This wont last forever. We will be more free to roam around. Its likely going to happen by summertime, and it will be nice to get to see people we havent in a while. Well, except it will be weird, knowing our friends might look at us and notice how much more plump we have become.
1 Timothy 4:8 says exercise has some value. Some translations say little value. Still theres some good in exercising. We should do more than just sitting and laying around these days. However, I would like to help you out with some very practical things which can be huge in helping you become smaller.
But first, I need to remind you about one particular fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5 has the whole list, but one term in it is vital in this discussion. Christians should exemplify the fruits of the Spirit. What that means is if youre a Christian, you should demonstrate your faith as you let the Spirit guide your behaviors. Jesus said you can tell a legitimate Christian by the fruit they produce. What fruit of the Spirit am I talking about? Answer: self-control.
Im about to suggest a very simple solution which really works, but it requires self-control. Non-Christians, you, too, can benefit from what Im about to tell you, but still, youll need self-control.
Besides pastoring and counseling, Ive spent years as a weight-lifting coach and personal trainer. I can tell you that trends come and go in weight loss methods. Yet, there is a very real, tried and true way that works for all of us.
It is always advisable to check with your doctor before you try any new exercise or diet plan. Some people need to be extra careful because they have underlying health issues which complicate things a bit. Still, the overall concept Im about to share is functional, practical, and simple.
Believe it or not, you dont even have to exercise more. Score! Seriously, you dont. However, it can help if you do.
Ive watched overweight people struggle in the gym, and know the struggle is real at home, as well. People get it in their heads they have to work out long and hard in order to be successful in weight loss. That simply is not true. There is no reason to burn yourself out of the idea of healthy living by overdoing the exercise part. Do I recommend exercise? Of course I do. However, there are those who struggle so much they need to lose some weight first. Then, it wont be such a huge task to exercise, later.
Weight loss is as simple as a mathematical equation. Im not joking. Stay with me, and youll see. It works. Ive seen it work with hundreds of people. It can work with you, as well.
The math works like this. 1 pound = 3500 calories. For every pound you need to lose, you need to create a 3500 calorie deficit per day, week, or month. So, if you want to lose 10 pounds in 2 months, you need to create a deficit of 35,000 calories in 2 months.
Lets say a person wants to lose 20 pounds, and would like to do so by the end of July. As of this writing, thats a little more than 13 weeks away. Lets also say this person has been drinking 64 ounces of Dr. Pepper since the quarantine started. 64 ounces of Dr. Pepper is 800 calories. If this person doesnt exercise any extra, but switches to Diet Dr. Pepper, he/she would be creating a calorie deficit of 800 per day (Diet Dr. Pepper has 0 calories.). Look at the math, below, to see how fast he/she can lose 20 pounds simply by switching drinks like that.
800 x 7 = 5600 calorie deficit per week. 5600 x 13 weeks = 72,800 calorie deficit. If losing 20 pounds is the goal, 3500 calories x 20 = 70,000. So, even though he/she would only need a calorie deficit of 70,000, he/she will have created one of 72,800. That means this person will have lost the 20 pounds before the full 13 weeks, and will have lost nearly another pound by the end of the 13 weeks. Boo yah!
Do you see how simple the math works? Its not about metabolism. Thats already factored in. Its a matter of creating a calorie deficit, and it works for any adult with no underlying health conditions, and even with many who do. Its universal between males and females, as well.
A word of caution for adults: Dont reduce your daily caloric intake to below 1000. That can trick your body into thinking it needs to store more. So keep it over 1000 per day, and if youre going to go that low, you should be supplementing with a multivitamin.
A word of advice in keeping balance in your diet: A good rule of thumb if youre tracking what you put into your body is 1 gram of fiber for every 100 calories. There are several smartphone apps out there which can help you track your calories and more. Always count everything you consume. That includes gum (even if you spit it out, and you always should), supplements, drinks, or whatever. If you dont want to or cant use a smart phone, use a note card or something similar. Personally, since I do exercise, I track my protein, fiber, and calories.
If you need to determine how many calories you have been or should be consuming to maintain or lose weight, online calorie calculators are, also, readily available and free. These work for children as well. The dont go under 1000 calories per day does not apply to children.
Many of us who have been overeating during this pandemic can actually lose as much as a pound per week. Thats some of the simplest math. If you can safely create a calorie deficit of 500 per day, you will lose 1 pound per week (500 x 7 = 3500 calories, which = 1 pound).
For those who believe they are ready to exercise, there are, also, calorie burning calculators online which can help you figure out how much exercise it takes to create more of a calorie deficit. Ill warn you, it takes a lot of exercise to create calorie deficits. However, for every pound of muscle you add to your body, you will burn an additional 50 calories just sitting still in a given day. This is why people with more muscle can eat more without getting fat.
For example, using a calorie burning calculator, I can know that a man at my age, height, and weight, will burn around 300 calories, bicycling on the trails in my neighborhood for an hour. If I wanted to lose a pound per week, all I would have to do is create a 200 calorie deficit per day by changing eating habits, and bicycle an hour a day on the trails in my neighborhood. Obviously, its a whole lot easier, just creating the deficit in my diet. However, if I wanted, I could do that and add a 2 hour bicycling regimen and easily lose 2 pounds per week.
It really is that simple. A 3500 calorie deficit = a 1 pound loss. Self-control or lack thereof will determine how well our jeans fit at the end of this stay home mandate.
Pastor Jeff Adams is a professional Christian counselor who travels the world teaching but serves our community. His column appears weekly. He can be reached by email at jeffreydadams@hotmail.com.
The rest is here:
Finding Reason: How to Lose Weight Without Exercising While Stuck at Home - Nisqually Valley News
