Only Off by 21,000

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but as you know if you read my last entry, I had a four day weekend and I just didn't get around to it.

I've been trying to get healthier for a while now, and have been working out for the last few months but last week I decided to take a proactive approach to losing some weight by watching what I eat as well as exercising. I'm not really overweight, but I have more excess fat than I really want. I based everything I did on this article. It tells you that all the diets are trying to achieve the same goal. To help you use more calories than you take in. Basically, you have to take in 3500 less calories a week than you use if you want to lose a pound.

I used all the calculations to figure how many calories I use in a normal week and then set out to eat 3500 less than that last week. Based on my calculations I actually ate about 5000 less than my body used.

Last night was the end of week one, so I weighed in. (Just for the record I'm about 6' 2" and I weighed in at 203 to start last week.) I actually had to do it twice to be sure I wasn't misreading it. 197 pounds. How on earth did my "lose one pound a week" plan lose me 6? Obviously I was happy about it, but that doesn't even make sense. That means that I was off by 21,000 in the amount of calories that my body actually used last week. I can't believe that, and still think that there must be some other explanation.

I don't expect this trend to continue, but it's a good start. I'm hoping to get back to 185, and then reevaluate. Ultimately my goal is just to feel ok about not wearing a shirt when I mow. I'm tired of being the REALLY white guy at the pool.