I hope that by now you have found your Ideal Weight ( Ideal Weight Calculator) and BMR ( BMR Calculator ) and TDEE readings (TDEE Calculator).
These readings are the readings required to start on the path to a healthier, slimmer and a more confident You!
In this article I am starting with an example of an urban woman in India. The following readings are sample points. Each person can use the above links and find their reference points for their Personal Weight Loss Program.
Average Height of Indian woman is 155 cm (as per many references on the internet)
Weight is approximately 60 kg
Ideal weight should be 50 – 52 kgs
Weight to be lost is 8 to 10 kgs
Now as per our calculators mentioned in my previous articles,
BMI is 25 (Reading on the higher side, 20-21 is Ideal)
BMR is 1300 calories /day
TDEE for sedentary lifestyle is 1487 calories per day.
Before starting any weight loss program one needs to get hold of a weighing scale and a measuring tape. Weight and Body measurements are a must to start with. One can maintain a log for weight loss as well as discipline is of utmost importance.
Having a daily and weekly diet and exercise routine is important as people tend to convince themselves that they can ditch the plan and then come back and make up for it. This leads to the One step forward and Two steps backward syndrome. Eventually the person stops following the program and is pretty sure that it was ineffective in the first place.
To gain weight you eat more than your TDEE and to lose weight you eat less, in this case 1500 calories per day.
A calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight. This is where the diet comes into play. The entire day’s food intake needs to planned out in terms of food items and calorie value. Also some form of physical activity for at least 30 minutes is required. Planning ahead you can have diets and workout routines planned for the entire month in advance.
The biggest sacrifices will be in food choices. Junk food is called junk for a reason. Sugar in the form of cola drinks, cakes etc will be off the menu. The words Proteins, carbohydrates and fats should pop up when you see food. Water also has calorific value. Whatever you ingest has calories and monitoring the intake is very important.
Calorie intake should never fall below your BMR reading in this case 1300 calories per day.
Some of the common snacks in urban India:
| Bhel Puri/Pani Puri | 1 helping | 150 calories |
| Coffee with milk & sugar | 1 cup | 45 calories |
| Samosa | 1 | 80 calories |
| Pizza | 1 plate | 400 calories |
| Ice-cream | 1 cup | 200 calories |
| Idli | 1 | 80 calories |
| Wafers | 1 pkt | 120 calories |
| Soft Drinks | 1 bottle | 90 calories |
| Pop Corn | 1 bag | 100 calories |
MyFitnessPal (www.myfitnesspal.com) is a great app for food and calories tracking. It syncs well with a lot of Fitness apps such as Google Fit, Mi Fit, FitBit and Apple apps.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are the important meals of the day and each of them can be allotted 400, 300 and 300 calories accordingly. In between meal snacks can take care for the remaining 300 calories. Anything over and above the TDEE reading needs to burnt off via physical activity.
For example in the above sample, brisk walking for 30 minutes will burn off 130 calories. Zumba fitness for 30 minutes will take care of 300 calories.
A consultation with a trained Dietician will be good to get some customized information about individual food choices.
Remember, Diet is 75% and Exercise is 25% of the Personal Weight Loss Program. Both are important and complement each other.
In my next article I will point out some Diet plans which are working for people across the globe. Till then you can get your measurements and readings ready.
