Holistic weight reduction - Part12 - The Arithmetic of Weight Reduction

While most dietitians and nutritionists talk about the energy intake requirements of an average American male or female, no guru of weight reduction instructs his disciples on how to figure out the daily energy expenditure of a particular individual. Calculations of ‘appropriate’ energy intake based on the current weight of the individual are highly misleading and significantly overestimates the need of required energy intake. Since balancing energy intake with the energy expenditure of the body is the only sound way for safe and sustained weight reduction, an accurate and individualized energy expenditure calculation is mandatory. Impossible as this may seem in the face of fluctuations of energy expenditure from day to day, an effective average daily expenditure can be calculated if one is prepared to discipline oneself to the same extent that one does to balance a checkbook and can be meticulous about documenting energy intake! If death and taxes are the inevitable realities of human life, the ability to calculate the average daily energy expenditure is the essential that one must master to understand an effective and sensible approach to the task of fat weight reduction.

There are only three simple steps involved in the calculation of fairly accurate average daily energy expenditure.

STEP 1:
Weigh oneself using a reliable scale at the beginning of a 3-week period (in the case of males and post-menopausal women) or on the last day of the menstrual period (in the case of women in the reproductive years). A scale similar to the one in a physician’s office is more reliable than most of the scales available in the market. The weighing must be undertaken in the morning after voiding and bowel movement and before breakfast. Make a note of the weight.

STEP 2:
For the next three or four weeks, depending on one’s gender and state in life (male, post menopausal woman, menstruating female) and using a calorie counter available at most health food stores write down in a diary or a notebook the caloric content of any food or drink that goes across your lips. Keep the usual diet during this time of caloric count and continue with the usual physical activities. At the end of each day add up all the Calories consumed that day. At the end of the three or four weeks add up all the Calories consumed during that period.

STEP 3:
Weigh oneself again at the end of the duration of the collection of data in the same manner as in Step 1 and note it down.

Let WB denote the weight at the beginning and WE be the weight at the end of the test duration. Let TC be the total Calories consumed and let TE be the total amount of Calories expended during the same period. Then simple arithmetic will show that:

Example One:
John, a laborer weighed 210 pounds at the beginning and weighed 210 pounds at the end of 3 weeks. During that period of time he consumed 60,825 Calories. Since there was no weight gain, he must have expended all the calories present in the food intake. So his average daily caloric expenditure is 60, 825 divided by 21 = 2,896 Calories.

Example Two:
Cindy, who is a menstruating female weighed 124 pounds at the beginning and at the end of 4 weeks (or menstrual cycle length) weighed 122 pounds. During the 4-week duration, she consumed 41, 640 Calories. Since she lost two pounds, she expended more calories than she consumed and this excess amount is obtained by multiplying weight loss by 4100, giving a figure of 8200. So Cindy expended 41,640 + 8200 = 51,840 Calories during the 28 day interval. Her average daily caloric expenditure therefore is 51,840 divided by 28 = 1,851 Calories.

Example Three:
Susan, who is a post-menopausal woman not taking estrogen replacement therapy weighed 150 pounds at the beginning of the caloric count and 3 weeks later was surprised to find that she had gained 3 pounds. Her energy intake added up to a total of 46,280 Calories. Since she gained 3 pounds, she converted into adipose tissue 3 x 4100 =12,300 Calories, indicating that she expended only 46,280 - 12,300 = 35,920 Calories. 35,920 divided by 21 = 1710 is her average caloric expenditure.

About the Author : Abe Kurien MD, is a proponent of holistic medicine. He writes profusely on subjects of Weight reduction. His enlightening articles can be found on the smatix weight reduction section : Health and Nutrition Guide