_________________ A Note from Phil _________________
Dreaming is fun, isn’t it? I hope you took the time in the last chapter to reflect on the deep desires of your heart. It is such an important first step in your new adventure
of gaining better health and losing weight.
How did you feel when you read the title of this chapter? Perhaps you let out a big sigh or even groaned. Recognizing where you are today may not be a fun thing to
think about. But it is something that we all must come to terms with before we take action to better our health. Step 2 of the DREAM principle requires us to admit that
we are in a place we don’t want to be and to see exactly what that place looks like in order to take the next steps.
Being honest about my health was a challenge for me. My life was spent making excuses and promises I couldn’t keep. I had been severely overweight for a long
time, but I figured if I never acknowledged that, then maybe it wasn’t true. I lived much of my life avoiding the truth that was right in front of me—I was fat—and used
many strategies to help me do this.
I avoided doctors because I did not want to hear what they might say. I went only when something was seriously wrong or I had an illness I couldn’t shake. Knowing
I was going to see a doctor scared me to death. In the back of my mind I had thoughts like: Is he going to weigh me? I mean, I only have the flu. He shouldn’t ask
me about my weight, right?
I stayed away from mirrors so I didn’t have to face what I looked like. When I walked through our bedroom, I kept my eyes to the right to avoid the dresser mirror.
I did the same thing when I walked into our bathroom. The mirror was on the left, so I averted my eyes to the right. When I made it to the closet, there was always a
sigh of relief because there were no mirrors. I felt as if I had gone through a minefield to get to that safe place and I had, once again, survived. I did not realize the extent
of all of these secret rituals until after I lost the weight. Avoiding mirrors had become second nature.
Another way I ignored my obesity was complaining about clothing stores that didn’t carry enough larger sizes. Most of the chain stores didn’t offer XXX sizes. I
shopped at Walmart because they met my clothing needs, but I always left angry since I was charged two dollars more for the “Big and Tall” sizes. I felt insulted and
discriminated against. It’s funny how mad I was at the store when the real problem was me.
Reality Check
Some things weren’t so easy to ignore. I remember one day I was sweating profusely and felt weird. In hindsight, I was showing signs of prediabetes, but at the time I
had no idea what diabetes was. I was ignorant, and I now believe I was ignorant on purpose. I didn’t want to acknowledge or accept what was happening to my health.
Soon I began to wonder if something was seriously wrong with me. I suspected diabetes because I knew some people with similar medical problems who had the
disease. I wondered how long I had before I needed to take insulin.
I was checking on a rental property one morning when the sweating happened again. I knew I had no choice. I pulled into a drugstore and bought a diabetes testing
kit. I was so scared that I didn’t even tell Amy about it. Although I bought it, I was too afraid to use it. I didn’t want to face what it might say. So I hid the kit in the
drawer of my desk. Later Amy found it and asked me about it. I think it freaked her out a little. Why was I so afraid? Why did I deny the truth? Why did I not think
rationally about my physical problem? I am rational about so many things in my life, why not this?
I believe when it comes to our weight, we have a hard time being real. Do you feel the same way? When you come face-to-face with the number on the scale, what
thoughts run through your mind? Do you feel like a failure? Do you think others will judge you? Do you think you’ll be unable to get healthier? Do you think it makes
you a bad person? Do you think you’ll never be able to repair any damage?
Many folks who struggle with admitting where they are tend to hide from the truth. The reasons we do this are varied, but there is no denying that you need to
properly assess where you are today to be able to move forward. I know it can be a tough process, but there are some practical action items you simply must do. (I’ll
talk about these in more detail toward the end of this chapter.)
You need to look in a mirror. You need to weigh yourself and get your measurements taken. You need to get a physical. You need to know what your blood
pressure and blood sugar readings are. And you need to see these things in black and white so you have no choice but to admit where you are physically.
It might make you upset or sad, but I want to encourage you instead to get mad. Get mad at yourself for allowing things to go this far. Get mad at the unhealthy habits
that you have allowed to control your life. Get mad at how you have put others before your own well-being. Then use that anger to make you stronger. Use that anger
to inspire you. Use that anger to take action. You can face this giant. You have to face it. You and only you have the power to make a change in your life, but you’ve
got to start now. Recognize where you are.
My Time of Change
Part of the process for applying for The Biggest Loser is getting a physical. You have to be overweight enough to go on the show, yet healthy enough to get through
it. I was on the verge of many major health problems. I was desperate.
I didn’t sleep well the night before my physical. My stress level was at an all-time high. I didn’t want to know what the doctor had to say, though I think my
subconscious really did. Deep down, I wanted to change, and I am so glad I was forced to get a physical. I was also required to meet with a nutritionist, who helped me
identify my eating habits. As you can imagine, the results were not good.
While filming the first episode of the show, I met with Dr. Rob Huizenga, a weight-loss expert. We walked into a room, and on the wall was a projector screen. On
the screen I saw a picture of my liver. The doctor told me that I had a fatty liver. Now, I knew that I had fat all over my body, but I never thought about my liver being
fat too. Dr. H said that if I continued my indulgent lifestyle, my liver problem was going to get worse. Already my liver had deteriorated as if I had been an alcoholic all
my life. I never realized that the fast food I had been gobbling up could wreak the same havoc as liquor.
There was more. My blood pressure was also very high, there was fat in my blood, and my heart was starting to become enlarged. These were all wake-up calls that
told me I was going to have to change.
I remember holding Amy’s hand and thinking about my kids and how I was a poor role model for them. Here I was, obese and sick, teaching them by my example to
follow in my footsteps. They always said they wanted to be just like their dad, but their dad was looking pretty much like a failure. I broke down, and right then I vowed
that I would change. I had been worried that I might not see my kids graduate or get married. Being forced to come to terms with my health meant that I would.
I think about the first weigh-in on the show. It was an emotionally charged event, one that I can’t even describe. I, a man who avoided being shirtless in public at all
costs because of how embarrassing it was to expose my body, stood in front of millions of people wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. Although I felt humiliated
standing on that scale, it was worth it. I was exposed in every sense of the word. I couldn’t hide any longer. It wasn’t an option.
I remember looking at my wife and making the decision that saved my life. I told Amy I loved her, and then I asked her if she would let me focus on myself for a
while. I needed to change. I was tired of being fat. I needed to better my health for me. As much as I loved Amy, I could not make this change because of her or
because she wanted me to. I couldn’t even change for the kids, as much as I loved them. And I certainly wasn’t going to do this for any stranger or doctor. I had to do
this for me. It was time for me to realize that I was worth it.
When we do our live “Challenge” events, we offer weigh-in and blood pressure stations so people can face these facts. We give them an opportunity to see where
they are so they can start making their own changes.
Are you hiding from the facts? Are you turning a blind eye toward the truth—that your health is in bad shape—because the issue seems too overwhelming to
confront? Today is the day to start looking in the mirror. Start seeing where you really are. Stop lying to yourself and acknowledge the truth. Know that you can change
for the better.
We have work to do. Your life will not change until you make the decision to change it. The problem is not whether you have the power to change it, but whether you
have made a decision to change it. Today, right now, make a commitment to yourself that you will be honest with yourself throughout The 90-Day Fitness Challenge.
No more hiding. No more denying. No more ignoring. No more avoiding.
This is especially important right now. I’m going to give you a launching pad that you need to establish before you jump into the challenge. Are you ready to get
started?
Things You Can Do Now to Recognize Where You Are
Space is available at the end of this chapter for you to chart your starting points (your initial weight, blood pressure reading, and so on). As you go through the
following checklist, you might want to write down the numbers in the margin. Then when you’re done, you can transfer them all to the spaces provided.
See a doctor. Schedule an appointment with your primary physician to get a physical. Your doctor will help you determine what, if any, medical problems you have as
result of the extra weight and can help monitor your progress. I highly recommend having your doctor involved in recognizing the condition of your body in this initial
part of the challenge. Make sure your doctor gives you a full physical and blood work. This is how he or she will gauge where you are. After ninety days, you won’t
believe the changes.
Get weighed. You can do this at your doctor’s office during your physical. Find out what you weigh and how many pounds you have to lose to reach a realistic and
healthy weight. Your goal should not be to “get skinny,” but to maintain a weight that is healthy for your body. Also, as you continue to weigh yourself throughout the
journey, do so at the same time, preferably in the morning. Our weight fluctuates throughout the day depending on our water and food intake. I always weigh myself
right after I wake up.
Get your blood pressure reading. Your weight and your blood pressure are connected. The more pounds on your frame, the higher your blood pressure will be.
That’s a fact. Having high blood pressure, called hypertension, can result in all sorts of physical problems, such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and renal failure.
This is serious business. Make sure your doctor checks this during your physical. Also, many pharmacies offer self-service blood pressure stations in their store.
Anytime you want to find out what your blood pressure is, just walk into one of those places and find out.
Take your measurements. This is one of the best ways to measure your weight-loss progress. We all store and lose fat in different places in our body. Measuring
yourself will give you a better idea of where you’re losing fat. While the scale will tell you the amount of pounds lost, measuring your body will track where you’ve lost
inches. There are a couple of ways you can do this. You can have your doctor measure you or, if you are a member of a gym, you can have a trainer measure you. You
can even do this yourself with a tape measure. I highly recommend you get your measurements taken by a professional. However, if you opt to do this on your own,
grab a cloth tape measure, a pencil, and follow these instructions.
• Get naked. This is the most accurate way of taking your measurements.
• Shoulders. Measure from one shoulder across in a straight line to the next, from largest point to largest point.
• Chest. Measure around the nipple line.
• Waist. Measure the narrowest part of your trunk, or approximately an inch or two above your belly button. Don’t cheat and suck in your stomach!
• Hips. Put your heels together and measure the hips around the fullest part of your buttocks.
• Thighs. Measure the upper thighs, just below where your bottom meets the back of your thigh.
Find out your body mass index (BMI). BMI is based on a person’s weight and height and is used to estimate a healthy body weight and to screen for weight
categories that may lead to health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a healthy BMI range is between 18.5 and 24.9. To figure out your BMI, use
this formula:
If you don’t care to do the math, no worries. A number of online BMI calculators can do this for you (see the one provided by the Department of Health and Human
Find out your body fat percentage. This is the total weight of a person’s fat divided by how much they weigh. This number includes both essential fat and storage fat.
Essential fat is what is necessary to maintain life and reproductive functions. Because women have different levels of hormones than men and have the ability to bear
children, their essential body fat percentage is higher than that for men. On average, men should keep about 2-5 percent of essential fat, women 10-13 percent. Storage
fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, the parts that protect our internal organs.
Under the skin is a layer of subcutaneous fat. The percentage of total body fat is measured by taking a skinfold at different points in your body and measuring it with a
pair of calipers. Once again, I suggest talking to your doctor or a trainer at the gym to help you do this.
Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR determines the number of calories you burn a day just by doing nothing. Even if you lie in bed all day, your
body expends energy. The number decreases as you get older and your metabolism slows down, and it increases if you have more muscle mass and are active. This
number is calculated by using your height, weight, age, and daily activity level. To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories (by eating less) or burn more (through
exercise) than your BMR. Here is how you can calculate your BMR using a simple formula. If you don’t want to do the math, just research “BMR calculators” online
and use those tools to calculate it for you.
Step 1: Figure out your base formula
• Women: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds)-(4.7 x height in inches)-(4.7 x age in years)
• Men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches)-(6.8 x age in years)
Step 2: Calculate your activity level
• If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent
• If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent
• If you are moderately active (you exercise most days a week): BMR x 40 percent
• If you are very active (you exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods): BMR x 50 percent
• If you are extra active (you do hard labor or are in athletic training): BMR x 60 percent
Step 3: Add the activity level number to your BMR.
Again, to lose weight you’ll need to take in fewer calories than this result.
Take a picture of yourself. This will be your official “before” picture. You will be amazed and encouraged to see how much your body has changed in ninety days.
Wear a bathing suit in this photo and have a family member or friend take the picture for you. Make sure you get the front, back, and both sides. You can tape this to
your refrigerator or put it in a more private place, such as the drawer of your desk. Just keep it where you can see it and let it motivate you on this challenge toward
better health.
There are more things to do as it concerns eating and working out, and we’ll cover those in the next two chapters. You’ll be keeping a food journal of what you eat
so you can see how many calories you regularly ingest, where some of your bad habits lie, and what your emotional triggers are. We’ll also have you clean out your
pantry of food that’s bad for you, such as processed and artificial foods.
Before you learn about how to eat healthy and maintain those habits, let’s talk about preliminary goal setting. In the section below, you need to write down the
numbers we just talked about and, underneath that part, write in your goals based on your starting figures.
Be realistic. If your doctor tells you you need to lose thirty pounds, don’t write in a weight-loss goal of fifty pounds. Make your goal healthy, realistic, and
manageable. Your doctor or trainer can help you determine where you want to be.
No matter how bad you feel about where you are, it can get better. Your numbers can change. Your weight can decrease. Medical problems you may have can
disappear.
Here are some of our numbers when we started and what they were at the end of the show (for me, it was a seven-month period).
Phil’s Before Stats: Phil’s After Stats:
Age: 41 Age: 41
Weight: 326 lbs Weight: 180 lbs
Body fat: 46% Body fat: 17%
BMI: 48.7 BMI: 26.9
Amy’s Before Stats: Amy’s After Stats:
Age: 40 Age: 40
Weight: 223 lbs Weight: 124 lbs
Body fat: 54% Body fat: 26%
BMI: 38.6 BMI: 21.5
I am so thankful that we have these records. When you get to the final page in this book and accomplish your goal of finishing the “90-Day Fitness Challenge,” you
will have the opportunity to write in your current stats. You’re not going to believe the changes you made in your health and body.
Be encouraged. Be hopeful. Have faith. You can get where you want to be!
My Starting Point:
Today I weigh ________pounds.
Today my blood pressure is _____/_____.
Today my BMI is __________.
Today I measure
_____shoulders
_____chest
_____waist
_____hips
_____thighs
Today my BMR is___________.
My Goals:
By____________(date), I want to be________pounds.
By____________(date), I want my blood pressure to read_____/_____.
By____________(date), I want my BMI to be__________.
By____________(date), I want my measurements to be:
_____shoulders
_____chest
_____waist
_____hips
_____thighs
At the end of this “Challenge,” I want you to turn to appendix A to see how you did. There you can write in your old stats and the new stats and compare the
difference. You will be amazed at your results.
We’ve got a lot of learning to do when it comes to what you put in your mouth. In the next chapter, you’ll to learn how to eat, what to eat, when to eat, and the best
and worst foods for you. Don’t worry. Eating healthy is not boring or tasteless. We’re going to make this as delicious for you as we can.
Dreaming is fun, isn’t it? I hope you took the time in the last chapter to reflect on the deep desires of your heart. It is such an important first step in your new adventure
of gaining better health and losing weight.
How did you feel when you read the title of this chapter? Perhaps you let out a big sigh or even groaned. Recognizing where you are today may not be a fun thing to
think about. But it is something that we all must come to terms with before we take action to better our health. Step 2 of the DREAM principle requires us to admit that
we are in a place we don’t want to be and to see exactly what that place looks like in order to take the next steps.
Being honest about my health was a challenge for me. My life was spent making excuses and promises I couldn’t keep. I had been severely overweight for a long
time, but I figured if I never acknowledged that, then maybe it wasn’t true. I lived much of my life avoiding the truth that was right in front of me—I was fat—and used
many strategies to help me do this.
I avoided doctors because I did not want to hear what they might say. I went only when something was seriously wrong or I had an illness I couldn’t shake. Knowing
I was going to see a doctor scared me to death. In the back of my mind I had thoughts like: Is he going to weigh me? I mean, I only have the flu. He shouldn’t ask
me about my weight, right?
I stayed away from mirrors so I didn’t have to face what I looked like. When I walked through our bedroom, I kept my eyes to the right to avoid the dresser mirror.
I did the same thing when I walked into our bathroom. The mirror was on the left, so I averted my eyes to the right. When I made it to the closet, there was always a
sigh of relief because there were no mirrors. I felt as if I had gone through a minefield to get to that safe place and I had, once again, survived. I did not realize the extent
of all of these secret rituals until after I lost the weight. Avoiding mirrors had become second nature.
Another way I ignored my obesity was complaining about clothing stores that didn’t carry enough larger sizes. Most of the chain stores didn’t offer XXX sizes. I
shopped at Walmart because they met my clothing needs, but I always left angry since I was charged two dollars more for the “Big and Tall” sizes. I felt insulted and
discriminated against. It’s funny how mad I was at the store when the real problem was me.
Reality Check
Some things weren’t so easy to ignore. I remember one day I was sweating profusely and felt weird. In hindsight, I was showing signs of prediabetes, but at the time I
had no idea what diabetes was. I was ignorant, and I now believe I was ignorant on purpose. I didn’t want to acknowledge or accept what was happening to my health.
Soon I began to wonder if something was seriously wrong with me. I suspected diabetes because I knew some people with similar medical problems who had the
disease. I wondered how long I had before I needed to take insulin.
I was checking on a rental property one morning when the sweating happened again. I knew I had no choice. I pulled into a drugstore and bought a diabetes testing
kit. I was so scared that I didn’t even tell Amy about it. Although I bought it, I was too afraid to use it. I didn’t want to face what it might say. So I hid the kit in the
drawer of my desk. Later Amy found it and asked me about it. I think it freaked her out a little. Why was I so afraid? Why did I deny the truth? Why did I not think
rationally about my physical problem? I am rational about so many things in my life, why not this?
I believe when it comes to our weight, we have a hard time being real. Do you feel the same way? When you come face-to-face with the number on the scale, what
thoughts run through your mind? Do you feel like a failure? Do you think others will judge you? Do you think you’ll be unable to get healthier? Do you think it makes
you a bad person? Do you think you’ll never be able to repair any damage?
Many folks who struggle with admitting where they are tend to hide from the truth. The reasons we do this are varied, but there is no denying that you need to
properly assess where you are today to be able to move forward. I know it can be a tough process, but there are some practical action items you simply must do. (I’ll
talk about these in more detail toward the end of this chapter.)
You need to look in a mirror. You need to weigh yourself and get your measurements taken. You need to get a physical. You need to know what your blood
pressure and blood sugar readings are. And you need to see these things in black and white so you have no choice but to admit where you are physically.
It might make you upset or sad, but I want to encourage you instead to get mad. Get mad at yourself for allowing things to go this far. Get mad at the unhealthy habits
that you have allowed to control your life. Get mad at how you have put others before your own well-being. Then use that anger to make you stronger. Use that anger
to inspire you. Use that anger to take action. You can face this giant. You have to face it. You and only you have the power to make a change in your life, but you’ve
got to start now. Recognize where you are.
My Time of Change
Part of the process for applying for The Biggest Loser is getting a physical. You have to be overweight enough to go on the show, yet healthy enough to get through
it. I was on the verge of many major health problems. I was desperate.
I didn’t sleep well the night before my physical. My stress level was at an all-time high. I didn’t want to know what the doctor had to say, though I think my
subconscious really did. Deep down, I wanted to change, and I am so glad I was forced to get a physical. I was also required to meet with a nutritionist, who helped me
identify my eating habits. As you can imagine, the results were not good.
While filming the first episode of the show, I met with Dr. Rob Huizenga, a weight-loss expert. We walked into a room, and on the wall was a projector screen. On
the screen I saw a picture of my liver. The doctor told me that I had a fatty liver. Now, I knew that I had fat all over my body, but I never thought about my liver being
fat too. Dr. H said that if I continued my indulgent lifestyle, my liver problem was going to get worse. Already my liver had deteriorated as if I had been an alcoholic all
my life. I never realized that the fast food I had been gobbling up could wreak the same havoc as liquor.
There was more. My blood pressure was also very high, there was fat in my blood, and my heart was starting to become enlarged. These were all wake-up calls that
told me I was going to have to change.
I remember holding Amy’s hand and thinking about my kids and how I was a poor role model for them. Here I was, obese and sick, teaching them by my example to
follow in my footsteps. They always said they wanted to be just like their dad, but their dad was looking pretty much like a failure. I broke down, and right then I vowed
that I would change. I had been worried that I might not see my kids graduate or get married. Being forced to come to terms with my health meant that I would.
I think about the first weigh-in on the show. It was an emotionally charged event, one that I can’t even describe. I, a man who avoided being shirtless in public at all
costs because of how embarrassing it was to expose my body, stood in front of millions of people wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. Although I felt humiliated
standing on that scale, it was worth it. I was exposed in every sense of the word. I couldn’t hide any longer. It wasn’t an option.
I remember looking at my wife and making the decision that saved my life. I told Amy I loved her, and then I asked her if she would let me focus on myself for a
while. I needed to change. I was tired of being fat. I needed to better my health for me. As much as I loved Amy, I could not make this change because of her or
because she wanted me to. I couldn’t even change for the kids, as much as I loved them. And I certainly wasn’t going to do this for any stranger or doctor. I had to do
this for me. It was time for me to realize that I was worth it.
When we do our live “Challenge” events, we offer weigh-in and blood pressure stations so people can face these facts. We give them an opportunity to see where
they are so they can start making their own changes.
Are you hiding from the facts? Are you turning a blind eye toward the truth—that your health is in bad shape—because the issue seems too overwhelming to
confront? Today is the day to start looking in the mirror. Start seeing where you really are. Stop lying to yourself and acknowledge the truth. Know that you can change
for the better.
We have work to do. Your life will not change until you make the decision to change it. The problem is not whether you have the power to change it, but whether you
have made a decision to change it. Today, right now, make a commitment to yourself that you will be honest with yourself throughout The 90-Day Fitness Challenge.
No more hiding. No more denying. No more ignoring. No more avoiding.
This is especially important right now. I’m going to give you a launching pad that you need to establish before you jump into the challenge. Are you ready to get
started?
Things You Can Do Now to Recognize Where You Are
Space is available at the end of this chapter for you to chart your starting points (your initial weight, blood pressure reading, and so on). As you go through the
following checklist, you might want to write down the numbers in the margin. Then when you’re done, you can transfer them all to the spaces provided.
See a doctor. Schedule an appointment with your primary physician to get a physical. Your doctor will help you determine what, if any, medical problems you have as
result of the extra weight and can help monitor your progress. I highly recommend having your doctor involved in recognizing the condition of your body in this initial
part of the challenge. Make sure your doctor gives you a full physical and blood work. This is how he or she will gauge where you are. After ninety days, you won’t
believe the changes.
Get weighed. You can do this at your doctor’s office during your physical. Find out what you weigh and how many pounds you have to lose to reach a realistic and
healthy weight. Your goal should not be to “get skinny,” but to maintain a weight that is healthy for your body. Also, as you continue to weigh yourself throughout the
journey, do so at the same time, preferably in the morning. Our weight fluctuates throughout the day depending on our water and food intake. I always weigh myself
right after I wake up.
Get your blood pressure reading. Your weight and your blood pressure are connected. The more pounds on your frame, the higher your blood pressure will be.
That’s a fact. Having high blood pressure, called hypertension, can result in all sorts of physical problems, such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and renal failure.
This is serious business. Make sure your doctor checks this during your physical. Also, many pharmacies offer self-service blood pressure stations in their store.
Anytime you want to find out what your blood pressure is, just walk into one of those places and find out.
Take your measurements. This is one of the best ways to measure your weight-loss progress. We all store and lose fat in different places in our body. Measuring
yourself will give you a better idea of where you’re losing fat. While the scale will tell you the amount of pounds lost, measuring your body will track where you’ve lost
inches. There are a couple of ways you can do this. You can have your doctor measure you or, if you are a member of a gym, you can have a trainer measure you. You
can even do this yourself with a tape measure. I highly recommend you get your measurements taken by a professional. However, if you opt to do this on your own,
grab a cloth tape measure, a pencil, and follow these instructions.
• Get naked. This is the most accurate way of taking your measurements.
• Shoulders. Measure from one shoulder across in a straight line to the next, from largest point to largest point.
• Chest. Measure around the nipple line.
• Waist. Measure the narrowest part of your trunk, or approximately an inch or two above your belly button. Don’t cheat and suck in your stomach!
• Hips. Put your heels together and measure the hips around the fullest part of your buttocks.
• Thighs. Measure the upper thighs, just below where your bottom meets the back of your thigh.
Find out your body mass index (BMI). BMI is based on a person’s weight and height and is used to estimate a healthy body weight and to screen for weight
categories that may lead to health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a healthy BMI range is between 18.5 and 24.9. To figure out your BMI, use
this formula:
If you don’t care to do the math, no worries. A number of online BMI calculators can do this for you (see the one provided by the Department of Health and Human
Find out your body fat percentage. This is the total weight of a person’s fat divided by how much they weigh. This number includes both essential fat and storage fat.
Essential fat is what is necessary to maintain life and reproductive functions. Because women have different levels of hormones than men and have the ability to bear
children, their essential body fat percentage is higher than that for men. On average, men should keep about 2-5 percent of essential fat, women 10-13 percent. Storage
fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, the parts that protect our internal organs.
Under the skin is a layer of subcutaneous fat. The percentage of total body fat is measured by taking a skinfold at different points in your body and measuring it with a
pair of calipers. Once again, I suggest talking to your doctor or a trainer at the gym to help you do this.
Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR determines the number of calories you burn a day just by doing nothing. Even if you lie in bed all day, your
body expends energy. The number decreases as you get older and your metabolism slows down, and it increases if you have more muscle mass and are active. This
number is calculated by using your height, weight, age, and daily activity level. To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories (by eating less) or burn more (through
exercise) than your BMR. Here is how you can calculate your BMR using a simple formula. If you don’t want to do the math, just research “BMR calculators” online
and use those tools to calculate it for you.
Step 1: Figure out your base formula
• Women: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds)-(4.7 x height in inches)-(4.7 x age in years)
• Men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches)-(6.8 x age in years)
Step 2: Calculate your activity level
• If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent
• If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent
• If you are moderately active (you exercise most days a week): BMR x 40 percent
• If you are very active (you exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods): BMR x 50 percent
• If you are extra active (you do hard labor or are in athletic training): BMR x 60 percent
Step 3: Add the activity level number to your BMR.
Again, to lose weight you’ll need to take in fewer calories than this result.
Take a picture of yourself. This will be your official “before” picture. You will be amazed and encouraged to see how much your body has changed in ninety days.
Wear a bathing suit in this photo and have a family member or friend take the picture for you. Make sure you get the front, back, and both sides. You can tape this to
your refrigerator or put it in a more private place, such as the drawer of your desk. Just keep it where you can see it and let it motivate you on this challenge toward
better health.
There are more things to do as it concerns eating and working out, and we’ll cover those in the next two chapters. You’ll be keeping a food journal of what you eat
so you can see how many calories you regularly ingest, where some of your bad habits lie, and what your emotional triggers are. We’ll also have you clean out your
pantry of food that’s bad for you, such as processed and artificial foods.
Before you learn about how to eat healthy and maintain those habits, let’s talk about preliminary goal setting. In the section below, you need to write down the
numbers we just talked about and, underneath that part, write in your goals based on your starting figures.
Be realistic. If your doctor tells you you need to lose thirty pounds, don’t write in a weight-loss goal of fifty pounds. Make your goal healthy, realistic, and
manageable. Your doctor or trainer can help you determine where you want to be.
No matter how bad you feel about where you are, it can get better. Your numbers can change. Your weight can decrease. Medical problems you may have can
disappear.
Here are some of our numbers when we started and what they were at the end of the show (for me, it was a seven-month period).
Phil’s Before Stats: Phil’s After Stats:
Age: 41 Age: 41
Weight: 326 lbs Weight: 180 lbs
Body fat: 46% Body fat: 17%
BMI: 48.7 BMI: 26.9
Amy’s Before Stats: Amy’s After Stats:
Age: 40 Age: 40
Weight: 223 lbs Weight: 124 lbs
Body fat: 54% Body fat: 26%
BMI: 38.6 BMI: 21.5
I am so thankful that we have these records. When you get to the final page in this book and accomplish your goal of finishing the “90-Day Fitness Challenge,” you
will have the opportunity to write in your current stats. You’re not going to believe the changes you made in your health and body.
Be encouraged. Be hopeful. Have faith. You can get where you want to be!
My Starting Point:
Today I weigh ________pounds.
Today my blood pressure is _____/_____.
Today my BMI is __________.
Today I measure
_____shoulders
_____chest
_____waist
_____hips
_____thighs
Today my BMR is___________.
My Goals:
By____________(date), I want to be________pounds.
By____________(date), I want my blood pressure to read_____/_____.
By____________(date), I want my BMI to be__________.
By____________(date), I want my measurements to be:
_____shoulders
_____chest
_____waist
_____hips
_____thighs
At the end of this “Challenge,” I want you to turn to appendix A to see how you did. There you can write in your old stats and the new stats and compare the
difference. You will be amazed at your results.
We’ve got a lot of learning to do when it comes to what you put in your mouth. In the next chapter, you’ll to learn how to eat, what to eat, when to eat, and the best
and worst foods for you. Don’t worry. Eating healthy is not boring or tasteless. We’re going to make this as delicious for you as we can.
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