Happy May y’all!

My three month health challenge has ended. I lost a few pounds and a few inches. The results were not as I hoped but I learned a few things along the way that I’d like to pass on as we head into the month of May.

1) Decide that it’s going to be a lifestyle change.

2) There is no substitution for watching your caloric intake and making sure it doesn’t exceed how many calories you burn in a day.

Start by calculating your Basic Metabolic rate (BMR). This is based on your weight and is essentially how much energy your body needs to function daily at rest. The formula is as follows.

Females: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg.) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 x age in years).

Males: BMR = 66 + (13.8 x weight in kg.) + (5 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age in years).

These simple equations takes into account your height, weight, age and sex. Once you get this number, you build from there. calories from physical activity are counted as calories burned in addition to BMR. Make sure this number exceeds your daily caloric intake. this brings me to another thing I learned.

3) Keep a food diary. It helps you keep track of what you’re eating. I can’t tell y’all how much this has helped me.

4) Pay attention to portion sizes.

5) Limit eating out and try as much as you can to prepare your own meals, this way you know exactly what’s in it.

6) Drink water as opposed to sodas, processed juices and the like.

7) Eat fruits and vegetables in their natural state. You’ll get more nutrients from them than if they’re processed.

8) Get up and move.

Do whatever you can at your own pace. The most important thing is to start some where and build on it as you get more physically fit. I just got the new Samsung galaxy S5 phone. The phone has a pedometer which helps me keep track of all of the steps I take in a day. It’s especially helpful for those days when I can’t exercise because of my schedule or the weather. My personal goal is about 10,000 steps a day which is approximately 5 miles.

9) Go easy on the fad diet supplements out there. Most of them just speed up your heart rate and when you stop taking them, the weight comes back.

10) Get some rest. Your body utilizes nutrients and burns calories better if it’s not in stress mode and not getting adequate rest puts your body in stress mode.

11) See your physician to make sure health issues such as problems with thyroid or insulin resistance aren’t keeping you from losing weight.

12) Don’t give up even if you don’t see huge results initially or fall of the bandwagon.

I believe that if we stick to these basic guidelines with perseverance and commitment, we’ll see results. It may not happen overnight but it will surely happen. So here’s to your health.