Word Count: 607 NF Difficulty: Beginner
We’re all nerds here, right?
We’re all relatively intelligent, we don’t mind math equations, and we want to get in shape. Every day, your body burns a certain number of calories just existing. This is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (calculate your BMR here), and it’s based on your height, weight, and age. You also burn calories when you expend energy doing physical activity (walking to work, swimming, climbing stairs, playing with your kids, etc.) When you combine your BMR with the calories you burn doing physical activity, you have your total calorie expenditure. Conversely, you get your energy from the calories you consume with each meal, drink, whatever. Let’s take a look at some of the fundamental equations of fitness that you need to knowe. This will seem overly simple, but so many people don’t realize these things when trying to get in shape:
- Calories consumed > total calorie expenditure = weight gain. Although this is a quite simplistic look at things, it really works. If you eat more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight.
- Calories consumed < total calorie expenditure = weight loss. If you consume less calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. What a novel concept!
- 3500 calories = 1 pound of body weight.
Okay, so when you’re just getting started with fitness, these are the only formulas you need to worry about, because they’re easy to remember, and they’re simple! Let’s explore more closely. If 3500 calories = 1 pound of body weight, then 500 calories per day (3500/7) = 1 pound of body weight.
For you big nerds trying to slim down – if you’re interested in LOSING a pound a week – you need to decrease your daily calories consumed by 500 calories, increase your calorie expenditure by 500, or find a combination of the two that equals a 500 calorie deficit. My recommendation, find a healthy combination of less calories and increased calorie expenditure (by exercising more). Obviously if you want to lose 2 pounds a week you’ll have to manufacture a 1000 calorie deficit. I wouldn’t recommend too drastic of a deficit, or your body will think it’s starving and go into starvation mode. (Read why starvation mode is bad here).
A few things to take from this: every calorie counts! You know that half cookie you ate at lunch? How about that half a can of soda you had left in your fridge. Those calories definitely count, and they add up throughout the day. Be smart.
For you skinny nerds trying to bulk up, if you’re interested in GAINING a pound a week – you need to increase your daily calories consumed by 500 calories, decrease your calorie expenditure by 500, or find a combination of the two that equals 500. Now, if those 500 calories are all junk food, and you decrease your calorie expenditure by doing less exercise, the weight you’ll be gaining will be fat which is undesirable…unless you’re going for the fat look. My recommendation, eat 1000 extra calories a day (GOOD calories), and then exercise with heavy weights (which will burn many calories, but less than 1000), and you’ll gain lean muscle.
Now to be honest, not all calories are created equal…but hopefully you knew that. Obviously a Mr. Pibb (dude didn’t even get his degree) and bag of Funyons isn’t equal to grilled chicken and rice, even though they have the same number of calories. If you’re going to create a calorie deficit, do so by cutting the junk food out of your diet; Because that stuff is so bad for you, finding 500 calories to get rid of on a daily basis isn’t the tough part. It’s actually having the fortitude and willpower to do it.
What can you cut out of your equation?
-Steve
