You CAN lose weight while training for a race - and I will PROVE IT

The secret? BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate. In a nutshell, it tells you how many calories you burn per day even if you were to sit on your bum the whole time.

How to calculate it:

665+ (4.35* your weight) + (4.7* your height in inches) - (4.7* your age)

My BMR = approximately 1411. So without exercising, I burn 1411 calories a day. If you are very sedentary, you will probably burn less, consequently if you're more active you'll probably burn more. These are just average numbers, and they don't take into account what your body fat % is.

I will round my BMR to 1400.

Determine your daily caloric needs:
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

So to maintain my weight, I have to consume 1400*1.375 = 1925 calories a day.

Use the above to calculate your MAGIC NUMBER.

One pound = 3,500 calories.

So, if I want to lose 5 pounds by the end of November, I have to have a calorie deficit of 5*3500 = 17,500 calories in 6 weeks.

What I will do for EACH DAY until the end of November:

- log ALL calories consumed

- subtract my magic number

- subtract any calories burned during exercise

= my calorie deficit (or "above budget" if you will)

I will try to cap my calories at 1600 so that any calories I burn during exercise go into my calorie deficit basket. I CAN DO THIS!!

I have 6 weeks starting this weekend, October 20th. So for each week, I have a goal to have a calorie deficit of 2,916. YIKES.

If I keep up my daily activity rate, without exercising at all I will have a deficit of 2275 calories. So I need to exercise during the week, obviously.

If I don't make it, that's ok too. But I will put this BMR mumbo jumbo to the test.

RECAP THE FORMULA TO FIND YOUR CALORIE DEFICIT!!:
BMR + Calories Burned = (your BMR + ____) = (____)
Calories Consumed = _____,
Calorie Deficit = (____)

Thank you to Jillian Michaels and Magda for the helpful information and inspiration!