I had vaguely heard of BMI (Body Mass Index) over the years, but had never really calculated where I fell on the scale. Here it is: my BMI, based on 230 pounds and 5’5” height, is 38. This falls under the category “severe overweight, high risk”. According to this tool, I would need to be at 150 pounds to be at the top of the “normal, very low risk” category. I don’t think I will set my goal quite that large, as it seems unattainable to me right now. My current focus needs to be not having the horribly painful red indents on my waistline when I take off my pants at the end of the day.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and AMR (Active Metabolic Rate) are both new to me. I went to several different websites for these calculations so I could compare and be sure it was somewhat accurate. I found very little discrepancy, so here it is: my BMR based on my age (32), height and weight is 1810 calories per day. This is how many calories my body would naturally burn if I were to lay in bed all day, doing nothing. Figuring my AMR I used the following criteria: 30 minutes Heavy (my Elliptical workout), 30 minutes Moderate and 120 minutes Light (just the daily grind), and finally 870 minutes Very Light (I sit at my job all day and when the daily grind is done, I’m usually sitting to read or watch TV). This allows for 6.5 hours of sleep, my average. These numbers are just guesses of course, but I had to plug in something. Using these numbers, my AMR would be 3700 calories per day.
So losing weight for me, at this point, will be basic math. I need to burn more calories than I consume. My plan is to keep track this week of how many calories I take in daily so I can determine how much I need to increase my activity and/or lower my intake.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and AMR (Active Metabolic Rate) are both new to me. I went to several different websites for these calculations so I could compare and be sure it was somewhat accurate. I found very little discrepancy, so here it is: my BMR based on my age (32), height and weight is 1810 calories per day. This is how many calories my body would naturally burn if I were to lay in bed all day, doing nothing. Figuring my AMR I used the following criteria: 30 minutes Heavy (my Elliptical workout), 30 minutes Moderate and 120 minutes Light (just the daily grind), and finally 870 minutes Very Light (I sit at my job all day and when the daily grind is done, I’m usually sitting to read or watch TV). This allows for 6.5 hours of sleep, my average. These numbers are just guesses of course, but I had to plug in something. Using these numbers, my AMR would be 3700 calories per day.
So losing weight for me, at this point, will be basic math. I need to burn more calories than I consume. My plan is to keep track this week of how many calories I take in daily so I can determine how much I need to increase my activity and/or lower my intake.
And I didn't believe my teachers when they said I would use the math they were teaching me when I grew up.
4 comments:
I remember celebrating like crazy the day my BMI finally fell enough that I was merely overweight instead of obese.
Have you done a body fat percentage calculation? I have a fancy scale that claims to do it, but I don't trust it.
NO - I would love to figure that out though. I did buy a scale this weekend, but went low end at $9.88.
If you are an obsessive weigh-er like I am, you're going to want a scale that shows decimal places. Mine shows in .2 increments. I used to have a .5 increment scale and it drove me crazy. I strongly believe in the daily weigh-in, even though everyone else will say that's nonsense and bad for you. I weigh myself pretty much every time I'm in the bathroom and naked.
You should maybe not take weight loss advice from somebody as neurotic as me.
Normally, I would weigh myself everyday...but I am resolved to only do it on Sunday mornings. I'm hoping that way I will be more determined to stay "on the wagon" and see bigger numbers than I would if I did it everyday.
This is only day two though and I couldn't stop staring at it this morning. I think I'll have Jeff hide it until Sunday.
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