How Important Is A Number?

Many people today know their Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol, Triglycerides and many other bodily functions that notify us when something is irregular, or is within acceptable levels. Those trying to lose weight may need another reading in their inventory that they may not be aware of right now.

One's Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR is important. Why? Your BMR measures the energy used no matter what you are doing, even if you are in a coma and lying in bed. Your body needs a minimum number of calories to sustain itself. 

Every year it becomes harder to eat what you want because this BMR indicator decreases with age. This is one of the reasons that some people put on weight as they get older. They believe that they can continue to consume the same calories that they have always taken into their bodies. Some dieters deprive themselves in hope of losing weight. This lowers your BMR and what you thought was the right thing to do actually works in reverse. You either plateau or gain weight.

If you are interested in finding out your BMR, google BMR and it will give you multiple sites to look at. The formula is simple -- all you need is your height, weight,sex,and age. My BMR is 1,788 calories. That figure will sustain my weight if I don't do anything else. You can also determine what your body needs based on your level of activity. Just follow the information that will take you to another link. When I am not working out, I have a sedentary lifestyle, so I would multiply the 1,788 (BMR) times 1.2 and this gives me what my body usually needs, which in my case is 2,146 calories. If you want to lose weight, you can make it really simple by subtracting 15-20% from that larger figure. It brings me down to 1,717 and I should be able to lose some weight by following that intake.

NOTE: 3,500 calories is 1 pound of fat. Reduce intake and increase "burn off" and you will lose over a period of time. Try out what I've posted here today. I am experimenting with it myself. Last week I increased my calorie consumption to 2000-2100 and I showed an incremental weight gain each day. I cut it back since Tuesday to an average of 1,850 and I've lost incrementally each day. I suspect that it will come out to 1.0-1.5 pounds by next Tuesday.

Yesterday's Results: Consumed 1,732 calories; burned off 954 calories with 60 minutes on the treadmill and a 45 minute lower body workout; leaving a net caloric intake of 778 calories. It showed up as a loss on the scales this morning, but I had to have gained muscle as well. Good luck to you through this weekend!

Next Blog Subject: Food (The idea is in my head, but don't know yet where I am going to go with it)