I Want to Lose Weight
This is the goal I hear the most. Then I ask: How much would you like to lose in the next 3 months? (I found it best to start with short term goals that way people don't become discourage). I normally get some crazy response like 50lbs in 3 months. That doesn't happen in 3 months, and if it does it's water weight meaning you're going to put it back on quickly. I encourage a goal of 1-2lbs a week for realistic weight loss, about 12 to 24lbs in 3 months.
How does exercise fit into the 1-2lb/week weight loss? Exercise basically helps you burn more calories, it maintains your muscle mass, and it helps you keep the weight off once you've lost it. We all burn calories at rest. The exact number differs per person and there are a number of websites that you can use to calculate that resting rate or Basal Metabolic Rate. (I like my fitnesspal). Please note that if you have a clinical diagnosis, the RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) calculator may not be accurate. Please consider talking to a dietitian for a better calculation. In order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. To lose 1lb you have to burn 3500 calories over your resting rate. Certain activities burn more calories than others and the Mayo clinic has a nice chart on how many calories you can burn with certain activities. Please note the chart includes body weight because the more you weigh the more calories you burn. If you need more details Health Status allows you to put in more information to learn how many calories you burn in a day. Here's the bad news. You don't lose the 1-2lbs/week with exercise alone (unless you plan on living in the gym).
The best way to lose the 1-2lbs/week is by changing your eating habits and exercising. Specifics of what to eat like how much protein, how many carbohydrates, how many fruits or veggies, how many calories to consume a day, and what diet is best (South Beach, Paleo, Atkins) not my forte. If you want specifics, I recommend you meet with a registered dietitian. If you are on certain medications, if you have a clinical diagnosis, or if you are an athlete your dietary needs will be different and it is extremely important to meet with a dietitian.
Disclaimer: if you don't exercise regularly or if you have a clinical diagnosis check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. There are a few exercise recommendations that can aid in weight loss. General guidelines for exercise: 20-60 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise most days of the week. Moderate intensity means you can talk while doing the exercise but it is not an easy conversation you have to take a breathe at the end of each sentence. More specific for weight loss you want to work toward the higher end of the recommendation in order to burn more calories. Striving for 50 to 60 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per session. You can also set a goal like burning a minimum of 500 calories/ week with aerobic exercise. Also, adding in strength exercise can help maintain and tone your muscles.
How does exercise fit into the 1-2lb/week weight loss? Exercise basically helps you burn more calories, it maintains your muscle mass, and it helps you keep the weight off once you've lost it. We all burn calories at rest. The exact number differs per person and there are a number of websites that you can use to calculate that resting rate or Basal Metabolic Rate. (I like my fitnesspal). Please note that if you have a clinical diagnosis, the RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) calculator may not be accurate. Please consider talking to a dietitian for a better calculation. In order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. To lose 1lb you have to burn 3500 calories over your resting rate. Certain activities burn more calories than others and the Mayo clinic has a nice chart on how many calories you can burn with certain activities. Please note the chart includes body weight because the more you weigh the more calories you burn. If you need more details Health Status allows you to put in more information to learn how many calories you burn in a day. Here's the bad news. You don't lose the 1-2lbs/week with exercise alone (unless you plan on living in the gym).
The best way to lose the 1-2lbs/week is by changing your eating habits and exercising. Specifics of what to eat like how much protein, how many carbohydrates, how many fruits or veggies, how many calories to consume a day, and what diet is best (South Beach, Paleo, Atkins) not my forte. If you want specifics, I recommend you meet with a registered dietitian. If you are on certain medications, if you have a clinical diagnosis, or if you are an athlete your dietary needs will be different and it is extremely important to meet with a dietitian.
Disclaimer: if you don't exercise regularly or if you have a clinical diagnosis check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. There are a few exercise recommendations that can aid in weight loss. General guidelines for exercise: 20-60 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise most days of the week. Moderate intensity means you can talk while doing the exercise but it is not an easy conversation you have to take a breathe at the end of each sentence. More specific for weight loss you want to work toward the higher end of the recommendation in order to burn more calories. Striving for 50 to 60 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per session. You can also set a goal like burning a minimum of 500 calories/ week with aerobic exercise. Also, adding in strength exercise can help maintain and tone your muscles.
point
To avoid overuse injuries and increase the likelihood of sticking to your goals, I suggest adding some variety to your exercise routine. Try swimming or using different equipment if it is available (like an elliptical, bike, row machine, stairclimber, etc).
Contact me with questions. Please fill out the pre-exercise assessment in order to provide me with more information. An exercise calendar can be provided, please see link for a sample calendar. If you need a starting point try the program below.
To avoid overuse injuries and increase the likelihood of sticking to your goals, I suggest adding some variety to your exercise routine. Try swimming or using different equipment if it is available (like an elliptical, bike, row machine, stairclimber, etc).
Contact me with questions. Please fill out the pre-exercise assessment in order to provide me with more information. An exercise calendar can be provided, please see link for a sample calendar. If you need a starting point try the program below.
