Im fat and want to lose weight does my provincial health care system or employer care that Im trying to get healthy

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When I started Dr. Bernstein, I knew the cost of the program. If youve read my other posts, I have no problem rationalizing why I support paying the $150 per week for the program (since I was paying the same amount per week ingesting fatty foods and imbibing in sugar-laden booze and pop.)

When you register, the clinic tells you that your private employer health insurance, or your province, might cover your costs.

All excited, I checked with my plan. Unfortunately, in 2006, my health plan decided cancel covering supplementary injections, though it had provided for it previously.

Shoot - three years too late...

This poses a theoretical debate in my mind.

As we Canadians and Americans expand our girth exponentially every year, and head to our graves in highest numbers due to heart disease (caused in large part by our horrid diets) we are implored by health officials, government promotional campaigns, education systems and a multi-billion dollar consumer industry, to lead lives of good health and practice prevention.

Eat our balanced meals from the Canadian Food Guide they say - the good balance of foods. Just dont look too intently at the rest of the contents such as MSG, preservatives, sugar, sodium and fat levels...

Here I am, for the benefit of my health, investing a sizeable sum in active weight loss and future health prevention activities and education.

Doesnt my provincial government and employer care?

Will I be able to deduct my expenditures in my annual tax return as a medical expense? I dont know yet, but Ill certainly be including it for my accountant to scrutinize.

Can I be reimbursed from my employers health plan? No - not anymore. Not for a plan that over the course of my 12 years with the same employer, and all the premiums I have paid, would have easily paid for the total cost of the program a few times over.

And would I support our public health care plan to cover these costs? Youre darn right I would. To support mine, my neighbours, my familys and my colleagues efforts to get healthier and lead more productive lives.

You cant tell me that by investing in weight loss programs and medically supervised supplements, that the productivity of our provincial and Canadian workforce isnt a good investment!

I guess for employers they dont care that I may have missed work and taken sick leave or extended medical leave for, upon reflection, what were certainly weight-induced illnesses such as:

• back pain
• gastrointestinal flare-ups
• totally lethargic and lack of energy
• a leave of absence for 3 months due to depression

Dr. Bernstein, a Canadian physician, supports government monitoring of weight loss programs - even his own.

Like him, I agree that like provincial and territorial governments in Canada should focus less on the debate to scrutinize programs, but support the public who are taking an active step forward in reaching health targets that are advocated in public policy, espoused in public outreach campaigns, and envisioned in long-term strategic health objectives.

For those of us taking an active step to improve our current and future health, and paying the hefty provincial and private premiums for the health insurance and medical plans, I expect this to be covered!

I was incensed to learn that I could receive a variety of other medical services and prosthetics that, in all likelihood, I will never need to access. However, for a service that has obvious immediate and long-term benefits, I cannot get any relief.

Now heres an issue that Ill be taking up with my union.

Better yet - heres the basis for a good public policy and program. I could easily draft up a logic model, policy framework, grant and contribution program guideline and results-based accountability framework on this one....

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How Many Calories Do I Burn A Day Insights into 3 Week Diet System

The Often Asked Question "How Many Calories Do I Burn A Day?" Is Finally Answered!

There are two primary numbers that determine whether you will succeed at losing weight; calories consumed and calories burned. Calories consumed can be monitored through food labels and a lot of diligence (counting calories is hard work!). However, it can be extremely difficult to correctly estimate how many calories we burn off per day...and without knowing that, we wont know how many calories we should be trying to consume in order to lose weight! This post will answer the question "How many calories do I burn a day?" as well as provide some valuable weight loss tips such as 3 week diet system that will get you pointed in the right direction to achieve the body youve always wanted!

But, before we get started, I just wanted to let you know...

The key to any successful weight loss program is not only KNOWING how many calories you burn but to TURBOCHARGE YOUR METABOLISM so that you burn way more calories than you ever did before! Most diets actually cause you to burn fewer calories because your metabolism slows down in response to the dieting techniques. Warp Speed Fat Loss is the exception to the rule. This rapid fat loss program is an A-Z guide to melting off pounds by putting your metabolism into high gear.

How many calories do I burn a day?

Calculating half of the weight loss equation

Most people know that in order to lose weight, they need to burn more calories than they consume. Consequently, one of the most common questions I hear from people wanting to achieve their weight loss goals is "How many calories to I burn a day?" This a logical question, because in order to know how many calories they can consume, they need to know how many theyre burning off. Unfortunately, this is not the easiest thing to calculate because there is such a wide difference between individuals in terms of metabolism. Factors that contribute to these differences are gender, age, weight, activity level, body type, etc.

Although it is difficult to pin it down to an exact figure, we can definitely provide an estimate that will be quite accurate in most cases.

To Answer Your Question...

...we need to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

So how many calories DO I burn a day?

The first thing we need to know is an estimate of an individuals basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the number of calories a person will burn per day when at rest. The most widely accepted formula for calculating BMR is the Harris-Benedict Equation.

Calculating BMR using the Harris-Benedict Equation:

For Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

For Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

The Harris-Benedict formula may seem complicated, but its the best way to get an accurate estimate of BMR without having advanced electronic devices to measure metabolic rate. If a person is extremely muscular, their BMR will be higher than indicated by the equation. By the same token, if a person is very obese, their BMR will actually be lower than the equation suggests.

OK, but how many calories do I burn a day INCLUDING physical activity?

Excellent question...youre good!

Almost everyone who isnt in a coma burns significantly more calories than their BMR. To find out how many calories we actually burn per day (on average) will take some honesty in assessing our physical activity level. Were going to define what we call an activity factor. This will be a number that we multiply by our BMR to get an accurate estimate of the total calories that we burn in a day.

Activity Factors for various activity levels:

Sedentary

Little or no physical activity = 1.2

Mildly Active

Light exercise 1-3 days per week = 1.375

Moderately Active

Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week = 1.55

Very Active

Moderate-to-hard exercise 6-7 days per week = 1.725

Extremely Active

Hard exercise 6-7 days per week = 1.9

So by this method, how many calories do I burn a day if Im a 31 year old woman whos 56", 150 pounds and moderately active?

This example will pull it all together...

Heres how the calculation works:

BMR = 655 + (4.35 x 150) + (4.7 x 67) - (4.7 x 31)

BMR = 655 + 652.5 + 314.9 - 145.7 = 1476.7 calories per day burned at rest

Since youre moderately active, we use a factor of 1.55:

Total Calories Per Day = 1.55 x 1476.7 = 2289 total calories burned per day

Now that you know the answer to the question "How many calories do I burn a day?", youre well on your way to achieving the weight loss goals you desire.

What about specific exercises or activities?

How many calories do I burn a day if I...?

Many people want to be more specific regarding how many calories they burn performing various exercises for a given amount of time. This makes sense, because many of us are busy adults and want to get the most out of our workouts. The best resource I can refer you to is a free Activity Calorie Calculator provided by The Fitness Jumpsite. Simply enter your weight and duration of the activity and it will return the number of calories burned by 222 different activites. This calculator is very comprehensive. It doesnt include just exercises, but work, hobbies, and other forms of activity as well.

So how do I make sure Im burning more calories than Im consuming?

Simple! You need a 3 Week Diet System

Rarely does anyone lose a significant amount of weight without following a good weight loss plan. The 3 Week Diet System includes both diet and exercise. Weve covered how to estimate how many calories are burned in a day based on your weight and activity level. Exercise is an extremely important part of weight loss because it burns calories, increases metabolism, builds muscle, and improves overall fitness. Despite this fact, a good portion of your weight loss success will depend on your 3 Week diet. This includes what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat it.

What really separates those who succeed at weight loss and those who fail is how well they understand the impact of the foods they eat and the exercises they perform on their weight. Its not as simple as "a calorie is a calorie" when you consider the effect that different foods and different workouts have on the body in terms of metabolism, muscle building, appetite, etc. If you follow 3 Week Diet system by Brian Flatt, you are likely to achieve weight loss success in short period of time. Check out 3Week Diet review here.

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