At any rate, it told me 2114 was the calories I could have per day and maintain my weight - and that if I cut that by 500 calories a day I could lose a pound a week. I don't see that being a problem because 2114 seems like alot to me..
I'm going to do an experiment for a few days and monitor my caloric intake just to see how many I've actually been eating, and then reduce it by 500 calories. After 2 weeks or so I'll let you know how it helped (or didn't help)
Yes! I am counting calories! I am on a 1500 calorie a day diet. I just started it last week and so far have lost 5 pounds! It is really easy once you buy all the food that you can have!! LOL! Plus, I have found a lot of great recipes on here. How are you doing with it?
I use fitday.com to help me keep an idea on the range of calories I'm taking in. I usually do it about 2-3 days a month. I'm trying to keep within 1200-1500 calories a day with an occasional 1700 calorie day.
There is a theory that you should shake up you calories everyonce in awhile so your body doesn't get used to the same amount.
Since I've greatly increased my physical activities, I may need to increase my calories. Time will tell.
Yes, I'm using fit day as well, to be sure that I'm getting the right nutrition. So, not really counting calories but aware of them. The Prevention calculator said i need about 2281 to maintain - and I know I don't want to maintain this weight! So, its telling me about 1700 - which is right in line with what SBD has got me doing. Even eating 5-6 times a day, I'm barely caping 1400-1600 most days, occassionally going to 1700 now and then. So, I figure, I'm bound to lose weight - although it isn't happening much yet! Anyway, I also walk 3-7 miles per week so I burn some that way.
Counting calories can be helpful, but if you are including sugar and you know you've had problems with it in the past, you can find it very difficult to stick to your calories for the day. As long as you stick with the principles of diets like SBD and SugarBusters, and ensure that you don't give up healthy foods just because they have more calories, you should be fine. Don't go below 1200 or you'll be compromising your health (and making it very difficult to lose).
Also, be aware that many factors go into figuring out how many calories you need. Our wise maintainers had a long discussion about this in another forum and said that haven't found any tools online that are truly accurate in deciding how many calories they should eat to maintain and lose. For instance, this calculator says I need 2855 calories to maintain. I'm eating about 2000 each day and maintaining right now, or losing a tiny bit. Other calculators have said that I need to do about 2200 to maintain. Exercise, body frame, etc. all go into the equation. So don't be afraid to play with the number and find what works for you.
In the end, you can only restrict calories so much for so long. You really have to exercise to do most of the work in losing weight. Sounds like most of you are already doing that, which is great! Good luck, chickies!
I've read many a discussion that dieting is plain and simple, "eat fewer calories you will lose." I really think it's not true. (To an extent it is...)
There are things like water balance to think about. Also, your body will hold on to fat if it feels as if it's starving. Then the insulin issue really messes it up - you could eat 500 calories of all sugar, and gain!
I try to watch the portions, and note what days I'm eating higher calorie items - peanut butter, etc. and see if that affects my losses. But calories can't explain all weight losses because I'll lose 5 lbs in a week, and the calorie intake just doesn't work out. Some foods also raise your metabolism, so you'll burn more.
It's not a bad idea... because some people are eating the SBD foods, but way too much to even help them lose weight. The calorie restriction helps you understand your portions better. Once you do it enough, you'll know how much food you can have and still stay in the calorie limit.
I have heard from individuals who have undergone a basal metabolic rate test at a lab and/or gym that the formula that was most accurate is the Harris-Benedict Formula (meaning the lab results and this formula were off by as little as 2-5 calories). It's not too different from what you read in Prevention Magazine, but if you're obsessed with counting calories like I am, then you might find this helpful:
*The Harris-Benedict formula*
The Harris Benedict equation is a calorie formula using the factors of height, weight, age, and sex to determine basal metabolic rate (BMR). This makes it more accurate than determining calorie needs based on total bodyweight alone.
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy your body needs to function at rest. This accounts for about 60 to 70 percent of calories burned in a day and includes the energy required to keep the heart beating, the lungs breathing, the kidneys functioning and the body temperature stabilized.
Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) – (6.8 X age in years)
Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) – (4.7 X age in years)
Now that you know your BMR, you can calculate TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) by multiplying your BMR with the activity multiplier chart below:
Activity Multiplier:
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Moderately active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extremely active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e. marathon, contest etc.)
Ok -so I went back to my Fit Day (last entry - March 2004!) and I have eaten almost 1500 calories today. I usually have a 60 calorie fudge bar at night, sometimes some peanut butter. I think I'd like to always try to stay below 1500. The cheese and PB really add up the calories! I also like FitDay because I can see where I am low on nutrients, but that really only works if you take a week at a time. That's the most accurate way to measure your nutrients. Some people don't get dark green leafy everyday, but the day you have spinach you get about 400% of your vitamins!!!
Intersting, it made me think, I thought today I was doing really good and not straying... but it made me account for what I ate. (Oh yeah, I grabbed a Laughing Cow cheese on my way out the door!) Maybe it will make me lose a little faster if I keep track for a while.
Anyone else counting calories?
Exercise, body frame, etc. all go into the equation. So don't be afraid to play with the number and find what works for you. 
