It's Not Rocket Science

No, it’s not, but it is science. I remember when I first started this and found out that it takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose one pound. I was a bit dismayed since at that point I was only burning about 100 calories during each playtime at the gym, and wasn’t even close to meeting my 1200-1550 calorie per day eating goal. At the rate I was going it was going to take about a month to lose one single pound!

There are so many different diets and weight loss products out there, all promising that if you follow their particular way of doing things, you will lose massive amounts of weight. But, other than the Hoodia pills I bought and immediately felt sick from, I just haven’t believed that there is some magic answer to it. I’ve figured that each weight loss miracle promise is just like each messianic religious leader; just trying to gather as many followers into their fold as possible. There were some smart folks, and I’d really like to know who they were, who figured out the calculations for real weight loss. Calories In – Calories Out – Base Metabolic Rate (more about this later) = Weight Gain or Loss.

Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve figured out how to make this particular scientific factoid work for me. Btw, I started writing this entry last week after another 3 pound loss, but it got deleted somehow, not even saved to drafts, and I have better things to do with my time than try to remember what I was rambling about.
So, anyways…I have adjusted so many of my food thingies downward in terms of calories and fat. I am a label-reading fool, and I am sure some store managers suspect me of trying to enjoy their air conditioning for free during these summer months, when actually I am just trying to make myself buy an ice cream treat. But damn, I just have not been able to make myself keep a dessert in my cart that has 2 grams of fat, no matter how good it looks like it’s going to taste. But, I think I might have to rethink that pretty soon. Just not yet.

I’ve also been slowly increasing both length and intensity of my cardio workouts. I think I mentioned that I’m doing the C25K program and have been walking 3/jogging 1 for 2 weeks now. Finally my heart rate is staying where it should, and soon I hope to get up to a 3 minute walking/4 minute jogging pace. I’m almost there. Once I hit that, then I’ll go to Week 2 of the plan. Plus doing the Random Hill biking, which I love, at level 10.

Since I’m going to the gym 5-6 days per week and burning over 500 calories each time, and also going bodyboarding a couple times a week, not to mention yard work, I am easily burning 3500 calories just with exercise. Then there are the calories eaten. I’ve been staying within the 1200-1550 goal (and 23 WW points) each day for about 2 weeks now. Since my Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) is over 2300 calories per day, that means that just being alive I’m burning more calories than I’m eating, to the tune of about 800 – 1100 per day, or 5600-7700 per week.

In fact my total calorie deficit for last week when was 12, 571 calories. That’s a lot of frigging calories, don’t ya think????? If you divide them by 3,500, you get 3.59 projected pounds lost. And you know what? I lost 3.2 pounds. Pretty darn close. Not rocket science, but close enough for me. I’m trying to stay on my program: eat smart, move a lot and intensely, and the weight will drop. My stomach is still gross, I’m still wearing fat clothes, but I keep reminding myself I am moving in the right direction. I can move so much easier, I’m feeling more energized, and all the numbers are declining. Think I might treat myself to a skinny cow ice cream treat this week or next. Sometimes it works just to think about it.