Terminal Uniqueness

In the last few years I've started paying more attention to my body and it's needs. This has probably been the best tool for best health that I've run across. Everyone is different - you read that all the time. But there are many "recommendations" that seem to lump people into categories by age and weight - fine - but you still have to listen up to fine tune for your uniqueness.

I'm a sleeper. I LOVE to sleep. I could seriously sleep 10 hours every single night. I could go to bed around 10pm and sleep until 8am, no problem. My husband, on the other hand, nearly shudders at the thought of languishing under the covers for that amount of eternity. Hubs is good on 6 or so hours, I need 7-8.

I need food. Now, if you use a basic weight loss equation - you need 10 calories per pound of body weight for maintaining your weight. For me - that's 175 x 10 = 1750. To loose one pound per week you need to have a calorie deficit of 3500 (or 500 per day). So 1750 - 500 = 1250.

No WAY. 1250 calories per day would KILL me faster than the weight would come off! Of course, you have to take exercise (running 12-15mi/wk) and lifestyle (daycare provider) into account...but still. I don't think 1250 would work for me even if I sat on my butt all day!

*btw - I don't mind telling you how much I weigh...add 50 to that figure and you get what I weighed last summer!* BIG SMILE!!

So what I am saying, is that while reasonable recommendations are a good foundation for your healthy lifestyle, they are just that. You can't follow a lifestyle plan and become somber, grouchy and constantly ravenous...it won't work and you WON'T loose weight. Stress causes the body to hang on to the fat.

Listen to your body. Take things slow. Use the RDI suggestions on diet websites as a guide. Take your time and don't change things up to fast. If you are feeling sluggish and grumpy, start with the simple things. More sleep, more water, and a little more to eat each day (maybe 150cal/day). Whatever you do - don't throw your hands up and give up because you have/are ......fill in condition here...... and are unique.

Everyone is.