Nutritional Needs

Question
I have gained 40 Lbs.  I am 5'2 and now weigh 180.  My best weight is 129.  I need to loose weight and I want to do like you say and give my body the exact nutrition that it needs. How do I find out exactly how many calories and what exactly my body needs to keep healthy.  I am 69.  My weight gain came after quitting smoking 3 years ago and loss of husband before that.  Thanks for your advice

Answer
Hi Nancy
There is a section on the usda.gov web site called my pyramid, where you can input your information and it will set you up with the proper calories needed for the day. As for knowing your specific BMR(Basal Metabolic Rate) which is the amount of calories your body burns a rest there is a test where you have your oxygen levels measured . This test is the best way to get the true number. You can contact your local YMCA and see if they have anyone on staff that administers the test. If the YMCA does not maybe your doctor may be able to set you up with a nutritionist that does the test. A nutritionist can also break this number down to determine how much of these calories should be used up by protein,fiber,fats,and carbohydrates.

Hopefully this information helps you.

Larry

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