Health

How You Can Actually Eat More To Lose Weight

(WCCO) Losing weight is the number one most popular new year's resolution, according to the U.S. Government.

If you've failed at this goal in the past, maybe it's time for a new approach. How would you feel about the idea of eating more food in order to shed unwanted pounds?

I took a test called a "resting metabolic rate test," which helps dieters do what seems impossible.

We all know sweating alone is rarely the answer. Research confirms that diet control is vital in the fight against flab.

"This test will tell us how much your body uses at rest," said Lifetime Fitness trainer Justin Wolfe as he determined my Resting Metabolic Rate, the minimum number of calories I need each day.

Ironically, the test results usually encourage people to eat more, because too many dieters eat too few calories.

"You don't lose weight, you go into starvation mode and you gain weight, though you are working out more," said Wolfe.

During the test, you wear a mask that will remind you of Dr. Hannibal Lecter's transport gear in "The Silence of the Lambs." The mask goes on over your nose and mouth.

During my test, the computer worked as I sat in the dark and relaxed for 15 minutes. It couldn't have been easier.

The resulting pile of numbers for Justin to interpret allowed him to factor in my activity level. The test determined how many calories I need to either maintain or lose weight.

In my case, the magic number is 1,900 calories. That's not a lot compared to others, but it is more food than what a nutritionist recently recommended for me.

The test will cost from $100 to $200, depending on whether you need to buy equipment.

The trainers at Lifetime Fitness stress that it is not a quick fix. They urge people to combine proper nutrition and exercise to achieve lasting results.

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