I have written in the past about the 3,500 calorie rule! If you consume 3,500 calories more then you burn you gain a pound & if you burn or use 3,500 calories more then you consume you will lose a pound!!! This is the simple part and one of the most basic nutritional truths…3,500 calories equals ONE POUND…end of story!
Now here is where it gets tricky, WE ALL BURN DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF CALORIES DAILY! The younger we are the faster we burn…the larger we are the more calories we need to consume to stay that way! Here is the part of weight loss that confuses and FRUSTRATES a large percentage of individuals…
As of today, I am 6’3” 206lbs…My BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate is 2,007 calories!
If you don’t know what your BMR is start by finding out here: BMR Calculator
OK…here is where the frustration begins. This is just an ESTIMATE! Some of you will burn many more calories then this, and others will burn far less. To figure out where you are, TRACK your CALORIES and see what the scale does. If you gain weight then your metabolism is actually slower…if you lose weight they PRAISE GOD your metabolism is faster then the average (probably a good indication that you have more muscle mass then the average person your same height, weight, age, and gender) this would be a good thing!
There is the nutrition education…Continue reading to know what this principle has done for me in training for the Walt Disney World Marathon in January and why weight loss is important for marathon runners!
The Living Science Experiment:
For the past couple of weeks I have been on an ELC (Extremely Low Calorie) diet, training for Walt Disney World Marathon with a weight goal of 28lbs to take me to 190. When I started I had no idea what my weight was because it wasn’t an issue…I eat right, I exercise EVERY DAY, and I felt good. However, the scale indicated that I weighed 218lbs. Much higher then expected and a WHOLE lot heavier then I want to weigh running a marathon with a time goal in mind. So over the last two weeks I have averaged 1,525 calories (energy intake from food)…I have lost 12lbs and FEEL AMAZING!!! Yesterday I ran 20 miles at an 8:05 pace. This is faster then my normal long run and I felt GREAT! Today I continued to feel GREAT, no soreness at all, and ran a 5 mile recovery run at 8:20 pace…according to an article written by Runners World (Runners World Article) a 20lb weight loss will result in 17:28 cut off of a marathon time & after starting at 218lbs I know I can get to 190, a 38lb difference which theoretically should cut 24 minutes off my overall time! Will this be accurate? Only time will tell…I ran the same marathon last year at around 205lbs I believe in 3:27, if this theory held true it could again THEORETICALLY put my time 13 minutes faster!
ONLY TIME, TRAINING, & NUTRITION will tell! Until January I feel like my nutrition is dialed in, I pray that the Lord continues to keep me healthy & injury free!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Five Influences over your Diet & Health!
Five Influences over your Diet & Health!
Planning out your meals & snacks daily is the quickest way to nutritional success…
Plan ahead or plan to fail! Whatever your diet goals are remember that you will face obstacles and pitfalls daily in regards to your physical health and nutrition! Here are some common influencers you need to consider when attempting to live a healthy life:
Emotions – When emotions are high we typically turn to an old friend for “comfort”…Somehow we have bought into the lie that when we are upset, sad, happy, stressed, etc. the box of crackers in our pantry or the ice cream in our freezer holds the answer!
Emotional eating is NEVER good! Nearly every emotion prompts false hunger signals. Think about nearly every major event during your life…birthdays, graduations, funerals, baby showers, etc. all center around friends, emotions, and FOOD! The term, “Comfort Food” indicates this is true. DO NOT EAT BECAUSE OF EMOTIONS.
Convenience – We often eat junk because it is convenient. One key to navigating around this negative influence of convenience is to eat breakfast at home and pack your lunch along with any snacks for your entire day! If you do not plan your food out ahead of time you will ALWAYS be negatively impacted by the influence of CONVENIENCE! If you find yourself “stuck” remember there are PLENTY of low fat/low calorie options at your local grocery store. AND lets be honest…fruits and veggies are MUCH more convenient then the dollar menu from your local fast food restaurant!
Availability – When embarking on a lifestyle modification it is ESSENTIAL to keep the right foods available at all times! This includes your home, work, play, and travel locations. Always have something healthy around when you get that unexpected hunger...low calorie fruits, veggies, and (low fat, low calorie) protein bars work amazing for this option!
Time – Another negative influence is time restraints. We have bought into the lie that all food has to be “fast food” on the go. Again there are plenty of great options available at grocery stores, Wal-Mart’s, Target’s, even gas stations (not their own prepared fast foods, but fruits, lean meats, & other options) have great options vs. greasy fast food restaurants! Don’t buy into the myth that eating unhealthy is a time management skill!
Cost – While eating healthy can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be! Find healthy foods that are in your budget and stock up. Sam’s Club, Costco, Wal-Mart, and others have plenty of healthy options at a value price. With medical cost on the rise, the real question is can you afford to not eat healthy?
Again eating a well balanced, nutritious diet is strategic. Not only do you need to know what foods to eat, YOU MUST PLAN AHEAD! If you don’t these NEGATIVE INFLUENCES will impact you.
What is your biggest HEALTH NEMESIS?
Planning out your meals & snacks daily is the quickest way to nutritional success…
Plan ahead or plan to fail! Whatever your diet goals are remember that you will face obstacles and pitfalls daily in regards to your physical health and nutrition! Here are some common influencers you need to consider when attempting to live a healthy life:
Emotions – When emotions are high we typically turn to an old friend for “comfort”…Somehow we have bought into the lie that when we are upset, sad, happy, stressed, etc. the box of crackers in our pantry or the ice cream in our freezer holds the answer!
Emotional eating is NEVER good! Nearly every emotion prompts false hunger signals. Think about nearly every major event during your life…birthdays, graduations, funerals, baby showers, etc. all center around friends, emotions, and FOOD! The term, “Comfort Food” indicates this is true. DO NOT EAT BECAUSE OF EMOTIONS.
Convenience – We often eat junk because it is convenient. One key to navigating around this negative influence of convenience is to eat breakfast at home and pack your lunch along with any snacks for your entire day! If you do not plan your food out ahead of time you will ALWAYS be negatively impacted by the influence of CONVENIENCE! If you find yourself “stuck” remember there are PLENTY of low fat/low calorie options at your local grocery store. AND lets be honest…fruits and veggies are MUCH more convenient then the dollar menu from your local fast food restaurant!
Availability – When embarking on a lifestyle modification it is ESSENTIAL to keep the right foods available at all times! This includes your home, work, play, and travel locations. Always have something healthy around when you get that unexpected hunger...low calorie fruits, veggies, and (low fat, low calorie) protein bars work amazing for this option!
Time – Another negative influence is time restraints. We have bought into the lie that all food has to be “fast food” on the go. Again there are plenty of great options available at grocery stores, Wal-Mart’s, Target’s, even gas stations (not their own prepared fast foods, but fruits, lean meats, & other options) have great options vs. greasy fast food restaurants! Don’t buy into the myth that eating unhealthy is a time management skill!
Cost – While eating healthy can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be! Find healthy foods that are in your budget and stock up. Sam’s Club, Costco, Wal-Mart, and others have plenty of healthy options at a value price. With medical cost on the rise, the real question is can you afford to not eat healthy?
Again eating a well balanced, nutritious diet is strategic. Not only do you need to know what foods to eat, YOU MUST PLAN AHEAD! If you don’t these NEGATIVE INFLUENCES will impact you.
What is your biggest HEALTH NEMESIS?
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