It seems like most people will identify themselves as being either a “math person” or “English person.” Speaking for the English contingent, math doesn’t come easy for me. I’m one of those people who actually counts on my fingers. No, really, I do.
However, if the numbers require me counting on my toes as well, I’d rather pull out the calculator than pull off my socks.
When I was studying to become a personal trainer, I had to do a lot of math. My poor 1990s-style graphing calculator is getting more of a workout now than it ever did in calculus class.
When it comes to weight loss, it’s all about the math. Sorry fellow wordsmiths, you’re going to need to find a calculator for this one.
There are multiple diets and super-mega-quick weight loss drugs (did I say “drugs,” I meant “scams”) on the market. We’re bombarded with informercials promising that all we need to do is buy a certain product or piece of exercise equipment and we’ll be “guaranteed” magical weight loss.
I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to buy any crazy horse pills or sadistic looking exercise machines to lose weight. Weight loss is all about dieting and exercise. It’s about eating good, healthy food, and exercising — a lot.
The math is simple: You have to burn more calories and eat less.
OK, so how much should you eat? And how do you know how much you’re eating?
One of the first things I recommend to clients is to keep a food journal. You can find journals specifically for tracking calories, fat, carbs, etc., at most local bookstores. They don’t cost much, but for some people, it’s a $15 wake-up call.
Most of us don’t realize exactly how many calories we’re eating each day. Do you know? Here’s a hint: It’s more than you think. I promise.
Counting calories doesn’t have to be laborious. Just read nutrition labels, add up the calories per serving (assuming you eat the suggested serving size) and keep a tally as the day goes on. Food journals have handy lines made specifically for this task.
If you don’t want to do all the adding yourself, just download an app. Yes, an app. My husband’s new Droid phone has an app that allows him to scan the bar code on a product, then it sends that info to another app that tracks his food intake right there on the phone. He’s a math guy, and he still loves it.
No pencil or calculator necessary.
Knowing how many calories you should consume in a day is a little more tricky. It’s based on a calculation of how many calories your body burns daily just to eat, breathe and walk around. The number varies from person to person, and depends on several factors including height, weight, age, gender and how much exercise you get in a day. There are several sites online with calculators to determine how many calories you should eat to maintain your weight. The American Cancer Society has a good one on its site, www.cancer.org.
Next, you need to know how many calories you are burning through exercise. There are many sites online for this tool as well. One website I like is www.health.msn.com/tools-and-resources/.
Know that one pound of body fat is 3,500 calories. So if you create a weekly deficit of 3,500 calories, you’ll lose a pound a week. Create that deficit by exercising more and eating less.
The thing about all this calorie counting and calorie burning stuff that trips people up is that it takes dedication. You must write down everything you eat. You must do the math every day — or let your phone do it for you. You must exercise every day. It’s not an easy means for weight loss compared to taking a magic pill, but it works. Now here’s my infomercial pitch to you: If you do the math, if you eat less and burn more, you WILL lose weight. I “guarantee” it.
Renee Martinez Corwine is a personal trainer and a Telegraph editor. If you have questions about fitness or topics you’d like to see covered in this column, contact her at rmartinez@macon.com.
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