The Formula

Sunday, October 29, 2023

10:21 PM

Disclaimer: There are many factors that may contribute to a person having difficulty losing weight. The information conveyed here is based on the assumption that the individual is otherwise healthy.

Generally when someone asks me how I was able to lose weight, I tell people that they need to understand their body first. There is no other project in your life that you have ever started without a foundation first, why should your weight loss journey be any different? You can't get to your goal without truly understanding where you are right now.

Understanding your body means finding your basal metabolic rate (BMR), being cleared by your doctor for exercise, and understanding which foods may cause an inflammatory response in your body. Let's discuss those three things first.

Finding Your Basal Metabolic Rate

The process of losing fat involves burning more calories than you consume. This is also described as a caloric deficit. Finding your BMR is important because it is the baseline for calculating how many calories you need to burn during every workout. Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns as it performs basic life-sustaining functions, such as your heart beating, your digestive system, breathing, etc. Each function that our bodies perform uses energy, calculated as calories. That means even if you laid in bed all day, for 24 hours straight, and never moved from the same spot, you'd still burn "X" number of calories.

Next, understand that 3500 calories equals 1 pound of fat. Therefore, in order to lose a pound of fat, you'd need to burn 3500 more calories than you consume.

So let's say your BMR is 2000 kcal. Between breakfast, lunch and dinner, you consumed 1700 calories. At some point you went to the gym, burned 200 calories on the treadmill.

2000 (BMR) + 200 = 2200 (Total Calories Burned) - 1700 (Calories Consumed) = 500 Calorie Deficit

500 x 7 (Days per Week) = 3500 Calories = 1 Pound of Fat

Within 7 days, you've already jumpstarted your weight loss journey. This is why finding your BMR is so important.

Being Cleared by Your Doctor for Exercise

Skipping this step can add unnecessary difficulty to your weight loss journey. If you have underlying health conditions, such as thyroid issues, an autoimmune disease, or knee/joint issues, you'll want to keep your doctor in the loop every step of the way. However even if you are otherwise healthy, your doctor can still play an invaluable role in your journey. Your doctor can monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar, help you care for your joints as you increase physical activity, and make specific recommendations based on your goals. My dermatologist, who also does nutrition counseling, even ordered bloodwork for me to make sure that I am supplying my body with the necessary vitamins and nutrients it needs in order to recover properly from every workout. She prescribes supplements based on my own body's deficiencies.

Eliminating Inflammatory Ingredients from your Diet

Discovering which foods to avoid can be tricky. Eliminating certain ingredients from your diet and monitoring your body's response will require a great deal of patience, but will be well worth it in the end. Some people may need to avoid refined carbs, gluten, or sugar. This may require assistance from your doctor, who can use the tools at their disposal to steer you in the right direction. Just picture this: You're in the gym, working out for months. You're not seeing the results that you wish to see, and under the advisement of your doctor, you're told to eliminate dairy. Within weeks you're seeing a noticeable difference in the mirror. By eliminating the inflammatory ingredient(s) you're no longer bloated, your metabolism improves making it easier to lose weight, and you might even see positive changes in your skin.

Following these three recommendations will not only empower you to take back control of your body, but also help you to build a more loving relationship with your body. You will learn that the best and most positive way to lose weight is by loving it into shape, not punishing it into shape. You will learn what your body needs to support your weight loss goals, and you in turn will support it by fueling it properly as you shed fat. This is a win-win! So find the formula your body needs in order to perform at its best, and love your body again.

Until next time, my empowered friends… be well.

Love,

Danielle