FRIDAY: It's Your Body, Baby!

Determining Your Calorie Burn

Today is the day! The suspense has been killing you, right? But I'm keeping my promise: Today we'll investigate exercise expenditure, the last piece of the total energy expenditure (TEE) formula, and put it into place to calculate your overall calorie needs and expenditures.
The third and final element you need to calculate your TEE is the number of calories you burn from exercise on an average day. The number of calories you burn during any exercise session depends on a few things, primarily your body weight.

Use this chart to help you determine the number of calories you burn from exercise on an average day according to your weight, the type of exercise you do, and its duration. Write the number down.

Now get the three numbers you've come up with over the past weeks. Simply multiply your BMR by your daily activity score, and then add your exercise expenditure. Whatever you get from this final calculation is your magic number.

Also, don't let the machine do the work for you. A great way NOT to figure out how many calories you burn during exercise is to go by the monitor on the treadmill, elliptical machine, or exercise bike. Exercise machines won't take your body's quirks into account and are generally inaccurate. If you want more than an estimate, use a heart rate monitor. It's the most effective way to calculate the calories you've burned during workouts. Once you've programmed it with your personal information, it will give you a much more accurate count of the calories you burn, as you burn them.

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
This Week's Challenge: Bust Your Rut

Today's suggested activity is capoeira. Part martial art, part dance, and part game, capoeira began evolving centuries ago among slaves in Brazil. It mixes fighting techniques and flowing body movements into one awesome workout that can improve your balance, stamina, and upper-body strength. Visit: www.jillianmichaels.com for more information.