4 Month Postpartum Progress

Ok... before we talk calories let's sit down and talk about this month.

This month has been a difficult one for me, that's for sure.  It's been over 100 degrees F almost every day this month, making it not safe for me to go on walks with my baby. I had the stomach flu (not once) but twice! Plus my maternity leave ended and I'm back to work twice a week for those lovely 13 hour shifts.

That being said, my total weight lost this month totaled out to a measly 3 pounds.

Yes, I'm a little disappointed but at the same time I know I didn't give it my all this month.  When you've been sick with the stomach flu you have to eat whatever sounds appetizing… 

Now how did that get on here?!? We're going to pretend you didn't see that...

Given the fact that only happened once… but look at that thing. That was one time too many! I'm all about being honest. And honestly, I didn't eat like I should. Nor did I work out like I should. But I still lost 3 lbs… I would have lost much more if I stayed on the right path. Working out 5 days a week and clean eating? I probably could have lost at least another 2!

But when we fall off the horse, we get back on, right? That means this month I'm going to kick it into full gear! I'm talking tracking every calorie I eat, the whole deal.

A sustainable weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. Anything more than that usually means you'll  rebound eventually and put the weight back on. Each extra pound on your body is worth 3,500 calories. So to lose 1-2 pounds you will have to create a deficit of 3,500-7,000 calories per week.

Valid point internet meme… valid point.

Naturally our bodies are constantly burning calories, even while we sleep.  Our natural calorie burn is called our Basal Metabolic Rate (or BMR).  You can calculate your BMR here. When I calculated it I put my activity level as inactive, because I will account for the calories I burn working out after I've worked out. The calculator gives a rough estimated based off of the given variables, your individual calorie burn may differ based off of your medications, hormones, etc…

My BMR calculates to 1,867 calories burned per day. Now let's get down to the numbers of calorie counting. Let's say I eat exactly 1,867 calories a day and I don't work out--I will stay exactly the weight I am at. I won't gain weight, I won't lose weight. The calories going in are exactly equal to the calories going out.

Now let's say I wanted to lose one pound a week. That means I would have to have a deficit of 3,500 calories in my week. I could create that deficit through exercise, my diet, or both.  Let's say I worked out for an hour every single day of the week. I typically burn 500 calories in an hour, so times that by 7. That equals out to 3,500 burned calories. If I ate exactly 1,800 calories and burned 3,500 calories I would lose a pound. If I cut my calories down to 1,300 a day, creating a deficit of 500 calories a day, I would have 3,500 lost calories by the end of the week--losing a pound. 

FYI

0.1 lb=350 calories

0.2 lb=700 calories

0.3 lb=1050 calories

0.4 lb=1400 calories

0.5 lb=1750 calories

0.6 lb=2100 calories

0.7 lb=2450 calories

0.8 lb=2800 calories

0.9 lb=3150 calories

1.0 lb=3500 calories

In reality, losing weight is just a whole bunch of numbers and calorie counting. Weight watchers, south beach diet, Jenny Craig, etc… try and fool consumers into thinking they can't do it on their own. They've been really creative in inventing their "point" systems but really all of these "miracle diets" are based off of one thing (and one thing only!) calories. Nope, there is no way around it. That is how our bodies have been programmed. Each cell works off the calorie, your heart beats because of the calorie. The calorie creates energy to allow your body to function. How's is that for food for thought? I say we team up to create the next diet fad to sweep the nation… we'll be rich!! ;)

Counting calories can become redundant, but with a computer or smart phone that task can be a whole lot easier. The app I like is called "Calorie Count" and it's free! (They also have a website here). My mother-in-law uses an app called "myfitnesspal" and she loves it. Her friend recently started using the app and has lost 60 pounds just by counting her calories! 

Calorie Count actually has an interface that allows you to follow others and others to follow you. Let's follow each other! My username is BritneyMunday. If you feel like you've hit a wall in your weight loss journey, you just have take that one more step to advance to the next level.  If you are being truthful to yourself about tracking each thing that goes in your mouth, documenting your exercise, and creating that calorie deficit, there is no way you won't lose the weight.

This next month I'm aiming for a 5 pound weight loss. That means I will have to create a deficit of 17,500 calories or roughly 625 calories a day. You up for this? What is your weight loss goal for the next month? How has your journey been going? Let me know below! Remember, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail!

And just like I promised… My monthly progress picture! I don't see as much progress as I would have liked… but taking the picture is just validation to me that if I don't stay on the right path, I won't see the results! I keep reminding myself, losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint!

Thanks for reading!

Britney Munday