25 October 2009

My Metabolism, the Kindle & Jillian

I now read a lot (more than I have since college), and my preferred mode of having multiple genres going for whatever my mood may be, yields many books laying around.

For my birthday this past May, my husband bought me a Kindle2 which I love! I travel and he wanted me to have all of my various types of reading in one 'book' to save my neck.

Because of this snazzy device, I bought Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels. Having just turned 40 and feeling at almost my fittest (with the single exception of Nebraska State Track meet in 1987), I also have found that running, weight training and calorie counting have had me at a semi-permanent weight and size. It's not a bad size but I know I can be fitter and absolutely detest the belly fat that has found it's leach-like "home" on me.

This book has changed the way I few my overall health as created by my eating, exercising, sleeping and overall care for myself. I have bought 5 copies for my friends in health and fitness.

Pair this with a recent work-sponsored breathalyzer (of sorts) to provide me with my resting metabolism. My resting metabolism is 1,920 calories; that means that if I do nothing but sit, I require this many calories to maintain. Here's the key that I only just learned this month: if I don't eat this many calories, and assume I work out for 30-45 minutes (which I do 5 days/week), my body is forced to utilize lean muscle mass and save the fat! That is, it does not view my input as sufficient to metabolize and support me but views it as starvation and save-mode. Of course if I want to lose weight, (which I do), there is a great formula (I will add mine later as an illustration) to support calories burned during exercise as well as those needed to maintain.

I am loving my 1,900 - 2,400 calorie days and am feeling more fit daily. "Making the Cut" is the next in my sequence in the 40 year old mission of my health.

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