Under the assumption that weight loss is the common goal, let's lose one pound this week! I stumbled across a website called The Daily Plate that provides free food consumption and exercise tracking. I have always been very much in favor of the concept that (calories consumed for the day) - (calories burned for the day) = (calories/weight gained or lost for the day). Your challenge for this week is simply to track your consumption and exercise for this week (7 days). You can enter data for previous days as well.
When entering your calorie goal you should set your 'goal' field to "Lose 1 pound we week" (see pic). If losing one pound isn't your desired goal, feel free to make whatever choice is appropriate.
I have not used this before, but hopefully we will see very positive results and may continue to use this even after the family challenge is complete. There is also an option to login from your smart mobile phone. If your phone supports this, I would recommend using that for convenience. Also note: you do not need to see positive results, you only need to accurately track your food and fitness for the week. Also take extra time to set your "Activity Level" above appropriately. Good luck!
I like the challenge! :)
ReplyDeleteI had to jog in place tonight for 15 minutes to earn my dinner! =P Good to be aware though, otherwise I would have been over my limit.
ReplyDeleteHere's some interesting facts I found on the website Chris pointed us to. They're tips to help you raise your metabolic rate (ie. burn more calories/fat)...
Step 1
Drink more water. Researchers at the University of Utah studied the effects of water on metabolic rates. Study participants who drank between eight and 12 glasses of water a day had a higher metabolic rate than participants who drank four glasses. Drinking cold water burns calories as well, since your body has to heat the water up to your core temperature.
Step 2
Eat breakfast. By morning, your body has gone without food for a long time. Your metabolism slows down, protecting you from starvation. To raise it again, you need to consume some food.
Step 3
Eat more often. Rather than eating three large meals a day, eat six smaller meals. Skipping meals slows your metabolism and leads to the storage of fat. The longer you go between meals, the more your body's metabolism slows down.
Step 4
Exercise. Exercise burns calories and keeps your metabolism raised for an hour after you finish. It also builds muscle, which is metabolically active tissue. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, your metabolism will go up.
Step 5
Consume more protein. Protein helps in the muscle-growth process, and muscle burns calories. Choose lean meats and beans to get more protein without extra fat.
Step 6
Drink caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant. Introducing any kind of stimulant into your body increases your metabolic rate.