Thursday, April 5, 2012

who wants to think about math when they are dieting?

seared ahi tuna on a bed of baby arugula,

roasted fennel and oranges



I think I may have been approaching the "look good in a wedding dress diet" all wrong.  I have been killing myself working out twice a day and limiting by calorie intake to less than 700 calories.  For what?  I have been crabby and moody.  In Josh's own words, "I would rather you don't work out if its going to make you this crabby."  After work I was making dinner and Levi was whiny wanting to be picked up and I just snapped at him.  The poor kid didn't do anything wrong but just want his mommy.  I feel like I am going to burn myself out really soon if I keep this up.  You need to burn 3500 calories to lose 1 lb.  That means I need to have a deficit of 500 calories a day to lose one pound per week.  If that means it will take 20 weeks to lose 20 lbs than so be it.  I was trying to do too much in a short period of time.  It took 15 years to put on 40 lbs, so I don't know what makes me think it will come off in one month.  Everyone talks about how dieting is a lifestyle change and I brushed off that notion for a long time.  I like everything fast, instant gratification.  But when it comes to eating, exercising and general happiness in life, I think I need to take a step back and breathe.

Here is my new plan.  I am going to increase my calorie intake by about 200 calories and do cardio 3 times a week instead of 5.  I am going to do JM Ripped in 30, 5 days a week instead of 7.  I am also going to allow myself an indulgence during the weekend.  Oh, and the key change is that I am not going to weigh myself everyday.  I feel discouraged every time I step on the scale and the numbers don't change. I should be more concerned about how my clothes fit and how I feel than some number that reads on the scale.  Who knows, maybe I am gaining muscle weight for all I know.

My BMR:1384.5 *7= 9,691.5 calories a week needed to maintain my weight
workout calorie burn = 2,150 (JM Ripped in 30, 5 days a week and Cardio 3 days a week)
daily food intake of  900 calories= 6,300 calories a week

6,300(calories consumed)-2,150(calories burned)=4,150(calories remaining)
9,691.5(BMR)-4,150(calories remaining)=5,541.5 calories deficit

I know it seems complex and who wants to think about math when they are dieting, but it really is a science. Math and science class is now over and we can move on to what I made. 

Barely seared 4 oz tuna steak
Roasted some fennel for the Tuna salad.

5 comments:

  1. OMG no wonder you are burning out fast!!! Girl, 700 calories is too little! and that's crazy! And you know that eating "right" and being healthy isn't an instant result thing. Do this at your own pace, but don't starve yourself! And #1 rule, get rid of that scale. Or only weigh yourself once a month. I never step on scale - it's too discouraging bc you don't see instant results. Trust me, just eat sensibly, watch your portions and sugar intake, and you WILL see results! And once you see results, you will be even more motivated to stay on track. There's a HUGE difference between Dieting (which most likely you will pack on everything you lost plus more after diet is over) and a lifestyle change (a more sensible and smarter decision process about what you choose to put in your mouth). Which would you do? 700 calories too cray cray! aigoo!

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  2. Cray cray! You cracked me up for the day. Thank you. I needed that. Josh was telling me how I was doing this all wrong and will burn out really fast if I keep it up. He is right and you are right. I need to slow it down and take it at my own pace. Thanks for the tips as always Sarah! :)

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  3. 700 Calories!? That's like my lunch!

    Don't do anything too crazy, just eat in moderation and move around as much as you can.

    I agree with Sarah, don't weigh yourself. Those numbers really mean nothing.

    Good luck! I'm struggling with eating healthy/working out/changing lifestyle myself.

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  4. Here's what I've learned from being a chubbier bride than I would have preferred. 1) I look back and think - damn I was pretty thin then. 2) he would have thought I was beautiful even a bigger dress size that day. 3) my weight was not a concern on the actual wedding day.

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  5. Thanks Donna and Carolyn. I am not one for sensibility. I always rush into things and then deal with the aftermath. Josh tells me everyday that I look beautiful and being 20 lbs lighter wouldn't make him love me anymore than he does now. I am taking all your advice and doing this at a more reasonable pace. I really appreciate your comments.

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