Be smart about how you lose weight. Using formulas to determine your Basal Metabolic Rate and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure gives you a better idea of what your body needs to lose weight. In Part 7 of So Much More Than Weight Loss, I discuss the importance of preserving your lean muscle mass, how your hormones impact your total daily energy expenditure, and when the best time to do cardio actually is.

 

Use Equations for Effective Weight Loss

1. Identify your Basal Metabolic Rate using the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation. 
2. Find out your Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
3. Monitor both as you lose weight.

 

Using Formulas for Effective Weight Loss

It’s reasonable that you feel like you don’t have the energy to exercise. But do you know if that lack of energy is mental or physical? When we feel mentally exhausted, we are less likely to want to work out. Let’s talk about how you can start identifying those energy drains.

When it comes to weight loss, it is really important to preserve your lean muscle mass. You want to do this by prioritizing strength training. Strength training is a more effective way to lose weight than cardio, though cardio is excellent for your cardiovascular health.

Another great starting point is finding your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). An equation like the Mifflin-St Jeor can help you figure these values out. Your Basal Metabolic Rate will change as you lose weight, so it’s important to check what yours is if you’ve lost weight.

 

Hormonal Changes and Weight Loss

When our hormones change, such as during menopause, or the pre-menopause transition, the way we lose weight changes, too. These hormone changes don’t mean you can’t lose weight. They just mean you have to lose weight differently and find what works for you.

Your hormones impact your Basal Metabolic Rate and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. So if you’re in a hormonal transition, keep checking that you’re eating the appropriate amount of food for your activity. 

To lose weight effectively, you’ll want to focus on losing body fat. The most effective way to lose body fat is through regular strength training. I believe cardio’s best used to lose those last five vanity pounds.

Put your stats into a formula like the Mifflin St Jeor equation. What is your weight loss strategy moving forward? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode 

• The connection between emotional and physical energy [2:30]
• How to identify an energy drain in your life [3:00]
• Why you need to preserve lean muscle mass [6:15]
• Why strength training is more effective for weight loss than cardio [8:00]
• How your Basal Metabolic Rate changes as you lose weight [10:45]
• What happens during the pre-menopause transition [13:00]
• When to do cardio [19:00]
• How your hormones affect your total daily energy expenditure [22:00]

 

Quotes

“With emotional energy, it is our job to use our boundaries to protect it. We want to have enough energy to prioritize ourselves.” [3:04]

“Total daily energy expenditure is the amount of calories or energy your body burns in a day. It is made up of your Basal Metabolic Rate plus your exercise and food digestion. That’s what total daily energy expenditure is. Exercise is not a very high percentage of your total daily energy expenditure. That’s why overexercising is not effective when you’re trying to lose body fat.” [7:20]

“It doesn’t matter where you are, in terms of how old you are, where you are in your pre-menopause or menopause, you can make significant changes, we just have to do it differently.” [14:48]

“To actually lose optimal weight, and when I say optimal weight, focus on body fat, cardio is going to be the thing that I recommend when you’re down to your last five vanity pounds.” [18:44]

“It’s so much easier to make good decisions when you feel like you’re showing up for yourself this way.” [25:15]

 

Resources

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

31 Days of FIT.  Learn more HERE.

Muscle Maintenance During Fat Loss. Waitlist HERE.

Fit Woman Collective™. Learn more HERE.

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Ali Novitsky MD, this podcast, and podcast write-up are NOT providing medical advice

 

Related Episodes 

Episode 100: Wisdom from my 32 Year Self-Experiment

Episode 38: “Exercise Is Stalling My Weight Loss”

Episode 138: So Much More Than Weight Loss Part 5