Building My Food Budget - Establish Daily Caloric Intake
As I mentioned before, I’m creating a food budget. As part of my plan to lose a pound a week, I need to establish my daily caloric intake. (My goal is to find out just how many calories my body needs to maintain its current weight, and then eat 500 calories less than that, everyday, for an average deficit of 3500 calories a week, or one pound of weight loss.)
According to the -
FreeDieting Calculator - I need 2467 calories to maintain and 2000 to lose weight…
Cancer.Org Calculator - I need 3500 calories to maintain and 3000 to lose weight…
NutritionData Calculator - I need 3005 calories to maintain and 2505 to lose weight…
MayoClinic Calculator - I need 2500 calories to maintain and 2000 to lose weight…
FitWatch Calculator - I need 2750 calories to maintain and 2250 to lose weight…
As you can see, the numbers fluctuate according to which calculator you use. I’m going to aim for 1800 - 2200 calories a day, but I’ll increase that a bit on days in which I engage in vigorous exercise. I’m not going to starve myself - and I’m actually okay if I never lose another pound. (Did I just write that? Yes, the truth is, I’ve moderated my eating, I’m no longer gaining weight, I have lots of great friends, and I’m a pretty happy dude. So, as the weight comes off, I’ll be thankful, but I’m no longer desperate. Strangely enough, it was in making this connection between happiness and acceptance that I began to lose a few pounds and I stopped eating so much. Fancy that!)
One Pound A Week - Right On Schedule
Three weeks ago, I mentioned that I was tired of dealing with the ups and downs of dieting and that I had decided to go with a steady, healthy, day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month approach to weight loss. My goal? To lose one pound per week. And, three weeks later, I’m down three pounds.
In the past, I’d be discouraged by the fact that I had ‘only’ lost three pounds. But, now, I’m excited! Why? Because, instead of depending on some super-silly weight loss fad, I’m simply walking more, eating less, and exercising (a little). Slow and steady might be boring, but it’s working!
I’ve been away at camp this past week. Now that I’m home, I can refocus on my blogging - and my weight loss. It feels good to do something ‘the right way’. Now, I just need to remember my one pound a week plan, and refrain from starving myself. My body needs fuel - healthy fuel - and I need to remember this.
Creating A Food Budget - And It Has Nothing To Do With Money
Usually, when I talk about budgeting, I’m talking about personal finance. But, not today. Today, I’m talking about a budgeting the amount of food that I eat, throughout the day.
I’ve spent several days thinking about how the ‘food budget’ should work, and I think I’ve come up with a few good idea.
First, the budget should reflect desired daily caloric intake.
Second, the budget should be flexible.
Third, the budget should include a list of all of the foods that I like (with nutritional values listed).
Forth, the budget should be portable (and easy to use).
Fifth, the budget should note not only what I should eat, but when I should eat, too.
As you can see, what I’m really writing about is an ‘eating plan’ - but I like the idea of calling it my ‘food budget’. For some reason, I like to have things written down, and I do much better when I can check off my progress, throughout the day or week.
Once I’ve settled on the exact layout of my food budget, I’ll share it with you.
Updates: I’m still working on my push ups and my walking - and I’m still trying to eat between 1800 and 2000 calories a day. I’ll weigh in at the end of July and we’ll see how my new ’slow-and-steady’ approach works out.
