Or maybe that should read, how much do you want to lose: And how do I do it? Understand that energy is neither created nor destroyed, it’s recycled. In our bodies energy is in the form of calories. Overfill the gas tank and your body goes into storage mode and that’s in the form of extra weight. I want to speak about change here for just a moment and help you understand that nothing happens fast, change is very incremental. We gain weight and lose weight at the same rate it’s just more fun gaining it. So it may seem like you gained weight quickly, which you didn’t, you just weren’t paying attention. Meanwhile losing the same weight seems like it takes an eternity leaving you frustrated and ultimately falling off the diet wagon where you binge and regain the weight.
Change is not easy it’s difficult especially when we have spent a lifetime climbing the ladder of success only to discover after years of struggling that the ladder may have been leaning against the wrong wall. Understanding change can help us to realize the process and keep us from making decisions that are based on impulse and emotions. There are steps in the change process that we must consider if we are going to transform ourselves and become the best that we can be personally and professionally.
The Formula
Now, the process for losing weight is not diet related but energy (calorie) related. So how much do you want to lose? Say you weigh 200 pounds right now and want to weigh 150. Multiply 150 times 10, that’s 1500. 1500 then becomes the number calories that you can consume if in fact you want to reach your goal of 150 pounds at a rate of about 2 pounds per week. Remember 150 is your overall goal. So let’s take it one month at a time. You are 200 pounds, this month you want to lose about 2 pounds per week for a total of 8 pounds for the month. Same math multiply 192 times 10, that’s 1920 calories consumed for a 8 pound weight loss. The math is simple, the next month you are looking for the same ten pound loss, 180 pounds time 10. This formula will always give you the number of calories to eat per week or month to be able to reach your weight loss goals. Maintenance comes when you are at your goal weight and don’t want to loss or gain. The average person can consume around 2500 calories a day and maintain their weight. If you notice that the scale is going up dial back your food intake. No gimmicks, no food restrictions, just energy in and energy out. Take your time, and always remember, eat to live, don’t live to eat.