Eating for weight loss

Q: I am exercising regulary, and I am not sure what or how much I should be eating to lose weight? How many calories, and what types of food can I eat?

A: Simply put, eat less calories than you burn per day.The more complex question, what IS that number? There is a fairly simple formula you can use to calculate how many calories a day you should eat to maintain your current weight. The secret is to eat aproximately 500 LESS calories than you need to lose weight.

Here is an excellent online calculator for BMI, BMR, and RMR
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

 BMI = Body Mass index
Keep in mind that BMI doesn't take into account differential weight for fat or muscle mass, it's possible you could have high percentage of muscle mass, a high BMI, but not be at increased risk for disease. Therefore, if you are an athlete, you may want to also use your body fat percentage measurement for a better idea of your fitness.
BMR = Base Metabolic Rate
RMR = Resting Metabolic Rate
As BMR and RMR only represent resting energy expenditure or calories burned during a day of rest, an adjustment must be made to reflect activity level. This can be done by multiplying by an activity factor.
These base numbers are then multiplied by an activity level ( ranging from sedentary to extremely active) to produce an estimate of  calories needed for maintenance of weight.

For example, if your BMR multiplied by your activity level (e.g. 1.5) is 1675 calories a/day, your target caloric intake should be around 1100 calories a/day for weight loss.
Good food choices include whole foods and grains, non-processed foods, and low fat options.
A great breakfast example is 4 egg whites, 1//2 cup steel cut oats and 2 tbs of salsa for flavor. Low calorie, low fat - high energy!!

For more information or assistance with a nutrition plan, contact me directly.

Ask a Trainer: What shoes are best for fitness classes?

Q: What are the best shoes for fitness classes?
A: I have had several people ask me about the proper footwear for fitness classes. My response - it depends.
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First lets cross off the ones you SHOULDN'T wear to class. Please don't wear Shape Ups, EasyTone or any shoe that is build specifically for toning while walking. Why? Because these types of shoes are build for forward (heel to toe) movement only. During fitness classes we move laterally (side to side) and  these types of shoes are not designed for this type of movement. The wrong placement of the foot can cause an unbalance in weight distribution, thus creating the potential for injury. (i.e., you will fall down, or twist your ankle)
So! What SHOULD you look for?
The following tips can give you a guideline to follow when shopping for fitness shoes.
 - Get fitted in the evening, when your feet are the largest. There should be 1/2 inch between the longest toe and the end of the shoe.
- Look for fitness shoes that are immediately comfortable, the should not have to be broken in.
- Replace shoes every 6 months (or sooner if you wear them often). NOTE: I replace mine every 3 months
- Untie shoes before taking them off, stepping on the backs ruins the heel counter.