Here we go again…

It’s very likely the most difficult time of the year to start dieting but it’s also likely to be the best time to start. Otherwise, I could easily put myself another 5 pounds into the hole by the time New Year’s arrives.

It’s been a pretty disappointing year for me in terms of my weight. It was a year of many stops and starts. If I had to guess, I’d say I lost 7 pounds and gained them back 3 times this year. Which says to me, I never really changed my eating habits. If you want long term results you have to not diet, you have to change some aspect of how you feed yourself…. Forever.

For example, when I weighed 230 and worked my way down to 210. That was done primarily through exercise. I was eating the same but burning more. Unfortunately you reach a point where you can’t add more time working out and you plateau. That’s when I checked out my diet by tracking on FitDay.com and realized how removing a few key items were going to make a big impact. (Butter & Cheese primarily). I say remove but what I mean is be aware of the impact these items have on your total calories.

Well what’s the deal now? Did I go back to eating butter and cheese? Nope. Currently my problem is this. I eat fairly well for breakfast and lunch but then I end up eating too many calories in the evening. Weekends are also trouble, all three meals could end up being too large.

So I’m back to tracking my food on fitday. This was very successful for me a couple years ago. Although that time I definitely put myself into a pretty steep calorie deficit, one that would have me running out of calories mid workout. That meant that I wasn’t practicing a diet that was going to be sustainable long term.

So I’m eating 3 small and 2 average meals a day. (Pre workout breakfast, Post workout breakfast, LUNCH, late afternoon snack, DINNER). This seems to keep my energy levels even throughout the day and my mind off of the fact that I’m in a bit of a calorie deficit. This is also a way of eating I can maintain.

My strategy here in terms of calories is this. (Nothing new here, just writing it to show how attainable it is)

Using any number of calorie calculators (mine is at the end of this post), determine how many calories it takes to maintain your goal weight. Then determine how many calories a day you require to maintain your current weight. Depending on how far away you are from your goal weight, the difference between the two is probably pretty tiny looking. 20 pounds from goal weight for me, would be 300-350 calories. A cliff bar is 250 calories and a GU is 100, that is the difference we are talking about every day. Obviously the effects of that small overage add up over time. It means you are eating about 10% too much.

Next thing to consider is the time frame you are looking to lose the weight in. I’m 20 weeks out from starting my push into race season. I could possibly lose 20 pounds (maybe). It takes a 500 calorie deficit to lose a pound a week. (see why I started this now?) Any more than a 500 calorie deficit makes for bad workouts (BONK!). My workouts are currently very low HR fat burning mode so that part matches up well. So I am starting with -500 calories.

As I approach my goal, that deficit may be tough to manage, especially if the workouts become more difficult. The key is to try and stay at or under the goal weight calorie count the entire time.

Obviously the entire time will exclude various holiday parties. Weeks with events I will try to have more of a deficit on the other days of that week. On weeks like this, think of it more as a weekly total, rather than a daily if your weekly total is still under, you are doing well.

All this because I think it’s stupid to have a coach and be overweight when it gets to race season… Alright, maybe I also know that my run speed was much better when I was lighter and I’m looking forward to running fast again.

There you have it. Same as it ever was.

Or maybe this is more appropriate. (how about that album cover?!?)

This is the calorie method I like to use as a guide.

Determine which of the following describes you. Then multiply your current weight by the number indicated and you have a good starting point as to how many calories you can eat to maintain your current weight. If you fall somewhere between the levels adjust the number accordingly.

12) You Exercise: Almost Never
13.5) You Exercise: Lightly 3-5 days a week
15.5) You Exercise: Moderately, 3-5 days a week
17) You Exercise: Vigorously, 6-7 days a week
19) You Exercise: Vigorously, daily and you have a physical job

I’m also a big fan of being aware of your Fat/Protein/Carb intake. 15/25/60 is great for race season. All of them are important but you definitely don’t want to be deficient with your protein.

The Recommended Daily Value (RDA) suggests that typical healthy adults should consume 0.8 gram of protein per kilogram. Any excess protein will be converted to body fat for storage.