight.
Manipulating the Numbers
Once you calculate your BMR you can easily figure out how much food you can eat, but still lose weight.
For argument’s sake, let’s assume your BMR is 2,000 calories.
Knowing that you regularly burn 2,000 calories a day without exercise means that you can eat 1,700 calories worth of food and lose weight.
Then, if you take some exercise, for example running on a treadmill, you will burn an extra 200 calories, which gives you a total calorie deficit of 500 calories per day.
It might sound surprising, but by doing this you will lose weight at a rate of 1 pound of weight per week.
Follow Through and Commit
If your overall weight loss goal was to lose 50 pounds, it would take a year to finally lose the amount of weight you want. Usually reaching your initial weight loss goal is only the beginning of the process, so seeing real results can take several years.
Although it may sound like dieting and weight loss is a daunting task when it is looked at in this fashion, you can rest assured that your body is changing and improving, even when you can’t see it, and when the progress seems slow.
It is important to make the effort right now to eat healthy and exercise regularly, because in the long run this will help to create healthy habits for the rest of your life.
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I left a whole long comment and had wondered why not reply…but I see that cyber-world has decided that my quest and questions were not important…now I can remember exactly what I said although I do know it was questions about why online calculators could decide that I was in dire need of weight loss!
I think the main point is being missed here. The calculate won’t tell you you’re overweight, the doctor will. The calorie counters help to pinpoint where excess calories are being consumed and where large mistakes are being made. For example, you might notice that you ingest well below your share of daily calories except the daily trips to starbucks for a latte add an extra 400 calories a day. It’s the insight into weight loss possibilities that make the tools worth using.
I know that Bob; about whether the doctor says I’m overweight…he doesn’t particularily say anything other than a “bit off will help but not as much as you once did”
this “once did” is interesting because it didn’t put me in the range suggested by the online tools…I’m not sure if I felt better because that was then…and now is something different. A couple of huge lifestyle changes have taken place for me over the last 7yrs
I have tailored what I consume each day because some days things get added that I can’t really afford to have…so the next meal/consumption is based on what went before. I should just say “NO” but that is difficult when so many of my friends believe I need “feeding up” – all this “exercising is making you soooooo thin”
well I am in “thin” inrelationship to the speakers – maybe they just feel bad because I’m getting thinner when they are not :-)
a vicious circle!!
I am about to leave town to go away with someone who has a genetic fat problem whereby their liver doesn’t process fat properly and is 5’10″ and weighs in at under 60kg!!!
Hi Cathy,
BMI isn’t a good measurement, but it does give us a guideline to work from. However, it doesn’t take into consideration how muscular a person is, etc. As I said in a resent article a simple measuring tape is the best way to keep a track of how you are doing.
If you want to check your BMR and BMI, however, I like this BMR calculator found on Diet Blog, and Dietriffic has a BMI calculator. Calorie Count is also good for tracking your results.
Melanie
Sorry about the late reply – I was out of town for a week. Fortunately, well away from the Quake. In fact I live at least a 1000miles from Christchurch which is in another island
Well I have rechecked everything at your suggested websites and I am now the “ideal weight based on my BMI”
I still though think some more weight off might be useful…inadvertently I nearly lost 2 kilo whilst I was away after succumbing to a 12hr tummy bug and I’m only just starting to eat more than ‘light’
Before this weight was moving off but less fast! :-) I’m a survivor you can’t kill weeds, I will revive….
Hi Cathy,
I’m so glad you are okay. We also have friends over in NZ, but they are in the North Island, so helpfully they are all okay, too.
Good for you on getting to your ideal BMI, aren’t you chuffed to bits with that? Perhaps a little strength training exercise would help now? I don’t know if you do that already, but often toning up is something which can really help.
again apologies for delay – my computer connection to Internet has been wonky since Monday and tonight it has been replaced – I think the other box was getting senile demential – anyway my ‘whizz’ got it all sorted out…my computer desk and surrounds are squeaky clean so he could work here without other papers getting in his way!
yes I am pleased with getting to ideal BMI – I just hope that on Friday when I weigh in – it has stayed off. I still am not eating all that well but then again – I have periods of time when I am ‘just not hungry’
I would like to get a few more kgs off just to be on safe side and I hope to being morning walks again tomorrow…I’ve had nearly 2wks off from a dedicated walk because I was away; sick; then just tired…
i will look at what I might be able to achieve strength training/toning that is doable without spending megabucks :-)
Its funny I’ve coached high performance athletes and worked with your everyday person. In my experiences I’ve found that when “weight loss” becomes the focus then they are destined to fail because the proper benchmarks were not put in place at the start.
Establishing a relevant benchmark is critical for losing weight.
http://www.losing-weight-ideas.com/blog/fitness-assessments
Hi Aaron,
I totally agree with you about not focusing on the weight on the scales. I try to encourage a focus on getting stronger and fitter, for one thing. What else would you deem a “relevant benchmark”? Interested to hear your thoughts :-)
Aaron, I have quickly scanned your mentioned weblink and yep back in the old days when I was attached to a gym with a trainer the sort of questions and measurements were regular taken so I know what is what with my/personal stuff.
I’m not new at doing healthy anything so I have a fair idea on what I personally need to achieve…and in the main that continues to happen.
Right now health issues have somewhat changed and it’s a bit of a steep learning curve on certain food stuffs but in the main – that has been stepping back to the basics – fresh in the main…
Even though I haven’t stood on the scales for some months I have found that whatever, I’m currently doing both food and walking (I don’t own a car) is working well because my weight is still dropping…
Yes, I know the scales don’t matter but they do help me understand why I have had to make another hole in my belt! :-)
The other reason for the weight loss is a lot to do with a new transitiional period in my life…a whole lot less stressors in the main!
Hi Cathy,
In your case weight lose was the proper goal. I couldn’t begin to count how many times I’ve seen people trying to “lose weight” when they have absolutely no business trying to lose weight.
I hope all is going well with your goals!
Cheers
Aaron
Hi Cathy,
Yes, I think there is definitely a place for the scales, and I do encourage weighing once per week (as you say, it’s helps people notice if something isn’t right), but also using waist measurements to see how body composition is changing over time. It’s difficult for some people not to get obsessed with weighing themselves constantly, though. That’s why I think it’s important, like Aaron says, to get the focus onto something else, rather than a number.
Yesterday, while I was at work, my sister stole my apple ipad and tested to see if it can survive a twenty five foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation.
My iPad is now destroyed and she has 83 views.
I know this is totally off topic but I had to share it with someone!
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