Tag Archives: Calorie

Straight, No Chaser: How Many Calories Do You Need a Day?

Health Prevention, General Health and Wellness, , , , , , , , , , ,

calories
Let’s put this post (at least the end of it) under the category of things you do but really don’t think about.
How many calories should you take in per day to function (meaning produce the energy you need for your activities of daily living)?  It actually depends on your gender, your age and your level of activity.  Let me start by defining the types of lifestyles, according to the Institute of Medicine.  If you are in the third category (active), I doubt that you’re worried.
Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with day-to-day living.
Moderately active means a level of physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5-3 miles per day at 3-4 miles per hour in addition to the activities of daily living.
Active means a level of physical equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3-4 miles per hour in addition to the activities of daily living.
That breaks down as follows:

  • For women between 14-50, the number is right about 2000 kcal/day (calories) if you’re moderately active and 1800 if you’re sedentary.
  • For men between 14-50, there’s some greater variance, but the 2500 kcal/day works if you’re moderately active and 2200 if you’re sedentary.

In short, that averages to about 600-800 calories per meal, with the low-end being for sedentary females and the high-end being for moderately active males.
soda1
Now consider, 16% of the calories in the average American diet come from refined sugars.  Fully 50% of that total comes from beverages with added sugar.

Every 12 ounces of non-diet of pop/soda you drink contains about 150 calories.  

Your average dessert ranges from 300-500 calories.  

The most popular one, only one cup of ice cream, contains 270 calories.

I’ll let you take the math forward from there.  However, the take home point is obvious.  Suffice it to say, the link between pop, deserts and obesity has been well established.  Here’s three Quick Tips for you.

  • Try finding a drink with fewer calories if you want to lose calories (and weight).  It’s water, not Coke, that adds life.
  • Try eating your favorite fruits as dessert.
  • Also, consider just walking 3-4 miles a day.  It’s not that hard, if you just do it.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: How Many Calories Do You Need a Day?

General Health and Wellness, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , , , ,

calories
Let’s put this post (at least the end of it) under the category of things you do but really don’t think about.
How many calories should you take in per day to function (meaning produce the energy you need for your activities of daily living)?  It actually depends on your gender, your age and your level of activity.  Let me start by defining the types of lifestyles, according to the Institute of Medicine.  If you are in the third category (active), I doubt that you’re worried.
Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with day-to-day living.
Moderately active means a level of physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5-3 miles per day at 3-4 miles per hour in addition to the activities of daily living.
Active means a level of physical equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3-4 miles per hour in addition to the activities of daily living.
That breaks down as follows:

  • For women between 14-50, the number is right about 2000 kcal/day (calories) if you’re moderately active and 1800 if you’re sedentary.
  • For men between 14-50, there’s some greater variance, but the 2500 kcal/day works if you’re moderately active and 2200 if you’re sedentary.

In short, that averages to about 600-800 calories per meal, with the low-end being for sedentary females and the high-end being for moderately active males.
soda1
Now consider, 16% of the calories in the average American diet come from refined sugars.  Fully 50% of that total comes from beverages with added sugar.

Every 12 ounces of non-diet of pop/soda you drink contains about 150 calories.  

Your average dessert ranges from 300-500 calories.  

The most popular one, only one cup of ice cream, contains 270 calories.

I’ll let you take the math forward from there.  However, the take home point is obvious.  Suffice it to say, the link between pop, deserts and obesity has been well established.  Here’s three Quick Tips for you.

  • Try finding a drink with fewer calories if you want to lose calories (and weight).  It’s water, not Coke, that adds life.
  • Try eating your favorite fruits as dessert.
  • Also, consider just walking 3-4 miles a day.  It’s not that hard, if you just do it.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

From the Health Library of SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: “Is there really a way to eat what you want and still lose weight?”

Health Prevention, Personal Training, , , , , , ,

calorie table
In all honesty, if you are staying within the daily calorie intake range, then yes, it’s possible. That said, foods that are bad for weight loss cause your blood sugar levels to rise and drop quickly, making you hungry. Of course, if you are craving more food, you are going to take in excessive calories and gain weight. That’s why eating nutritious foods will help you lose the weight and keep it off.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Quick Tips on Boosting Your Metabolism

Health Prevention, General Health and Wellness, Cardiology/Heart, , , , , , , , , ,

fat crying
It would be improper for me to have dragged you through the mud for three days and depressed you into thinking you can’t improve your situation. Hopefully, you’re not feeling that way. You should now have a better understanding of how the body works, how to count calories and how to compare yourself to a baseline for health. What left is giving your body a leg up on your efforts. Yep, I’m talking about boosting your metabolism. Any of you that have been with me for a while know that means I’m not promoting something you’ll find in a bottle, although there are many good supplements that can assist in that effort. I’ll refer you to your (or my) favorite personal trainer for those considerations. As always, I want to offer you the tools to be self-empowered. To that end, here’s five Quick Tips to boost your metabolism. Why five? Because five is easier to implement than six. Once you get these five down, let me know, and we can get a bit more intricate.
1. Eat smaller meals, and eat more frequently. It’s true. More meals more often is better, but only if they’re smaller. Calorie counting is still a major part of the equation. The point of more frequent meals is preventing the body from going into starvation mode, which slows your metabolism as the body attempts to conserve energy. If you do this, you’ll discover those meals are smaller and you will get closer to eat more appropriate portions than we typically do. Also, make those in-between meals healthy choices like a handful of fruits or nuts.
2. Prime your pump. Remember, it’s all about your heart’s ability to efficiently move blood around the body anyway. The healthier your heart is, the better your metabolism will be. You need aerobic exercise that increases your heart rate for 20-30 minutes at a time. Learn your target heart rate for your age, and exercise to get into that range. Your metabolism will better approximate that of a fine tuned machine rather than a sputtering old car.
3. Weight train. This is very simple. The more muscular you are, the more calories you will burn, especially relative to someone of the same weight who is obese. Not only will you become a finer calorie-burning machine, in this case you actually will look better! Add weight training to your exercise regimen.
4. Choose the fish (and not the fried variety). Fish oil contains substances called omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA) which increases levels of fat-burning enzymes and decreases levels of fat storing enzymes. Daily ingestion has been shown to help by approximately 400 calories a day.
5. Enlist a personal trainer. Everyone needs help and motivation. Some of us need a lot of help and a lot of motivation. We also need expertise. There’s nothing more frustrating than working hard yet not seeing any results because you’re working incorrectly. A good trainer can put you on the path, supervise your regimen, and hold your hand through the process. The minutia of age, sex and body habitus considerations that also play a role in this can be managed by a good trainer. Your ideal trainer will have knowledge of nutrition, wellness and supplements that are tailored to your specific considerations. This will get your metabolism revved up!
By the way, if you’re into green tea, caffeine or spicy/hot peppers, enjoy them for their other benefits, but don’t expect them to contribute significantly to your efforts to improve your metabolism. At least that’s what the consensus in the medical literature points out.
Finally: yes, it’s true that metabolism naturally slows with age (starting as early as age 25); everyone has heard that fact. However, here’s what you don’t usually hear: that’s not inevitable and is more a result of your becoming less physically active than just aging. That demonstrates the need for you to be even more diligent in your efforts. Good luck, and I welcome your questions and comments.
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Straight, No Chaser: Healthy, Sustainable Weight Loss – Let's Get Started

Health Prevention, Personal Training, Cardiology/Heart, , , , , , , ,

obesity6obesity5
How to Lose Weight, and What is Healthy Weight Loss (AKA, How Much, How Soon and How)?
Let’s start with the How. Commercial voice: “You should contact your physician before starting any weight loss routine”. We ended things on the last post talking about the caloric balance equation, which (simplified) means you need to get off your derriere, and close your mouth. Without getting too technical, to lose weight, 1 pound equals 3,500 calories, so your net caloric intake must be cut by at least 500 calories per day to lose a pound a week. Here are some Quick Tips to cut calories (and I will not be discussing any of the popular diets or medical remedies (with one exception in the next post); you can see your physician or nutritionist about those. Besides, guess what? Most of you don’t need a fad diet. Keep it simple. And…more importantly, you should be more concerned with healthy regimens that help you keep the weight off, not drastic efforts that have proven to have quick short-term but unsustainable long-term outcomes).
1) Work out: If you can sprint, do so. If you can’t, jog. If you can’t jog, walk. I like working out while watching sports, because my heart’s pumping anyway. Weight training at the same time is even better. Once you hit a good exercise regimen, your metabolism will improve, making weight loss that much easier.  By the way, the next post is on metabolism; stay tuned.
2) Hungry?  Start counting calories.  Use this standard to determine what your daily calorie intake should be.  Meal plan so you don’t exceed that level.  Remember the caloric equation to lose weight: Amount expended minus the amount eaten should be 500 calories a day.  In the next post, I’ll give you a Quick Tip for an extra 400 calories a day you can lose.
3) Still hungry? Try brushing your teeth. Don’t laugh. It actually works. And it gives you nice teeth. Otherwise try drinking water or chewing calorie-free gum. All these are nice, simple inexpensive appetite suppressants.
How Soon? It’s natural for anyone trying to lose weight to want to lose it very quickly. But evidence shows that people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1-2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “diet” or “program”. It’s about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits. Think health instead of weight, and the weight will improve.
How Much? If you were my patient (but you’re not!), I’d tell you to forget about ideal body weight and BMI – for now. Focus on a modest weight loss, like 5-10% of your current weight. Even this success will improve your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Once you accomplish that goal, do it again. So even if the overall goal seems large, see it as a journey rather than just a final destination. Seek to learn new eating and physical activity habits that will help you live a healthier lifestyle. These habits may help you maintain your weight loss over time. To that end, I love healthy challenges. Try a 30-day water instead of pop (soda)/coffee, etc. challenge, or even better, give yourself a 30-day ‘fruit for dessert challenge’ or ‘salad of your choice for lunch’ challenge. When that’s done, immediately do it again.  Learn to integrate healthy habits into your quest to lose weight, and you’ll increase the odds of having sustainable weight lost. At the end of the day, it’s been well established that those who maintained a significant weight loss report improvements in not only their physical health, but also their energy levels, physical mobility, general mood, and self-confidence. Good luck, and check back for the next post on how to fine-tune your metabolism!
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: How Many Calories Do You Need a Day?

Health Prevention, General Health and Wellness, , , , , , ,

soda1
Let’s put this post (at least the end of it) under the category of things you do but really don’t think about.
How many calories should you take in per day to function (meaning produce the energy you need for your activities of daily living)?  It actually depends on your gender, your age and your level of activity.  Let me start by defining the types of lifestyles, according to the Institute of Medicine.  If you are in the third category (active), I doubt that you’re worried.
Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with day-to-day living.
Moderately active means a level of physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5-3 miles per day at 3-4 miles per hour in addition to the activities of daily living.
Active means a level of physical equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3-4 miles per hour in addition to the activities of daily living.
That breaks down as follows:

  • For women between 14-50, the number is right about 2000 kcal/day (calories) if you’re moderately active and 1800 if you’re sedentary.
  • For men between 14-50, there’s some greater variance, but the 2500 kcal/day works if you’re moderately active and 2200 if you’re sedentary.

In short, that averages to about 600-800 calories per meal, with the low end being for sedentary females and the high end being for moderately active males.
Now consider, 16% of the calories in the average American diet come from refined sugars.  Fully 50% of that total comes from beverages with added sugar.

Every 12 ounces of non-diet of pop/soda you drink contains about 150 calories.  

Your average dessert ranges from 300-500 calories.  

The most popular one, only one cup of ice cream, contains 270 calories.

I’ll let you take the math forward from there.  However, the take home point is obvious.  Suffice it to say, the link between pop, deserts and obesity has been well established.  Here’s three Quick Tips for you.

  • Try finding a drink with fewer calories if you want to lose calories (and weight).  It’s water, not Coke, that adds life.
  • Try eating your favorite fruits as dessert.
  • Also, consider just walking 3-4 miles a day.  It’s not that hard, if you just do it.

Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress