but I can't find it!

I have decided to calorie count, mainly because I found a great online tracking program and partly because I can't find my WW stuff! I have set my calorie level at 1200-1400 calories per day. I am 5'6" and currently weigh 231 lbs. Are my calorie targets too high? Too low? Right on?

I would appreciate any input,

good luck Jennelle!!!
I need to change something too - I'm going no where fast!
what web site are you using?

Dana

I just checked out an online calorie calculator to maintain weight. For a women your height and weight (for someone having a moderate activity level) you will need to consume around 2700 calories to MAINTAIN weight. If you were going to be conservative and lose 1 pound per week, you would have to consume 2200 calories a day (3500 calories = 1 pound of fat, 500 X 7 = 3500). If you wanted to lose roughly 2 pounds a week, then you would have to eat around 1700 calories. Again, this is for someone with a moderate activity level.

I would think that at least for the first 3 or 4 months you should target around 2000 calories a day and focus on being active. Its always best to go slow and steady! Once that the plateau hits (and it always does) you can try lowering your calories a little bit more.

***edit**

I should point out that online calculators can often be in error. Alot depends on how much lean muscle mass you already have and on your age. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn and the more weight you will lose (ie, you need more calories to MAINTAIN. Also, age is a factor. The older you are, the less calories you need (metabolism slows with age, a cruel fate that explains why we add a pound or two as we get older). I've used the hypothetical age of 25 for the calculations I did.

Is this too much info?!

Matt

I'm 5'6 and I lose on 1800 calories a day and I eat EVERY calorie! Even though you weigh less, I'd start there and then decrease if you need too. I know alot of women MAINTAIN at 1500, so I think your way too low.

I agree with the above I think its always better to start higher and kick back more later. Also think about shocking your system from time to time with lower and higher calorie days.

Miss Chris

Speaking from my recent experience, *my* optimal level was between 1200-1400 calories a day. I'm 5'4", have a moderate activity level, and started out at 211. I'm now down to 202.5 and it's been a slow but relatively steady loss of about 1-2 pounds a week. I tried higher, and it didn't seem to work. I refuse to go lower, because of course I don't want my body to think it's starving.

Like Miss Chris said, you can always start higher (like I did) and see what happens, then gradually reduce or increase your intake depending on your activity level, how you feel, and your rate of loss. From what I've seen and read, it's hugely personal - each person has their own optimal number for caloric intake, and each person has their favorite foods to work around. (Obviously keeping in mind the "avoid the empty calories" idea.)

There are several nice sites out there for watching calories, the one I use is www.fitday.com.

Good luck!!

Dana - Like RavenToy, I also have discovered fitday.com. It's a great program to help you track calories! At first, it might be a little time consuming because if there is something that you regularly eat that's not on the list, you'll have to add it manually. (It's not hard, just takes a minute.) Once you've done that, though, it goes into your custom foods box and you can pull it up whenever you need it. It also has an area for journaling thoughts, tracking exercise, and tracking goals.

Thanks for your ideas, everyone! I'm going to try this level this week, and if I lose too much or am continually hungry, I'll pop it up a little higher.

Girls! Thanks for the Fitday.com website! Awesome and I never knew it existed!

Thank you for this website. I've just signed up!! Maybe I will get that motivation that has been MIA lately.

Hey girls (and Matt )...I just ran a report on fitday and discovered my average calorie intake over the past five days has been 1478 cals. per day. It's over my self-imposed limit of 1200-1400 cals. per day, but I'm finding I'm really hungry if I eat any less. (Could be bad food choices, as well...you know the drill...eat more lower calorie food to be satisfied...) I weigh in on Sunday, so, if I didn't lose, I will drop back to 1400.

We'll see...if I'm only losing a pound a week, I guess I need to be happy with that. It means, though, that I'm going to have to re-do my long term goals. (And it also means there's NO chance I will be in a swimsuit this summer!)

I'm doing fitday.com too.. why not.. I might lose some weight!
I am still very confused as to how many calories I should have. I've heard numbers all over the board.
I'm 5'0" - 218lbs 32 years old. I'm thinking 1900 calories - I know that's alot more then what you guys are doing - but I know if I do lower then it will be un realistic and I will end up binging. I am going to the gym ~4 or 5 times a week. Each time I go I burn a min of 200 calories.

What do you think?

Dana

Dana - I also am finding numbers that are all over the place! Even looking up my BMR...one calculator said 1700 calories, one said 2400!

This is what I'm going to do: I'm going to check my average daily calories for the week on weigh-in day. If I lose at least a pound that week, I'll keep them where they are. If I don't, I will decrease by 100 calories a day until I do lose at least a pound a week. Maybe that'll work for you (****, I don't even know if it will work for me! )

Somewhere I read that 1 WW point is equal to approximately 50 calories. Anyone else hear that?

I've heard that too... 50-60 calories...

so... let's say 55 x 29 points (my max) = 1595 is it me or is that low?

I agree with you Jennelle, if I lose just one lb per week I'm okay with that. I think your plan is good. but what if you lose more then 1 lb? Do you get to eat more

hang on....


let's say you are on the bottom range... 18-24 ww points.. x 50 calories.. that would be a range of 900 - 1200 calories.. and that seems WAY too low.

any help here?

The WW points is not just calories. It is something like Calorie number/50 + fat grams/12 - (dietary fiber-5, only if dietary fiber is greater than 6) = WW points. So, for example Chicken in a Bisket crackers - 1 serving (12 crackers)
170 calories/50 = 3.4
9 grams fat/12 = .75
Dietary fiber 0.

So it would be 3.4 + .75 - 0 = 4.15 so 4 points per serving.

I found something saying that you need to burn 500 calories than you eat in order to lose weight. So, if you figure out how many calories you need to maintain your weight, then drop 300 calories in your diet and burn 200 extra calories, you should average a 1 pound loss. Check out these sites. They may help you. I ws in the same boat you were in about how many calories I should be taking.

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/
or http://ibw.dietitian.com

Matt, could you tell us what site you use for your calorie counter calculator?