Edjamacation...It's all about the numbers stupid!

So, I'm ending my second week here at Fitness Ridge. I head home for a week, and then back for two more. In considering what information might have had the biggest impact on me this week-- I think I've come to a conclusion.

You see, I had two ankle reconstructions. within 18 months of the first, I had gained 80 lbs. Why? Because my poor eating habits continued and my activity level dropped off to zero. So as I worked to get my physical fitness level back up, I also tried every diet known to man. I lost 60 lbs on the Atkins diet...and then gained it all back plus 10 lbs. I lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers...and then gained it back plus 10 lbs. My head has been so screwed up in regards to what you can and can't, should or shouldn't and must and must not eat!

I am an all or nothing type of person. Do you know how many times I've started a "diet" on Monday, ate a jelly bean Monday night and then said, heck with it I just screwed that diet up so I'll start again next Monday? Too many to count. I even tried to create my own diet for a period of time. It went something like this: Eggs, bacon and sausage in the morning (no carbs), the Subway diet for lunch (12" with all the fixins', chips and occasional cookie of course), Weight Watchers for dinner (Since I started it just for dinner I was allowed up to 40 points for that one meal), And, a "free day" in the evening because according to Bill Phillips, this is good for the soul. It became a joke even to me. I have come to expect to fail at "diets." And you know what, I was right. Diets are horse poop and set me up to fail every time. If you're someone that can move from fad diet to fad diet with success, more power to you...I can't and it's OK.

So here's the real deal, with my head set squarely back on my shoulders and a good understanding of what reality looks like. I can plan my weight loss dependant on several factors; RMR (Resting metabolic rate), normal activity (calories burned by normal, every day activities--walking to the car, bending over to tie shoes, etc), Exercise (extra calories burned by putting in the work) and last but not least, Determination and commitment (what am I willing to do, within reason, to meet my goal).

Here's how it looks by the numbers. If I want to lose 12 lbs in one month, I simply have to do the math to understand the work. There are 3,500 calories in a pound. So, 3,500 X 12(pounds I want to lose in a month), equals 42,000 calories. 42,000 calories divided by 30 (days in a month), equals 1,400. So, I have to have a negative caloric intake by 1,400 calories/day to lose 12 lbs in one month. So now I need to know how those factors I listed above play in. So, my RMR (metabolism) is 2, 313/day. In other words, if I was in a coma, my body would need 2, 313 calories to maintain size. I need to know how many calories I burn through normal activity during the day so I will need to wear my Polar for a 24 hour period to make that determination. For argument sake, lets say I burn an additional 500 calories over the course of any given normal day. So, I'm now burning 2,813 calories without any exercise. Now, I have to determine what a reasonable caloric intake for me will be...one that won't be so restrictive it might cause me to rebel, binge and quit. So, I've been eating 1200 calories here, that's not reasonable in the real world but I think 2000 is. So, if my intake is 2,000 calories/day and my output without exercise is 2,813/day; that equals a negative caloric intake of 813/day. This doesn't quite get me to my goal of losing 12 lbs in a month so I will have to add an additional 600 calories of burn through exercise every day and then the numbers will produce a 12 lb loss for the month. Now, if I'm not willing to put that much work into my output, I'll have to re-adjust my goal down for the month so my work ethic, commitment and dedication, match my goal.

So, that's the magic pill, so to speak. Diets suck! If you tell me not to have a slice of bread; I only want a slice of bread. Tell me to not eat a donut and likely, by weeks end I'll pound a dozen...with ice cold milk of course, it's good for the bones. Anyway, that's my big take away over the last two weeks. I have of course learned other things that are important to me and my success, but getting my head straight on the intake vs. outtake was the biggest.

I've included pictures from today's hike to "scout cave" throughout. Enjoy! (P.S. tell me picture two doesn't look like a bum crack...I'm telling you they're everywhere!)