A - Z Blogging Challenge - Lose it

Welcome back to A - Z Blogging Challenge! How are you doing today? L is for Lazy?

Well, let's get going then...

When I first started out, my friend Doris told me as an iPhone user I automatically own an app that tracks my physical activities. Ha, I didn't know that! It's called "Health", and it's pretty neat! 

This is why I started to take my phone down to the basement every time I (un)loaded the washer and dryer. You wouldn't believe how the "flights climbed" are adding up!!

Of course once you start using an app, you'll get suggestions for a ton of other apps. 

At that time I still refused to write down my food intake. Not on paper, not in a spreadsheet. I wasn't gonna go there! But hey, if an app can do it for me? I downloaded "Lose it", very fitting, if not pounds then my sanity!

It's a bit tedious, you need to log everything you eat (don't forget the beverages), but it's certainly an eye opener. Did you know the Chipotle Southwest dressing at Subway is the item with the most calories of your whole meal? 

Assuming you've replaced the bread by a salad bowl, that is! And once you are aware of the fact that "Chipotle Southwest" is basically a spicy mayonnaise, you'll quickly substitute it for yogurt dressing!

Back to "Lose it".

You have to get used to checking measurements and units.

I wanted to log a kiwi fruit. Calories ranged from 43 to 108. Oh wait, the 108 were for a cup, not a piece!

Also I never know how much "1 serving" is. I prefer grams. 

So when in doubt I go to "Me", "My Foods" and "Custom Foods" and record the info from the nutrition facts label. There is also a scan option, but I guess it only works for items purchased in the U.S.?

I recently started to use the "Recipe" option for my go-to items like my standard breakfast, a Subway roast beef salad (remember, yogurt dressing instead of Chipotle Southwest, haha!) avocado brownie or cauliflower pizza.

Also you get to log your workouts, because the calories burnt with fitness activities are being subtracted from the calories you took in by having your meals. 

I have to say that's even more of an eye opener. There I was, working off my butt, doing what I thought was high impact fat burning Aerobics for 40 minutes, and all I burned was 269 calories? Really???

Well, the good news is, the majority of calories used in a day comes from just being alive* 

Yes, really! Getting around, breathing, pumping blood, nerve and brain function, just doing your usual thing all day long, accounts - depending on your weight, height, age and gender - for about 70%! 

10% are used for digesting food, so that leaves you with 20% you may influence with exercising!

*It's called your resting metabolic rate. Mine is 1,237 - that's more than my allotted food budget, so I'm destined to lose weight, ha!!

This is how it's calculated:

Whaaaaat?

I know, this weight loss journey brings lots of math assignments!! And you thought you were never gonna use equations and the "Rule of Three" ever again when you graduated high school!

However, being in the age of online tools, here's a link that calculates it for you:

Calculate Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Now this says my existing in this world uses a daily 1,334 calories. Well, let's say somewhere between 1,200 and 1,300, good enough for me. 

How about you? Have you at some point in your life tracked your food and / or exercise? Did it make you feel restricted or empowered?

Let me know in the comments below and come back tomorrow for M is for Magic, Mind & Motivation!

In the meantime, as always there is a link to find out what other bloggers came up with.