How is Your New Year’s Resolution Going to Lose Weight After the Holidays?

As you embarked on your weight loss journey did you consider how much you are eating and what you need to do to work that “math” on how to lose weight?  I always tell my kids that at a very basic level, monitoring your weight and weight loss is really just math.  What you put in your mouth are calories consumed that fuel your body. If you don’t need that much fuel then your body will just store it for later…in the form of fat.  Now I know that the make-up of your diet (carbs, protein, fats) can be tweaked, rationed, and balanced in a way to favor your metabolism and neuroendocrine system, and therefore this helps reduce cravings and the storage of these foods as fat. This is of great value, but more complicated and advanced to review for the purpose of this blog.  So, just for starters, if you are going to diet to lose weight, you must understand the “math” as to what you are doing to yourself when you binge. 

I always find it interesting when someone says “well I exercised today so I can eat those 3 slices of pizza and a bowl of ice cream.” And then I ask well what did you do for exercise? And they say “well I walked at lunch for 20 minutes.’ Now don’t get me wrong…it is absolutely a WIN to get out there and walk to begin with but the math on this is all wrong. 

Let’s calculate the calories of 3 slices of cheese pizza and a (normal) person’s bowl of ice cream (3 scoops?):

• 3 scoops of ice cream ranges from 500 to 750 calories depending on the source and size of the scoop
• 3 Slices of cheese pizza equals 800 to 900 calories.
• Total: 1400 to 1650 calories.

That’s only 1 meal and doesn’t include the beverage (you likely had a Diet Coke 😊)

Here is a list of activities that I found on the internet from various sites, that you can reference to do to burn just 100 calories. To burn off the pizza and ice cream, pick 14 to 16 options from the list below or multiply your walk for 20 minutes by 14 to 16.  

* (Your current body weight will slightly adjust these numbers which are based on a 150 lb person).

Biking: 23 minutes of casual cycling

Cardio dance class: 15 minutes

Elliptical: 8 minutes

Lifting weights, vigorously: 15 minutes

Pilates: 24 minutes

Rowing machine: 13 minutes

Running stairs: 6 minutes

Running: 9 minutes of running at a 6 mph pace

Swimming: 15 minutes moderate intensity

Walking: 20 minutes of walking at a 3 mph pace

Water aerobics: 23 minutes

Yoga: 20 minutes

Zumba: 11 minutes

Jump Rope for 7-9 minutes at a moderate intensity

Basketball, shooting hoops: 20 minutes

Bowling: 30 minutes

Dancing around living room: 20 minutes

Darts: 35 minutes

Golfing, carrying clubs: 15 minutes

Ice skating, moderate: 18 minutes

Kickball: 13 minutes

Mini golf or driving range: 30 minutes

Playing catch with a football: 35 minutes

Playing Frisbee: 30 minutes

Playing soccer, casual: 13 minutes

Skiing, downhill: 10 minutes

Softball or baseball: 18 minutes

Tennis (doubles): 21 minutes

Tennis (singles): 15 minutes

Volleyball, recreational: 26 minutes

Water skiing: 15 minutes

Mowing the lawn: 20 minutes

Painting house: 18 minutes

Raking leaves: 23 minutes

Shoveling snow: 15 minutes

Washing the car: 20 minutes

Weeding the garden: 18 minutes

Pushing a stroller: 35 minutes

Rearranging furniture: 14 minutes

Shopping: 38 minutes

Sweeping: 23 minutes

Walking the dog, 26 minutes

Cooking: 34 minutes

Doing dishes: 40 minutes

Mopping the floor: 20 minutes

Carrying an infant: 24 minutes

To adequately burn off that pizza and ice cream you really need to walk for 4 hours and 40 minutes at a 3 mph pace or dance around your living room for 4 hours and 40 minutes! And remember this was only for that one meal!

The take-away: If you start off with looking more closely at the “math” of your daily exercise vs. calorie count you will get a better handle on whether your activity level matches the amount of food you are eating. If they don’t calculate out your food/daily activity level to create a deficit vs. a surplus, then you won’t lose weight and get healthy ☹

***For more information about your exact nutritional needs regarding calories and types of foods best for your body, please consult a nutrition expert/dietician. Types of food you eat within those calories is crucial for optimum health and maintaining a healthy weight.