it's easier to lose weight in the kitchen than the gym

it's easier to lose weight in the kitchen than the gym

Let's say you're having trouble losing weight, or your weight loss has stalled, or maybe you're even gaining some weight. And you decided, right then, to double up your efforts in the gym - more miles, more weights, more everything!

Here's a secret: that's probably not the best use of your energy...

You'll get more benefit by spending 30 minutes reviewing what you've been eating, looking up calorie counts, and planning ahead for what you should eat tomorrow, than you would by spending 30 minutes on the treadmill.

• Jogging 3 miles burns approximately 350 calories. (depending on your height, weight, and pace)
• 4 Red Vines contain 140 calories
• 3 Chips Ahoy cookies contain 160 calories
• 1 Dozen boneless buffalo wings are worth 1,040 calories! (even if that's all you ate for lunch, that was way too much.)
• Southwestern eggrolls: 770 calories
• Even if you've been eating healthy foods, large portion sizes can sink your weight loss ship.

Here are some more productive ways to use that extra 30 minutes:

• Start keeping a food journal. What have you eaten lately? What are your weaknesses? What time of day is causing your failure?
• Look up the calorie counts of the foods you eat most often.
• Go online and check out the nutrition guide for the restaurants you frequent.
• Write up an eating game plan. What could you eat tomorrow for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
• Consider using a snacking diversion.

Let's look at a real world example:

A 39-year old woman, 5' 4" and weighing 185 pounds burns about 1,800 calories in an average day (assuming little or no exercise).

The math is simple: she can eat 1,500 per day to lose 2.5 - 3.0 pounds per month, or she can eat 1,600 calories per day to lose about 2 pounds per month. (assuming some, but not a lot, of exercise.)

1,600 calories per day shouldn't be too difficult:

• 400 calories for breakfast
• 500 calories for lunch
• 500 calories for dinner
• 100 calories for snacks, twice a day

Running for 30 minutes to burn an extra 300-400 calories won't do you any good if you're over-eating by 500 calories.

I love exercise and think it's an important part of life. It helps lift my mind, body, and spirit. But using exercise as the primary weight loss tool requires A LOT of exercise - like, the kind of exercise you don't have time for!

Better to work smarter, not harder, and reach your goals by creating habits you can keep for the rest of your life..

-Chris Butterworth

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