The No More Excuses Diet (46 page)

A small calorie, or gram calorie as it is sometimes called, is the approximate amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. However, with regard to diets and nutrition, we talk of a large calorie, or kilogram calorie, which is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. That is, 1,000 small calories make up 1 large calorie. I know it sounds too scientific!

Basically, a calorie is potential energy. It is found in our foods in the form of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. These
macronutrients are the three essentials that build muscle, provide energy, and maintain brain function. However, not all calories are created equal, for each macronutrient provides different calories per gram:

Every gram of food has different caloric values depending on its macronutrients. Following the
30/30/30/10 rule works well for me, as a physically active mother who still enjoys a glass of red wine, my children’s peanut butter sandwich leftovers, and chocolate cravings—all while losing weight! Most days I use the remaining 10 percent for carbohydrates from the leftovers of my children’s foods. Other days, when I am preparing to wear a bikini at the beach, I will utilize the last 10 percent for additional protein.

I believe the 30/30/30/10 approach is more flexible than traditional diets and reflects the average person’s lifestyle. The more you stay consistent in an approach that is realistic, the more likely you will actually stick to the plan in the long term; this plan gives you room to indulge and alter your intake depending on your activity,
cravings,
and social events. This is a flexible No More Excuses formula that will help you lose weight yet not have to give up your favorite foods.

So how much food should you be eating? It depends on your body size and your weight-loss goal. Begin by testing your
basal metabolic rate
(BMR), which is a measure of how much fuel your body needs to lie in bed and do absolutely nothing. The most popular way to calculate your BMR is the
Harris-Benedict Equation
. While it is approximately accurate for the average person, it doesn’t take into account your muscle composition, which can increase your metabolic output. Here’s how to do the calculation:

According to the Harris-Benedict Equation, my basal metabolic rate as a 33-year-old woman who is 5-foot-4 and weighs 125 pounds is figured as follows:

This means that if I were lying in bed doing absolutely nothing, my body would need 1,344 calories daily just to sustain itself! When I add my activity level of moderate exercise 3 to 5 days per week (multiply by 1.55), my BMR changes to 2,083 calories per day!

I also have to keep in mind that 10 percent of the calories I consume (208 kilocalories out of 2,000 kilocalories total) are used to digest the foods I eat. This is called the
thermic effect of food
(TEF). That is, it takes calories to digest the calories you just ate! The digestion process includes when you bite, chew, and swallow, then process, transport, and metabolize the foods that pass through your system. The basic formula for determining your TEF is to multiply the total calories you eat by 10 percent.

So check how many calories you need, write down how much you are consuming, and start creating a 300- to 500-calorie deficit per day. A small deficit of just 300 to 500 calories will allow you to safely lose 2 to 3 pounds per week with exercise (more if you’re heavier). You can create this small change by eating half the foot-long sandwich or eliminating the fancy coffee drink every morning. By changing your portion sizes or eliminating an entire snack, you can lose weight and do it without drastically changing your diet.

Get to know how many calories are in the foods you commonly eat. Know them off the top of your head! For example, do you know how many calories are in an apple, a slice of bread, a small cheeseburger,
or one cookie? I carried a small calorie book and used a calorie phone app to help me determine how many calories are in foods until I started remembering the numbers, then I used the app for less common foods.

Here are the steps for making your diet
guidelines.

These changes will yield results, but your weight-loss efforts will reach plateaus. At those points, you will have to change your diet to keep your body and metabolism guessing. I will make recommendations for doing this in later chapters. For now, let’s put these pieces together.

Each person should consume a
balanced macronutrient diet of 30/30/30/10, and alter it depending on the individual’s needs. There is a lot of flexibility with the No More Excuses diet plan, allowing you to switch up your macronutrient profile throughout each meal. Here are some options for good No More Excuses diet plans.

OPTION 1:
BALANCED DIET

EXAMPLE OF BALANCED MACRONUTRIENT PROFILE BASED ON A 2,000-CALORIE/DAY DIET

Meal Examples

OPTION 2:
FAT-LOSS DIET