You’re burning calories all the time as long as you’re alive. I guess it’s one of the benefits of living.
We all have what’s called a basal metabolic rate, or a rate at which we burn calories in order to stay alive. This basically represents us being awake and lying in bed all day long. This number may be anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 calories depending on your sex, height, weight, age and fitness level.
If you’re fairly sedentary, then you may be burning only about 1,500 calories a day. Who eats only 1,500 calories a day? I know I don’t.
If you’re eating 2,000, 3,000 or even 4,000 calories a day and burning only 1,500, then it’s pretty apparent that you’re taking in more energy than you need. This will quickly result in weight gain in the form of fat.
What if you increased your output? Let’s say you started exercising every day for one hour. Maybe you went for a brisk walk every day. You may burn 200 to 500 calories on that walk depending on the intensity of it. If you burned an extra 500 calories a day and ate 500 fewer calories a day from your normal 3,000 calorie/day diet, then you’d be creating a deficit of 1,000 calories.
There are 3,500 calories per pound of fat. Basically, this translates to you losing about a third-pound of fat every day. In 30 days, that’s about 10 pounds. This is totally doable for everyone. You just have to set your mind to it and make small changes.
How do you know how many calories you’re burning? If you’re exercising aerobically and vigorously to the point where you’re sweating for most of the hour, then you’re probably burning 400 to 800 calories for that hour. Females usually burn a little less then males.
If you’re doing yoga, pilates or weights, then you’re probably burning 200 to 500 calories for the hour. It all depends on your effort level and fitness. If you want to get more precise about it, then get yourself a heart rate monitor that counts calories. Turn it on only when you’re exercising in order to get an accurate measure of your output. It’s quite motivational to see the calories add up as you put out more effort.
As you get more fit and have more lean muscle, then your basal metabolic rate will increase a bit. This means that your body burns more calories just to live. So if you’re looking to lose weight, then take this challenge.
Eat 500 fewer calories a day. Just cut back on your portions a little bit and you’ll get there. Then also make sure you get your one hour a day of exercise. In eight to 12 weeks, you’ll be loving the results.
As long as you make it a lifestyle change, you’ll kiss your weight problems goodbye.
— Dr. Bob Wilcher is a chiropractor and personal trainer in Santa Barbara. He owns Killer B Fitness, a personal and group training studio also located in Santa Barbara. Contact Wilcher at www.killerbfitness.com or 805.448.2222.