BMR

Knowledge is Power.

I've said this before and I will continue to repeat it. No matter what you are setting out to accomplish or complete, it will go more smoothly if you've done a little research.  Fitness/working out and/or weight loss is no different.  

Before beginning my fitness journey, I did a lot of research.  If I was going to do this, getting stronger, healthier and lose weight I wanted to know I was doing it correctly and as efficient as possible.  When it comes to weight loss understanding your BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate.  This is the number of calories required to keep your body functioning at rest.  AKA your body's metabolism. 

You can calculate your own BMR with the equations below:

For Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

For Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years) 

OR

Any number of websites that have a calculator that will calculate it for you.  I used the Bodybuilding.com calculator. (BMR Calc)

They have a number of great, easy to use fitness calculators!

Next post we will talk about using your BMR knowledge translates into weight loss!

The beginning: Fitness/Calorie Tracker

Hello, guys and gals. Today I want to talk about my first steps in this fitness and lifestyle change.  I wanted to get back to my "fighting" weight. I'll been active and played sports all the way through college, after college.... Things slowed down. Way down. I was eating the same or maybe a little more but with about 3/4 less active minutes in my day.  A friend of mine started scanning foods SKUs and stuff when we were in the store and I thought she was crazy. I literally said, "WTF are you doing??". She was tracking her food and getting the nutritional facts so she could compare items and make the healthier option for herself. That day I downloaded MyFitnessPal.  

I'm sure you've heard of it before, it is not exactly a secret.  It just plain works. It gives you an amazing amount of nutritional information about the foods you are going to be putting into your body. It helps when tracking your macros and helps make smart choices in regards to calories etc. This tool alone can change your body. Being shredded and losing weight starts in the kitchen. It starts with being conscious about what you are consuming.  The app itself is incredibly easy to use. I have a couple example screenshots from Amazon. 

Click right on the screenshot to head over and get the app for yourself. Like I said, it is free and works amazing. I have linked to a FitBit  (I used my iWatch) just to show you the types of trackers that work with MyFitnessPal as well.  The exercise and calories burned track right over to the app. 

Fitness

I have some life/career events coming up in my life soon.  I'm not going to disclose what...yet but I need to be in the best shape of my life in the next 6-8 months. I have been doing a lot of research and having a lot of conversations with health and fitness coaches to make a plan that works for me. This isn't a post about how to get shredded or bulk or cut. This is a post about health and how knowledge is power. 

Planning is key. Planning your meals, and planning your workouts. I have been in the gym a million times. I was a college athlete, I thought I knew what I needed to do. I was wrong. I wasn't planning, I was going in doing a little cardio and lifting heavy. I was doing the same things and I get bored.  After I've started planning my workouts, not only do I not get bored but I'm getting more out of the time I'm spending in the gym.  I meal prep with my girlfriend and I track my macros. I've lost about 10 pounds in the last month. More importantly, I feel better and my clothes are fitting better. In the future, I will disclose what I'm working toward and I will dive into my meal prep, workouts and supplements. I hope you guys/gals join me on this journey!

Weekly Favorites

My Favorites (Must-Haves) for the week of April 3rd, 2017

1.)  The Spinner. A small spinner or clicker that you can have on your persons all day every day.  This little guy is great for the office or stress inducing situations.  May seem silly to some, but this little gadget relieves stress and helps you stay focused. I have one I can take with me and one that stays at my desk at work. My favorites are listed/linked below!

http://amzn.to/2oQdajP

http://amzn.to/2osZsHt

2.) Athletic Jogger.  Gone are the days of working out in oversized, bulky sweatpants.  These are great for the gym, lounging around or running casual errands.  Please, guys, don't "dress them up". This isn't a thing.  They are joggers, ATHLETIC GEAR, no loafers or dress shoes, etc. Nice athletic footwear and you are golden.  

http://amzn.to/2osR76x

3.)  Athletic Shoes.  Perfect to pair with those Athletic Joggers you are going to purchase 😎 You should never be running around doing errands or at the gym with ratty old sneakers.  Guys, the ladies will look you from head to toes, let's make it worth their while!

http://amzn.to/2osR76x