X POST: Reversing Seasonal Weight Changes (long)
I have maintained my weight within 7 or 8 pounds for the past 18 months or so, with my weight going up a bit over the winter and back down over the summer. I have been asked on a number of occasions what I have done to accomplish that. Basically it comes down to walking, biking and watching my diet most of the time so that I eat high quality foods without too many calories. I am far from perfect in that regard, but I try to be diet-compliant at least 90% of the time, which, to be honest, can be a real challenge during periods when I am feeling down.
I have used the following websites to help me keep on top of where I need to be with both calorie intake and exercise:
I start with an estimate of my resting metabolic rate (RMR), calculated from this site:
http://www.shapeup.org/interactive/rmr1.php RMR is an estimate of calories burned over the course of a day in a resting or inactive state.
the results screen from this page contains another link with helpful tips on weight maintenance and loss that I have found to be helpful.
I add the calories burned from walking from this site:
http://walking.about.com/library/cal/uccalc1.htm
and the calories burned from biking on this site:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/Calories-Burned-Biking.htm
to come up with my maintenance calories for the week. Dividing that by 7 gives me a daily calorie count. I target 1/2 lb weight loss per week over the summer when I can bike a lot, which makes up for any weight I put on over the winter when I can't/don't exercise as much. What follows are some straightforward calculations, which I hope are easy to follow:
RMR, based on 230 lbs, 50 years of age, 6 feet tall = 1933 calories per day
Walking calories, 1 hour per day at 4 MPH = 427 calories per day
Biking calories, 1 hour per day at 14 MPH = 835 calories per day
I don't walk or bike every day, so I make a weekly calculation
1933 calories per day RMR x 7 days per week = 13531 calories
427 calories per day walking x 5 days per week = 2135 calories
835 calories per day biking x 5 days per week = 4175 calories
Total weekly calories for maintenance = 13531+2135+4175 = 19481
Total calories for weight maintenance = 19481 calories / 7 days per week = 2783 calories/day
To drop 1/2 lb per week 1/2 lb fat x 3500 calories per lb fat / 7 days per week = 250 calories/day
So in order to drop 1/2 lb per week, I can't exceed 2533 calories per day on average (2783-250)
I realize that I exercise a lot and men lose weight more easily than women, so here is a sample calculation for a 150 lb woman who wants to walk 30 minutes per day and lose 1/2 lb per week:
RMR, based on 150 lbs, 40 years of age, 5 feet 4 inches tall = 1330 calories per day
Walking calories, 1/2 hour per day at 4 MPH = 170 calories per day
She may not walk every day, so she makes a weekly calculation
1330 calories per day RMR x 7 days per week = 9310 calories
170 calories per day walking x 5 days per week = 850 calories
Weekly calories = 9310 + 850 = 10160
Total calories for weight maintenance = 10160 calories / 7 days per week = 1451calories/day
To drop 1/2 lb per week 1/2 lb fat x 3500 calories per lb fat / 7 days per week = 250 calories/day
So in order to drop 1/2 lb per week, she can't exceed 1201 calories per day on average (1451-250)
These are obviously just estimates and everyone's metabolism and diet are different, but it gives you a place to start if you are aiming to maintain or drop a few pounds over the summer.
RP
But with all due respect, and speaking for anyone here like me who may or may not be willing to speak up, I do NOT have it in me to do all the calculating you just shared. To be honest, I don't even have the patience to read all the calculations you just shared.
If I was a scientific type person who HAD the inclination to do so, I probably wouldn't have needed WLS to begin with. I need this to be a lifestyle I can maintain, and micro-managing all those numbers is NOT something I would be capable of maintaining.
I prefer to simply remain aware of my WLS habits -
* no drinking 30 minutes before or after a meal
* taking all my vitamins and supplements
* drinking 64+ oz of water a day
* getting the amount of protein the nutritionist recommended
* chew the devil out of everything, yada yada yada...
I strive to make appropriate food choices, serve myself reasonable portions, and not be a slug. Doing so most of the time has helped me to be pretty successful.
I applaud you for your newfound connection to your body, and all the numbers that play into it. You have done a remarkable job of maintaining your weight loss, and achieved an enviable level of fitness.
I just want others here to know that the way you manage things is not the only way to be successful with WLS. If I had read something like that pre-op, it just might have intimidated me right OUT of having surgery!
Imperfect does not = unsuccessful
I agree that everyone needs to use an approach for achieving and maintaining their weight loss that works for them. I don't do these calculations regularly...maybe once per year as a reminder of where I need to be...after feeling my pants getting a little squidgy after the holidays. I will argue the point on the math thing, though. I know several people with science,engineering and math degrees who have had WLS, regardless of their propensity for understanding numbers. The problem for most of those people is not the inability to understand numbers, but rather the inability to manage their emotions around food.
RP
Peace out.
Imperfect does not = unsuccessful
As for me, I'm with Darla and keeping it simple. AND I still applaud anyone's efforts! This is a tough battle. I personally need to keep it with the basics.
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do." John Wooden
I'm down 120 pounds - thanks to RNY! Working on the next 25. Then I'll tackle more...
