I've never been one to count calories. However, I decided in December to journal the calories I've been eating so I can get a better idea of how much in X amount of calories. Here's the problem I've run in to:

How many calories do I need a day?

One web site says 2,200, another 1400... I remember my doctor once giving me a 1200 calorie diet. What do you go by? How do you decide?

hey jessica!
Well, there is a website I found when doing a search online for basal metabolism calculators. It is at www.room42.com
If you scroll to the bottom of the page you will see the metabolism calculator to click on. It will ask your height in inches, weight, age, and activity level. It will give your basal metabolism (how many calories you need to keep your body functioning on a daily basis) and how much you actually burn when you add general activity. When I put my stats in it says my body needs 1800 a day to keep my heart beating, lungs breathing, etc...even if I was a slug and stayed on the couch all day that is my minimum needs. I can have up to 2400 a day which will keep me at the same weight and not lose. I try to keep it at 1800. I know with normal activity this has me burning more than I am taking in and I will lose weight. If I am feeling super motivated I will do 1400 calories a day to lose faster. It is generally recommended to not go below 1200 a day or you will slow your metabolism too much, and we dont want that!!
sorry for the novel but this is a great topic of interest for me!
good luck!!
laura
313/245/243 new years goal

I have found several sites like you that give me several different answers. I have used this one: http://www.marathonguide.com/Fitness...loricneeds.cfm and I know slimdown gave me another in the past, but I can't find it.

I don't know what your current weight is, but at 293 I am going with 1800 calories and I figure as long as I am losing, that'll be good. (when I follow it, of course!) I wouldn't go too low, for fear of you not sticking with it. Start high and if you lose weight on it, then your good, if not adjust it 100 calories a week until your happy.

1500-1800

How I devcide depends on the day. Some days I'm just not as hungry, or I'm choosing better things. Some days I know I'll be going to a friend's, so I "bank" some calories for that.

Hey Sandi-
Thanks for the link! I checked it out and it said to maintain my weight (which I do not want to do!) I should eat 2200 calories a day. No wonder I am losing well on 1200-1400 a day right now. I am close to 1000 calories less than what I need to keep this bulk on me!

Jessica-how are you doing? Did you find a calorie range to work for you yet?

laura

I checked out Sandi's link and it says to maintain at 235 I should eat 2249 calories per day. I have a feeling I'm eating closer to 3000 calories per day!

Anyhow, if I drop down to 1200 calories a day, that's a deficit of about 1050 per day, or 7350 a week. You have to burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat, so that would put me on a track of about 2 lbs. per week.

Now if I could just get my *** in gear....

that's a great site! i checked it out, and then i put in my goal wight, and it says for 160 pound maintenance, i need to eat 1999 a day. so i better get used to it!

i eat less than that now, when i'm "dieting" but it's good to know what i'm going to need to do when i get to my goal.