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Dieter Heather Calculates Daily Calories Before Starting Weight Loss Plan
Heather is trying to get an idea of how many calories she currently consumes. There are a couple of ways to attempt this:
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1. By using a chart that provides the number of calories it takes to sustain a certain weight.
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2. Track daily calories over a short time period of 2-3 days, then total the number of calories and divide by the number of days. If you find that you are currently experiencing a weight-gain spree, this method can also indicate the amount of weight you are at risk of gaining if the eating pattern continues.
Heather is choosing to use method 2, even though her current weight is holding steady.
Day 1 of Heather's Pre-Diet Journal:
Powdered Donuts and milk for breakfast totaling 400 calories
Pizza and soda for lunch totaling 800 calories. And Heather dined out for dinner and requested a nutritional menu which contained the calories in her entree, which totaled 1,300.
Total calories for the day = 2,500
Day 1 of Heather's Diet Journal:
Heather skipped breakfast. For lunch, she ate at the local taco house and again, requested a nutrition menu. That large soda, chili-cheese burrito and taco salad equaled a whopping 1,000 calories. For dinner, she enjoyed a frozen dinner and an unsweetened iced tea for a total of 450 calories. And while watching tv, Heather enjoyed a bag of hot buttered popcorn and a soda for a total of 450 calories.
Total calories for the day = 1,900
GRAND CALORIE TOTALS: 2,500 calories + 1,900 calories = 4,400 calories/2 = 2,200 calories daily average which in turn equals Heather's current weight of 170 pounds. Obviously, if Heather were experiencing a weight-gain spree, her daily calorie average would be much higher.
This simple exercise gives Heather a good idea of how many calories she is consuming on a daily basis, particularly since her weight has remained fairly even for many months.
An important thing to note is that Heather is not consuming a vast amount of calories over what her body needs to be weigh - her recommended weight, which is 120 pounds. Just a few extra calories per day can make all the difference. For example, if Heather would simply become more active and consume 400 calories less per day - she wouldn't have any extra weight to worry about - ever again. And of course, this is much easier said, than done.
Return to Previous Page | Go to Weight Loss Step #2 | Return to Thin Thin
Causes of Weight Gain - Weight gain is not always due to over eating. Stress, lack of sleep - even growing older can add pounds. The good news is that they can be controlled and eliminated with a bit of Diet Savvy. Causes of Weight Gain
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