Day 32

When you look at it, it's really just a numbers game. (calories in) - (calories expended) = (calorie differential). There are approximately 3,500 calories in 1 pound of body weight. If you take in 3,500 calories more than you burn, you gain a pound. If you burn more than you take in, you lose (er... I mean WIN). Obviously, since both food intake and exercise affect these numbers, you have 2 methods of attack. You also get some FREE calories expended on your behalf (Who said there was no such thing as a free lunch?.....Did someone say lunch!?) Just to keep your body alive (breathing, heart pumping, etc.) burns calories. You could stay in bed all day and burn calories if you chose to (although you'd have to watch a lot of Seinfeld reruns). This is called your "Basal Metabolic Rate" or BMR. This number depends on various personal factors (height, weight, age, gender). For me, I started out with a BMR of 1,926. I'm now at 1,842. As it turns out, my height and gender have both remained fairly stable during this process (whew!). My age is also pretty similar between now and when I started my program. For me, BMR is being affected mostly by my weight loss. By the time I hit my 175 goal, I'll be at a BMR of 1,733 or nearly 200 calories less than when I started. This sucks! It means that I'll get 200 less free calories per day. This is part of the reason that diets get harder as you get lighter.

There are other ways to play with the system and reduce intake or expend more energy. For example, I drink my soft drinks as cold as I can get them. With lunch, I'll have a big cup of diet cola with ice. The liquid is very cold in my system and my body has to actually expend energy to warm it up. I wouldn't suggest going on an 'ice diet', but it's all part of the little tricks that are available to you if you want to use them. Just remember, we agreed that 'weight' would be our measure, but 'fitness' is our goal, so eat healthy!

Day 32
Current Weight: 192.5
Weight Lost To Date: 13.5

The scale is still my friend, and gives me little bits of good news every few days. The numbers say I'm 32% to my end date, and 43% to my goal weight. I'm trying hard to keep the numbers in this order, but I know it gets harder and harder. If my confidence stays high, and my Mom doesn't bake me goodies over the holidays when she comes to visit, I'll keep it going. Keep cheering for me please!

Don