How Many Calories Do We Really Need?

On day two of  Half Week let’s explore calorie counting. If you have a little basic knowledge of  how many calories you are consuming to maintain your current weight, you’ll understand better how cutting calories can help you lose weight.

It’s an easy calculation:

• If you don’t exercise at all: Weight x 14 = estimated calories per day
• If you exercise some: Weight x 17 = estimated calories per day
• If you exercise daily or do manual labor: Weight x 20 = estimated calories per day

So if you weigh 240 and don’t exercise you consume 3,360 calories just sitting there. (literally) If you eat more than that, you will continue to gain weight. If you eat less you will lose weight. It’s that simple. Of course you could exercise, use up some calories and lose weight, eat less and lose weight, or… (can you guess?) exercise AND eat less to hit big minus sign on your weight calculator.

That’s how calorie counting can work for you. of course you need to start looking at some labels to figure out what you are consuming. Even the fast food restaurants will tell you what the meals total. But you know how much you have been eating. You probably put the same amount on your plate without even knowing you’re doing it. So you can do it all the simple way and just eat half as much.

That leads to our new formula: Eat Less + Exercise More = Less Weight

TODAY: READ SOME LABELS ON FOODS YOU NORMALLY EAT FOR CALORIE CONTENT. DAY 2 OF EATING HALF PORTIONS