I came across this site the other day that had a really good tool on it that can help you set a weight loss goal. Go ahead and click on the link below to determine what calorie base you should be shooting for on a daily basis. It should only take 30 sec.

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php

I like that little tool because it is realistic. This formula is the same formula that everyone uses. If you have ever went to a weight loss clinic like Jenny Craig, they have used this formula on you. Then you had to eat gross boxed food that met those calorie needs. Most Dieticians and Nutritionists use this formula. In fact we use it in our assessment’s when you come to us on weight loss goals. Of course we go above and beyond just calorie reduction. In our Nutritional Assessment, we cover food quality, Metabolic Typing, Meal Timing and how to shop.

Now, I have been known to be critical against super fast weight loss diets and programs. That is why I am not a big fan of  ’The Biggest Loser.” I do not like the show or the contests that gyms and others try and promote.  Healthy weight loss should be 1 to 3 pounds a week. On the show and in these contests, they use calorie reduction based diets that drop your calories so low that you end up losing a bunch of lean tissue. Remember you want to shed fat not muscle. Losing dramatic weight like 10 to 15 pounds a week is never healthy. This is why 90% of the people on that show and in these contests gain the weight back and for most add more than before they started. That is known as the Oprah Effect.

In Boot Camp, weight loss for some can take a few weeks. If you are building lean tissue with all of the squats, lunges, hills, push ups and countless other resistance movements that we do, your scale weight could stay the same. Now your close will start fitting better, you will feel stronger and have a ton more energy. If you are patient, through this process and resist the temptation or advice to starve yourself, you will start to see weight loss soon enough. You see, when you add lean tissue to your body, you increase your metabolic rate. It is like starting out at a 4 cylinder car that is really good on gas and becoming a v8. You do not want to be a prius, you want to be a Hummer when it comes to metabolism.

Once you feel like you have put on some lean tissue, you are ready to start getting lean. Again the above formula is a good tool in giving you a calorie base to shoot for. The way that formula works is quite simple math. The activity level question is important. I like this formula for that. When filling in the blank for activity level you will have number choices from 13 to 16. I am not giving you numbers below 13, because this post is directed at people who workout.

13 if you workout at a beginner level4 times a week

14 if you workout at a moderate level 4 times a week

15 if you workout at an advanced level 4 times a week

16 if you workout at an advanced level 5 to 6 times a week

So the math goes like this. Your Body Weight____x Activity level _____( The choices above) =______ – 500= ____ Your target weight loss goal. If you divide that number by 4 or 5, you will now have total calories per meal.  Her is an example of a 200 pound person.

200 x 15 = 3000 – 500 = 2500 Total calories a day to lose. Divided by 5 meals = 500 calories a meal. Capiche

When you take away the 500 you are allowing your body weight to drop at a safe pace. This formula in combination with eating clean food every 3 to 4 hours and always drinking a protein shake right after you workout will help you become as lean as you want to be. Good luck and if you have any question do not hesitate to email me.

Tim Gojich