A few weeks ago I was able to go to University of Utah PEAK Health Center where I was able to see my body composition. This opened my eyes to my fat and I knew it was time to start making some changes. With the holidays here in full force, it’s not been easy, but here’s what I’ve been doing with the results I was given.
Do you remember when I was tested and got my % body fat and body fat mass? Both were numbers that I never would have guessed I was at, but I went with the attitude that it’s time to make changes. When you are getting numbers like 40.4 % body fat you better believe it’s time to make changes.
Thankfully, I was also able to get my resting metabolic rate (RMR) showing me what my body burns in calories even when it’s not doing anything. The combination of finding my body fat and what my body needs in calories just to maintain my weight was great information.
Did you know that to burn one pound of fat you have to burn 3500 calories? It’s funny because just to survive life I have to eat 3517 calories a day. But does that mean I just cut 3500 calories from my daily intake? No, that would not be a healthy lifestyle change. Plus, I’d be starving and cranky all the time.
Instead what I have been doing is plugging in all my food intake into MyFitnessPal. This tracks calorie intake, calories burned (not perfectly, but enough) and track my water consumption. I try to keep my calorie intake simple and low, but not unhealthy. Then it’s been great tracking my daily water consumption, which has been around 150 oz a day. What I try to drink a day is about 175 oz a day which is constantly sending me to the bathroom. But if it helps keep my systems going and cleaning out my body I will pee till I’m blue in the face. This has been great for being a healthier example to my kids too.
Then as far as the gym goes, I have been running every day. That’s it! I run three miles at 5:00 am every day. Wanting to keep my endurance up and not lose my running ability again. I know, I need to add weight training into the mix and the weight will drop off faster. Having a sick baby that wakes up constantly makes it hard. You just have to tell yourself that working out is important and will keep you healthy for your kids.
My goal is to get three miles in every other day, then the other days doing a weight training program. I don’t want to get bigger, but tone up. Now I just need to get myself a trainer and maybe even a dietitian, but so far so good. Thankfully I have been able to lose over six pounds in just a few weeks. It’s not a lot, but it’s good for doing no supplements. I want to set an example to my kids of a healthy lifestyle. If that means slowly losing the weight, then so be it.
