Hopefully you checked out the HealthyVancouver and CarrotLines blogs. We try to update those when we can and make them useful. This section is "in the works" but I'll be adding some key resources to make sense of a ton that you get when you Google any "heathy" related keyword. Please don't take those as professional advice, as I am someone who's passionate enough about the subject to share my experiences and learnings. I like to help those who like to catalyze a healthy lifestyle through *practical* small steps and building momentum (my favourite word!). Here are some of the common questions I get - for basic healthy lifestyle lingo.

How many calories do I need PER DAY?

Nutritionists etc. use an equation that takes into account your height, weight, gender, activity level (how active are you?) and weight goal (i.e. whether you want to gain or lose weight) to get an approximation of that. You can go through the details OR use this online calculator to compute it.

1. Calculate BMR = Basic Metabolic Rate (how many calories your body needs to function)

   For Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 × weight in kg) + (5 × height in cm) – (6.8 × age in years)
   For Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 × weight in kg) + (1.8 × height in cm) – (4.7 × age in years)
   The Harris-Benedict Equation

2. Calculate DCN = Daily Calories Needed to maintain your weight

Multiply by your activity factor to get the Daily Calories Needed (DCN):
Light: BMR × 1.3 ~ Moderate: BMR × 1.40 ~ Active: BMR × 1.50

3.1 lb = 3500 calories. So every day you need 500 LESS calories to lose ~1 lb per week

                 Number of calories = DCN - x*500 (x is amount of calories)

(It's a LOT of math I know...my software does it for you but it's not public yet! O and be aware of labels since the (%DV) is based on a 2,000 calorie diet - most of us - especially women - don't need that much)

REFERENCE
http://www.peertrainer.com/LoungeCommunityThread.aspx?ForumID=1&ThreadID=95479

What is BMI and what is it used for?

BMI = Body Mass Index calculated using your height and weight. Health professionals and nutritionists use it to figure out if you're in a healthy, overweight, etc. range. There has been some recent controversy regarding BMI since some people may fall into the "overweight" category while they just simply have more muscle, which ways more than fat. This is why body fat has been used as more accurate measure of one's body type recently. You should find one at your gym!

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Submit a question! We will dig the answer for you...