Most of us grossly overestimate how many calories we burn if we have a somewhat active job – working on your feet all day burn somewhat around 400 calories on average (you may only burn 100 sitting behind a desk) so you will NOT burn off that 1200 calorie Big Mac Meal because you are “working hard”

For “Most of Us” over age 45, the 2000 calorie a day recommendation is fair

But at that rate we will only be “weight stable” – to lose, we need to eat less and if we eat more, then we pack on the pounds

You can think of our Metabolism like the Fridge in your kitchen

Each day whatever we Eat goes in the Fridge

But unlike your fridge at home our Metabolism wants an “empty fridge” at the end of the day

If we eat more than we need “today” then we end up with undesirable effects

Leftover Carbs get turned into Body Fat and “stored in the freezer” (around the waist)

Leftover Protein gets converted to Sugar which is then “stored in the freezer” (around the waist) and

Leftover Fat floats around in our blood in the form of Cholesterol and Triglycerides or collects on our Organs (high cholesterol/triglycerides or Fatty Liver)

Now if we are trying to deal with excess weight, high cholesterol, fatty liver etc simply by reversing things – putting “less food in the fridge than we need” will force the body to go back to all those “secret hiding places” and burn them up

Carbs/Protein and Fat all have important roles and even when dieting we should keep them balanced for optimal health
If you are eating to “lose weight and benefit your overall health” then forget the “crash diets” designed to make you look good on Spring Break

Simply eating “less” of everything you currently eat WILL result in weight loss

IF You have cut back and you still aren’t losing weight that means YOU are still eating too much

You are taking in more calories than YOU burn and you can’t compare yourself to Joe or Jane because their metabolic needs are different than yours

If you believe you are already “barely eating” chart 2 days worth of “everything that goes in your mouth” except water and count the calories, you may be surprised….

PS – below is a little (very incomplete) chart of what happens to the Carbs/Protein/Fat that we eat – what it’s used for and what happens to the “leftovers” – mostly just to get a bit of appreciation

Thanks for the encouragement👍🏾.