Body Fat Compostition and Calories Consumed? How do you calculate?
The hardest part I think for someone to figure out is "How many calories do I need to consume through the course of a day in order to lose 1-2 lbs/wk"?
We are each unique physically (metabolism) and there are probably hundreds if not thousands of factors that play a role in your ability to function and live! I think our metabolism plays a tremendous factor in determining your own nutritional requirements/needs. I would suggest getting some baseline laboratory testing done by your physician to rule out abnormal or out out of range findings. If you are having weight issues and you have tried everything, you may want to get your thyroid gland checked out. The thyroid, an endocrine gland, makes hormones to regulate physiological functions in your body. The most common diseases are an over-active or hyperthyroidism (e.g., Grave’s disease) and under-active or hypothyroidism. Many diseases and illnesses can be eliminated simply by the foods you ingest. You are what you eat most of the time. There are those few exceptions that just can not be explained! Just something to consider.
Well, I decided to go the Fitness Institute of Texas under the Department of Kinesiology and Health Educationat at the University of Texas at Austin. There is research study titled Comparing Cross Sectional Measures of Health and Physical Fitness and I requested the DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptionmetry), the calipers (series of 7 skinfolds) and the BIA (bioelectrical impedance; weak electrical current via holding an instrument) which assesses your body composition.
With DEXA, you lie on a padded table while a probe emitting energy measures the tissue density while passing over your body. It does involve a small amount of radiation (1/20th of normal X-ray). Pregnant females can not participate. It can separate the body into three components-fat mass, lean mass, and bone mass for your arms, legs, trunk and combination of all 3.
The cool thing is that at the bottom of the report it calculates your projected weight at 4 different % fat levels assuming only fat mass changes (assumes no muscle gain). It estimates how many calories/day you would need if you were sedentary, lightly active, mod active and very active. And it also calculates if you did not change activity and adjust through diet only for one-half and one lb/wk loss. These are not perfect calculations but are a great start!
For example, I did it in April 2005 and here were my stats and expenditure calculations to give you an idea of the interesting info gained…
Weight 108 lbs
DEXA weight: 108.5 lbs
Results (%Fat)
Arms: 3.9
Legs/Hips: 14.5
Trunk: 8.8
Total: 10.0
Results by Method (%Fat)
DEXA 10.0
Handheld BIA 13.1
Athlete BIA 14.5
Skinfolds 7.2
Results (lbs)
Fat mass = 11.4
Lean mass = 91.9
Bone mass = 5.2
Total = 108.5
Projected weight and BF% via DEXA:
107 lbs 9%
106 lbs 8%
105 lbs 7%
104 lbs 6%
My Expenditure with Moderate Activity:
Maintenance = 2000 cal/day
Lose 0.5/wk = 1760 cal/day
Lose 1 lb/wk = 1508 cal/day
This is why I choose to eat around 1300 cal/day spilt up in 5-6 meals equally and increasing cardio with moderate intensity for 30-45 min 3X/week to get 2-2.5 lbs/wk of weight loss.
It did cost $70 but worth every penny. It was very educational and interesting to know where and how much lean muscle I approximately have on my frame.
November 17, 2007 at 8:12 pm
I think I could get somethings simular at Kennesaw University in GA. I ripped my PEC so having to lay off training. Starting rehab in 5 weeks. So I thought I might do 1 about March then do 1 like 8 weeks later to check progress. I always like being in shape for the summer anyway.
Oh and my competition diet is like 2600 calories with 300 grams protein & 200 grams of carbs. 6 meals (once a week I’ll card up 800 - 1000 carbs) Just to keep the metabolism going. Not saying this is the best I came up with it & it works well for me. I can usually drop 15 - 20 lbs in like 8 weeks.
Hope all is well with you.
November 28, 2007 at 12:04 am
Thats verry intresting!thanks lady…
December 18, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Thanks for sharing….
December 18, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Impressive techonlogy and intersting facts
December 19, 2007 at 4:55 am
Heyyy Colleen,what you think of this formule to calculate my cal,?
weicht-x 13.8 X
lengt -x 5 X
age -x6.8=(…)-67= X
————
cal in rest!
Thank you verry much Colleen…..guy
January 17, 2008 at 4:56 am
weicht x 13.8
lengt x 5
age x 6.8
sum of 3=——–
-67=cal in rest
January 17, 2008 at 7:28 am
Hello dear ,
My name is barri Low a legal practitioner with Kelvin Low & Partners in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.
I found your contact/profile some where over the internet and it gave me the greatest joy,that you are the one I have been looking for.Whom I strongly believe could execute this transaction with me.And being more positive that with your capability,that this transaction of transferring US$18,000,000.00 will be successfully accomplished.
My purpose of contacting you is for you to help secure the funds left behind by my late client,to avoid it being confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Finance House.Where this fund valued (US$18,000,000.00) Eighteen Million United State Dollars deposited by my client before his death in November 2004.
You might be wondering why am I communicating with you;believe it or not,it is simply because you and my late client have the same surname.Through this is coincidental,I strongly believe,you could help me in the task which is the distribution of my late client’s funds.
And the said funds in the Finance House is considered "UNSERVICEABLE"after my client passed away as there were no indication of next of kin whatsoever that the Institution could consider as a beneficiary for the said funds.
Being my late client’s legal adviser,the Institution notified my office,that I need to produce and to contact the next of kin of my deceased client,to either "REACTIVATE" the account or to "MAKE CLAIMS" of the said funds which is carrying a monthly surcharge.
Now,my intention is purely to seek your consent to kindly present you as the legal next of kin/beneficiary to my late client’s funds.This would mean that the proceeds of the said funds would be released to you.After the release of the funds to you,we shall then share it mutual,which will be 70% to me and 30% to you.
My office would provide documents to back up your claim.The most important thing I need is your honest/sincere cooperation in this task.And I assure you that this transaction will be legally executed according to the dictates of the law,which will protect you from any infraction of the law.
However,if this business proposition offends your moral ethics,do accept my sincere apology.If on the contrary you wish to achieve this goal with me,kindly get back to me with your interest immediately for further details.
Best regards,
Mr.barri Low Esq.
January 17, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Hi Colleen,that’s a strange respont???? i get the same!!!!!…think mafia bussines!…so manny money!.that’s suspisius!…think you??….i chal say ,don’t get in whit this…take care of you……guy
January 23, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Now what does a business propositision have to do with calories consumed?
I would normally delete trash e-mails as the one from the charming Mr barri Low Esq. but I wanted to leave it posted so others can read it and learn.
Also, why post for all to see?
Not the most intelligent guy…
January 23, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Hey Guy!
I need a little more info about your calculation…what are the units for weight and length? And length of what? Or do you mean height?
I don’t know about this one Guy???
Are pulling this out your ^$$??!!
XOXOXOXOX
Colleen
February 20, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Straaaaaaaaaange postings here, LOL!
March 4, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Colleen, I just read this blog and I remember reading this about DEXA. As you already know I plan to attend school at UT in Austin to get a degree in Kinesiology/Exercise Physiology so I can further my own understanding. Thanks again for sharing this blog.