Friday, March 11, 2011

Non-Working out Update

My work out habit was derailed greatly around Christmas.  After getting sick as well as having less and less time, I just haven't started up again.  However, I have found a great way to keep the weight off AND lose more!

Step 1: Find an accountability partner.  Someone you don't live with who you will be able to communicate with daily.  It is helpful if they want to lose weight too.


Step 2: Find out your BMR, then find out your caloric needs for your activity level. 

Go to these sites:

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-burned.php

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/bmr-formula.php

These sites are really helpful in figuring out how many calories you need to maintain, lose, or gain weight.   Figure out your calorie's for the day and share that goal with your partner.


Step 3: Write down (in text, email, Facebook message, etc.) EVERYTHING you eat along with the calories in all of it.  At the end of the day get the total.

This only works if you are honest.  You have to pat attention to every snack, drink, nibble etc.  It is also my suggestion that you always round up in the calories estimated.  If something was 375 calories, just go to 400 instead.  The reason is because you will likely underestimate if you let yourself and this leaves a little room for those extra crackers you ate from your kids snack pile but forgot about while at the park ;o).

I also am still nursing quite a bit so I added that in by upping the activity level I had when figuring out my caloric needs.  My goal is around 1600 calories a day but I range from 1500-1700 most days.  I have found that cutting out sugary drinks (soda, juices, etc) helps a lot and keeping the portions close to the suggested amount is important.  If I know the serving size is ridiculously small I try to figure out how much I actually eat.  For example, pasta has a serving size of 1/8 of a package which is 200 calories.  1/8 is not enough food for me so I eat about 3/8 or so.  That with sauce will be about 700-750 calories.  It sounds like a lot but not if I've eaten a normal breakfast and lunch and avoided my downfall which is eating when I'm bored or avoiding housework. ;o)


Anyway, since starting this around January, I've lost another inch on my waist and hips (without exercise) and I've lost about 3 lbs.  SO if you don't have time to workout, find a friend that will be your food accountability buddy and be brutally honest about your eating habits (the embarrassment will make you put down that 2nd or 3rd brownie.)

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