1 pound

1 pound of fat (yellow)

1 pound of muscle (red)

Well. . .something a little new and interesting for me today.  I borrowed a heart rate monitor from a friend and I've had it on all day today.  It counts your calories burned and all that.  I wanted to see how many calories I burn on a day that I don't do anything.  I mean, I had Addison all day so obviously I couldn't sit still, but for the most part, I didn't do anything strenuous today.  I started it at 7:30 this morning and it's 1:30 right now and it says I've burned 2240 calories so far.  So here's my thinking–and this just reaffirms what the myfitnesspal app says and a few other things I've done online. . .On a normal day, I'm gonna burn about 2500-2800 calories.  So to stay at my current weight, I would have to take in that same amount.  To lose weight, I'll obviously have to take in a number lower than that.

Let's say I burn 2700 calories a day just living my life.  If I could take in 2000 calories a day (700 less),  I would theoretically lose 1 pound every 5 days (there's 3500 calories in a pound).  That's just straight up math.  Facts.  If I burn 2700 without exercising or doing anything, and I eat 2700, my weight will stay the same (until my age changes).  If I take in less, I will lose weight.

So, again, I'm realizing my problem here.  A meal for me is usually 1200 calories.   I know now that I either have to eat less than 2700 calories (way less), or exercise enough to offset the calories.  I can eat 2700, and run 7 miles to burn off 700 calories.  This is why it's hard to lose weight, people!!  I would burn about 700 calories by running about 6 miles.  So I'd have to run 6 miles a day, EVERY DAY for a month to lose 5 pounds.

~6 mile run - burns ~700 calories
5 of those - burns ~3500 calories (~1 pound)
that's ~30 miles to lose ~1 pound
I'd have to run ~150 miles to lose ~5 pounds

And people wonder why they don't lose any weight when they go to the gym 4 days a week and run on the treadmill for 30 minutes.  Of course, all these numbers are estimates.  But the fact of the matter is this–it's HARD to lose weight.  That's why you've always heard these words together–"diet & exercise".  I reckon if you combine those two things (which is what I'm about to start trying to do), you can't go wrong.  All the numbers just automatically work themselves out.

Well, in case I was wondering what the purpose of this blog was, I just realized it.  I totally just got fired up about losing my first pound.

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!