Your BMR is the amount of calories you need for your body to function correctly. If you go below it you cause your body to go into survival mode storing fat rather than burning it, burning muscle rather than building it, and ultimately lowering your bodies ability to burn calories. Now, you might have some success losing weight this way at first, but eventually you will hit a wall and the damage you have done to your metabolism will be hard to correct.

Your total metabolism is your BMR plus the calories you burn exercising and preforming normal activities. That number is usually somewhere between 1000 and 1500 calories depending on how active you are, how hard and long you exercise. The best way to know your total metabolism is to were a heart rate monitor or a Body Bug.

Ok, here is how I recommend someone lose weight. First learn your BMR. If you need to know it click here and I will calculate it for you. From that, estimate your Total Metabolism according to your activity level and stay 500 calories below your total metabolism.

Let me give you an example….. My BMR is 1739 calories. Because I exercise pretty hard 5 to 6 days a week, my total metabolism is somewhere around 3000 calories. In order to lose 1 pound a week I need to eat around 2500 calories a day. See how that works? Now, lets take it one step further!

It would not be smart to attempt to eat all 2500 calories in one meal. You should spread your calories throughout the entire day, eating every 3 hours. Eat more when you are going to be active and less when you are sedentary. At the onset of the day you will eat more carbs with some protein, by noon you will eat a balanced meal with calories coming from equal amounts of carbs and proteins, then by the afternoon limit your carbs and consume most of your calories from protein. Here is an example of this…

As soon as I get up in the morning I hit the ground running! Therefore, I eat breakfast with the majority of my calories coming from carbohydrates and some protein. Because I am still active three hours later, I eat a snack (not a meal) with the majority of my calories coming from carbs and some protein. Now, three hours later, it is time for lunch and that is a  great time to have a balanced meal of both carbs and protein. Here comes the switch…My day is beginning to wind down in the afternoon (three hours later) so I do not need to consume as many carbs, therefore the majority of my calories are coming from protein and just a few from carbs. The last meal of the day (three hours later) is dinner and this meal will consist of protein and vegetables (these are my carbs). If I need a snack before bedtime it is simply a small amount of protein and no carbs.

And that’s how Weight Loss is done!!!! It takes Patience, Dedication, Consistency, Preparation, and Moderation to live this way. But that’s another topic for another day!

Grilled Flank Steak with Citrus Vinaigrette

1 to 2 lbs   Flank Steak

Citrus Vinaigrette, see recipes on Blog

Salt and Black Pepper

Place Flank Steak in a 1 gallon ziplock bag.  Cover with 2 cups Citrus Vinagrette.  Reserve ½ cup for use later.   Refridgerate 24 to 48 hours.

Remove steak from bag and season with salt and black pepper.  Grill over high heat.  Rotate ¼ turn on each side of steak while grilling to prevent burning and promote even carmelization.

When disired temperature is achieved, let meat rest for 5 minutes.  Using a sharp knife, slice against the grain into thin strips.  Drizzle remaining vinagrette over steak.

It depends on where you are in your weight loss journey. I have found that weighing more than once a week can be very frustrating if you are not getting the results you want. Often times, when someone starts a fitness plan that includes resistance training, it is possible for them to gain weight. This happens for several reasons; water retention, muscle gains, and in most cases, people start eating more food. This is ok!!!! Your body will adjust if you stick with it. You have to allow the process of building muscle and losing fat to take effect. This can take several weeks. In this case I suggest the client weigh once a month.

Now, if you are on the right track and losing weight but have not yet met your goal than I suggest you weigh once a week. This will allow you to monitor your progress and stay on track without getting frustrated with the every day weigh ins.

If you have reached your desired goal and are looking to simply maintain your weight, than it is perfectly fine to weigh everyday. Research has shown this to actually be a great way to keep the weight off.

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Citrus Vinaigrette

½ cup        Orange Juice Concentrate

3                Limes (Juiced)

1 clove       Garlic

2 tsp          Red Chili Flake

2 Tbsp       Sugar

1 tsp          Salt

1 tsp          Black Pepper

½ cup        Olive Oil

½ cup        Canola Oil

¼  tbsp      Chopped Cilantro

In a blender, add first 7 ingredients and blend for 10 seconds.  Begin drizzling in oils slowly.  Vinaigrette should thicken and coat the back of a spoon.  Taste and season if needed.  Transfer to a bowl and add chopped cilantro. Refrigerate.  Good for 7 days.

Red Pepper Vinaigrette

3               Roasted Red Bell Peppers

2 Tbsp      Honey

¼ cup       Red Wine Vinegar

Pinch        Cayenne

½ cup      Canola Oil

¼ tsp       Salt

Add first 4 ingredients to a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Slowly drizzle in oil.  Season with salt and stir.  Taste for seasoning. Refrigerate.  Good for 3 days.

Sherry Vinaigrette

¼ cup         Sherry Vinegar

1 clove       Garlic

1 Tbsp       Chopped Fresh Thyme

1 Tbsp        Brown Sugar

1 tsp          Salt

1 tsp          Black Pepper

¾ cup       Canola Oil

Add all ingredients, except oil, to a bowl and whisk together.  Slowly begin whisking oil into mixture.  Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate.  Good for 5 days.