I need some advice on lowering my calories. For the past 16 days, my average calorie intake was 1656. In the past, I have easily lost a pound a week this way when I stuck to it, and even then I think I actually averaged more calories per day, even though I aimed for 1600. However, as you can see below (copied from my post in the "March Into Onederland" thread) I have been sort of maintaining.

I guess I have two questions for those who are more experienced:

1) Is 16 days enough to know that I am indeed now maintaining, or do you think I can still get an unexpected "whoosh" of a few pounds? In the past, I did get a "whoosh" but I don't think it took 16 days.

2) Should I lower my calories? If so, by how much? I was thinking 1400 calories a day might be a start? What weight were you when you dropped your calories down, if you did?

I guess that was more than two questions. Here is my weight over the last 17 days. On February 1st I weighed 216.0, but I didn't track daily until the 6th:

February:
6- 217.0
7- 217.4
8- 216.8
9- 216.4
10- 217.0
11- 217.0
12- 216.4
13- 216.2
14- 219.0
15- 218.2
16- 217.6
17- 217.4

Also, I have been exercising for 30 minutes a day, four days a week, and would like to gradually increase that as I am able. My calories mostly come from lean proteins, fruits, veggies, with whole grains sporadically thrown in.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I have noticed that there haven't been any responses to my thread. Do you think I should have posted this in the calorie counters forum or the maintenance forum?

hmmm, Id say ive it a shot at lowering your calories. or maybe add more exercise. see if either of them help.

I'd go ahead and bump them down. You've lost quite a bit of weight, that's going to make a big difference in how many calories you need daily.

Thanks to both of you for your advice. I have lost weight so slowly that I sort of still feel like I don't know what I'm doing sometimes.

I will try to lower my calories, plus add a little more exercise gradually and see how that goes. Thanks again!

I'd say lower your calories... why don't you try 1500 maximum for a few weeks? The adjust as needed.

I'm 204 and eating between 12-1400 per day... most of the time just under 1300.

Thanks, cfmama! I will try that!

I was stuck at the same exact weight for two weeks and it was soo frustrating not seeing the numbers on the scale go down even when I know they should be. I don't go exercise as much as you do, but I eat around 1300-1500 calories a day. Finally, I decided to have a cheat day and went to a Mexican restaurant and definitely ate more than I should have in one sitting. I was still probably under 2000 calories for the day, but I was cutting it pretty close... Anyway, the next day when I hopped on the scale is said 210! Of course, now I'm having the same issue.. I'm hovering between 210 and 213 instead of 217 and 219...but I still think you'll eventually get your whoosh too.

My suggestion would be to try calorie cycling. Say your goal was 1500 calories a day.. that's 10,500 a week. Eat 1400 one day, then maybe 1800 the next, then 1600, then 1400 again...something along those lines. Just so your weekly amount stays the same, but your daily intake is always different.

It's hard for me to do that consistently every week, especially on the higher end days cause I always feel slightly guilty cause it feels like I'm eating so much! Whenever I seem to get stuck, if I go over my daily calories and then get back on track it always seems to help for some reason.

Thanks, Lychee! I will take that into consideration. I think I kind of naturally calorie cycle because some days I am less hungry than others. One day might be 1200 and the next might be 1600. I am just going to try to get the average 100-200 calories lower than I have been and see what happens.

I agree. Bump then down a little, maybe to 1500 and then see how it goes.

I would also shave a hundred or so off of your daily intake. You just don't require the same amount of calories now that you're so much smaller (yay!!) and therefore it's going to take a little more effort to create that all important calorie deficit. I'd lower those cals and I would also increase my exercise - nothing drastic, but instead of 30 minutes, why not make it 40. Also - do you do any strength training? If not - NOW - would be the time to start doing so. A simple resistance band will do wonders for you over time.

Congratulations on your weight loss thus far and I look forward to hearing of your continued progress.

Thanks ubergirl and robin!

I am definitely going to lower my calories and increase my exercise. I'm starting the calories now and I will increase my exercise within the next week or so. Unfortunately I took a break from exercise and am now barely able to do 30 minutes, however I know I will be able to do more soon.

Robin, I have just begun some strength training and am looking forward to seeing the results. You are right that you will be hearing my continued success because I am doing it and am not giving up or stopping just to maintain for a while like I had before. I am done with all of that, partially thanks to you and the butt kicking you gave me last week.

Sunrose, you're so smart. I think it's very wise of you to have done this slowly and that you see a problem and are willing to make adjustments. Truly I commend your patience. You sound very level headed.

That's all. Keep it up!

Thanks Eliana, you are so sweet! I don't know. I think at first I really, really did need to go slow, but for the last 2 years or so (maybe since I have weighed in the 230's) I think I have been clinging to my old reasons, even though those reasons didn't really exist anymore, if that makes any sense. Like mentally I was in a place where I could do it, I just didn't think I could do it. Shoot, I'm not even making sense to myself, so I'll be quiet now.

But, thanks for saying that and thanks for your support! You are doing great, too!

Are you saying you had doubts? You've had a hard time overcoming doubts? I get that. Mentally I can be ready to go but the doubt that I will ever make it rears its ugly head frequently. I try to combat it by having mini goals. And you're doing that with your mini goal of getting to 199.

And hey, two years?! And you're still doing that? I stand by my previous post. You are patient and level headed!