So what about tracking caloric expenditure of exercise?

Most online diet logs that I’ve seen also give you the ability to track your exercise and provide you some estimate of caloric expenditure of the exercise performed. In a lot of cases, they will figure these calories into your daily recommendations and allow you to eat more on the days you exercise. While I think the intentions behind this are good, I think the end result will be counter productive.

The more variables you enter into an equation to more likely you are to make a mistake. Given the fact that diet weighs more than exercise when it comes to producing body composition changes, I like to treat exercise as a constant. Also, people tend to overestimate the intensity of exercise which results in an inflated caloric expenditure numbers. Combine this with the fact that people tend to underestimate their food consumption and you can easily see the issues that arise.

I recommend ignoring the expenditure side of the equation of focusing solely on diet. It’s usually the more difficult aspect of a program to get right and the one people struggle with the most. If you are able to fine-tune your diet you will more than likely will experience the results you are seeking.

Suppose you have someone who weighs 250lbs and is consuming 2500 calories/day in order to lose weight. Reducing intake by 250 calories per day represents a 10% decrease in daily calories. What if the person weighs only 150lbs and is consuming 1500 calories per day in order to lose weight? Reducing calories by 250 per day would equal a 17% decrease in daily calories. This is a pretty sharp drop in intake at once and could have counterproductive results.

A better way to go about it would be to adjust caloric intake by percentage instead of absolute numbers. This way adjustments are relative to the individual and you avoid making adjustments that are too high for some or too low for others. Personally, I always start with a 10% change in calories, regardless of whether someone is looking to lose weight or gain muscle. It’s typically enough to get the person rolling again without any adverse effects that could result from too big a change.

1) Calories – If you’re consuming too many calories, it doesn’t matter how much protein, fat, or carbs you’re eating…you’re going to gain weight or at least not lose weight.

2) Protein – If you’re not consuming enough protein while on a calorie restricted diet, you’re going to lose muscle. If you lose muscle, your metabolism will drop. Not as much as some would like to think (just like adding a pound of muscle doesn’t increase your metabolism as much as some would like to think), but every little bit is important.

3) Fat – You need to consume enough good fats for metabolic processes to work properly and to maintain cellular functions.

4) Carbs – If you can survive on 0 grams of carbs per day, putting them last is the only place that makes sense. Besides, if the above are set properly carbs will fall where they need to be.

The above parameters should be set in order. See Nutrition for Weight Loss for the details on setting each of the four variables. To simplify the process, focus on one step at a time. First, set your calories. When you are able to hit your calorie goals on a daily basis, move to step two and focus on protein intake. Once you’re able to hit your goals for both calories and protein, move to step three. Once you get things clicking with steps 1-3 everything should be in working order. Keep in mind, however, when weight loss occurs each parameter will have to be reset in order to maintain progress.

Taking the above approach will simplify the process and have you focusing on one thing at a time. Trying to tackle everything at once can easily become too much. I’ve used these guidelines and approach with many clients and it works. Give it a try and see how it works for you.

While genetic makeup may predispose you to being overweight, it is not the determining factor of whether or not you will become overweight.  Genetics are heavily influenced by environmental factors (ie. diet & exercise).  I think we can all agree that genetics have changed very little since the early 1900′s, yet incidence of obesity/overweight, and the chronic diseases which accompany it (ie. heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.), has skyrocketed!  Why?  Our nutrition (mainly) and exercise habits.

Since we have migrated from whole foods to processed foods, coupled with the food industry’s love of inexpensive high fructose corn syrup (check the labels, it’s in EVERYTHING!), our waistlines have expanded out of control.  And any study that says we’re just as active today as we were 50 years ago should give back the money they used to fund it.

If our own epidemic isn’t evidence enough, just look to other countries who are now allowing McDonald’s to set up shop on their street corners and see how their body weight, and health, has changed.  Should we point the finger at their genetics, also?  Nope.

While I’m not claiming that genetics has nothing to do with our obesity epidemic, I am saying it is not the determining factor of whether you will become obese/overweight or not.  This should give you hope that no matter what hand you’ve been dealt by your genetics, there is something you can do about it.  Just keep pushing forward and don’t give up!