Stay Active, See Results

"How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and do what really matters most"

-Stephen Covey

WEBSITE: We all want a longer life and food can actually help to increase the longevity of your life! Check out some of the foods to work into your diet http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/10-foods-longer-life?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-2010_07_21-_-HTML-_-1

OK admit it, we have all hopped on the cardio machine for 30 minutes and immediately stare at the calorie counter the second you are done. I hate to break the news, but these machines lie. 9 times out of 10 they say you burn significantly more calories than you actually burn because they don't take into account your height, gender, weight, and body composition. The number of calories an individual burns will vary from person to person. There are many factors that determine just how many calories you sweat out in a workout session. While they are expensive, many fitness fanatics invest in calorie expenditure readers that take into account your personal factors when determining how many total calories burned in exercising.

Before diving into this topic know that this can become an obsession when not done in moderation. Yes, it is important to know a ballpark for how many calories you burned so that you can adjust your diet but all too often people rely on the number. It is too easy to have a number that you strive to achieve and not stop until you hit it. It is important to ensure that you get your heart rate up but give yourself the grace to enjoy a workout without a obsessing on your calorie expenditure.

Muscle burns calories. The next time you think about skipping your strength training, think again! By replacing fat with muscle, you will actually burn more calories in physical activity. Even better, lean muscle mass will cause you to burn more calories even when being a couch potato!! When people begin to diet they cut out important food groups that can sacrifice muscle mass. This can cause you to hit a wall in weight loss and not see the benefits you desire. Weight bearing activities raise your metabolism so you burn food calories more quickly! I am ready to hit the gym for those free weights now...

Basal Metabolism Rate (BMR) burns 50-75% of your daily caloric expenditure. BMR is the energy it takes to keep your body functioning, such as the beating of your heart and temperature regulation. Your body is constantly burning calories, even on those lazy Saturdays. This is not a free pass to skip out on working out. You do not burn nearly enough calories keeping your organs functioning as you lay on the couch (and you definitely don't reap any of the other benefits of exercising) and weight gain is sure to begin. To calculate your BMR:

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

You can then use your BMR in the Harris Benedict Formula in order to determine your daily calorie needs.

1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

To lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit between the number of calories consumed and the number of calories burned. There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight.

Digestion accounts for 10% of calories burned. I love this one!! Eating burns calories! This does NOT mean you can hit the kitchen for that extra slice of pizza, you don't burn THAT many calories in digestion. It takes calories in order for your body to break down the food consumed.

Physical activity throughout the day burns calories. Physical activity does not always equal the traditional thought of exercise. Many people think of burning calories as going for a run or interval workouts in a cycle class, but they forget about all the calories burned throughout the day. ANY time you are moving, you are burning calories. This counts as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or getting up to change the channel on the TV instead of using the remote. While exercise is important, becoming more active all day long can actually lead to benefits. Working out for an hour is not going to be enough if you lay on the couch for the rest of the day. Think about taking a leisure walk after lunch or washing the car yourself instead of driving through the car wash.

Personal factors can affect your caloric expenditure also. Calorie needs peak at 25 and decrease with each year following. Men burn more calories due to their natural lower body fat and higher muscle mass. Your inherited metabolism cannot be changed but affects how fast or slow your body burns calories.

Check out some websites for how many calories you burn doing your favorite activities:

-http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

-http://www.changingshape.com/resources/calculators/caloriesburnedcalculator.asp

-http://www.caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/lighten-up-and-get-moving

Remember to STAY ACTIVE!!

Megan!