Around this time, every year millions confront themselves in front of the mirror, and it usually results in a New Years resolution. No, I am not talking about spending more time with the In-Laws, or actually taking that trip to Mt. Rushmore, but I am talking about losing weight. Let us face it, the need to lose weight tops the list for a lot of us. Regardless of what your Body Mass Index (BMI) is, we all notice things about our bodies that we would like to change. My apologies for not being a surgeon, however, my expertise, as a chef will help us discover the best way to lose weight and keep it off.
To calculate your BMI, which gauges whether or not you are overweight, plug your information into this formula:
(Weight in Pounds x 703) / (Height in Inches) / (Height in Inches) = BMI
For example, a 5’10" person weighing 200 pounds would have a BMI of 28.69. People with a BMI at 25 or above are considered overweight. Above 30 and you run the risk for developing diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. A BMI over 40 indicates that a person is morbidly obese.
Our need to lose weight should be based on either medical recommendation or our own. If we attempt to lose weight for any other reason, we will quickly gain the weight back and find the possibilities too daunting. Dedication and preparation are the only keys to our success. The absolute best way to lose weight is to consume as many calories as your age and exercise commitment allows. Did you know that Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps ate 12,000 calories a day when training? That is right. 12,000 calories WHEN TRAINING. That amount drops dramatically to 3,500 when he is not training. That means, if you want to lose weight move your feet. The more you move your feet, the more calories you can consume. If you want to train like Michael Phelps, then you too can eat three fried egg sandwiches, three pieces of French toast, and three chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, everyday.
To find out how many calories you should eat and a complete list of foods listing their calories per serving visit Calorieking.com.