About Calorie Counting....?
 

I have decided to give regular calorie counting a try. No points, exchanges, or what have you. I just created a Fit Day account and according to this I can eat 1,532 calories a day in order to achieve a loss. Is it just me or does this seem a little high?

I mean before when I gave calorie counting a try(with out the use of tools) I stayed around 800-1,000 calories a day. It seemed to work for me and I don't ever remember feeling hungry. I had the occasional cravings for things like chocolate and Chinese/Thai food but that was it, but nothing like weakness.

So I guess what I am asking is should I folly fit days recommendations or stick with what worked before?

Thanks!
And Happy New Year!:hat: :newyear:

If anything 1500ish seems a little low for your weight. Then again I don't know how much you're exercising.

Try 1500, or maybe even more. If you find after some time you're not losing then you can always lower your calories for the day.

I lost mainly eating 1200, but I didn't get to that level until I got closer to my goal weight. The first 30 pounds I lost eating around 1500-1600 calories a day (my estimate, I wasn't really religiously calorie-counting then)

I wouldn't go with your old calorie counting style. That's probably much too low to safely lose weight for someone of your height and size.

I don't think 1532 is too high I think it sounds a bit low considering your goal weight of 145.

im an inch or so taller than you and heavier than you, i eat 1200-1400. id say 1500 is a good starting point, thats what i started with but i found it hard to eat that much food in a day so i am for 1400 now but often times dont make it there lol its all about finding what works for you. alot of ppl told me 1800-2k cause of my height and weight but than id lose half-1lb a week if that, instead of the 2lbs im aiming for. they dont take into account my lifestyle or how badly ive damaged my metabolism with crash diets, so thats why i say start at 1500 and adjust. if you need more add more if you need less than subtract. i wouldnt go lower than 1200 tho unless you were like 4'11 which youre not.

1,500 doesn't sound terribly high to me either. I started at around 1,800 a day and was losing consistently. I have been pretty off track for the last six months or so, but am jumping back in starting at 1,700 a day and will see how that works for a few weeks. I think it really depends heavily on your activity level.

I am currently having this same dilemma. I am using the VidaOne program and it tells me exactly how many calories I should be consuming daily with moderate exercising to achieve a certain weight in a year. I played around with the numbers and it ranges from 1700-1800 per day.
I rarely eat breakfast and should probably start, but so far today I have only consumed 210 calories. This is 20 Light Lays, a pickle & a sandwich (turkey breast and two slices of 45 calorie per slice whole grain wheat bread).
I know I need to consume more to keep my metabolism in check, but I'd feel like I am over eating. :(

This is it to a "t". If I'm not on any plan or watching what I eat I eat wayy to many calories.(clearly since i'm over weight.) But when I do diet and eat low/fat free foods I come in under count?! Its really frustrating...

I'm having this same issue right now maintaining in that I can't seem to eat enough to maintain. I only want healthy foods now and I'm currently paying the price for eating a small peanut butter cup and some frosting during making a gingerbread house (which is ridiculous, both were really really small amounts! Ah well). Honestly though that dark chocolate peanut butter cup from trader joe's was WORTH IT. :joker:

The important thing is to lose weight slowly and safely. The best way to do that is to eat a good amount of healthy calories and slowly lower the amount as you close in on your goal weight.

It may take time for you to get used to eating more, but nobody is saying that you have to jump into this change. You can slowly add more as you go along. You may also consider calorie cycling.

I've been slowing adding to the amount of calories by doing the following:

It's a slow process but the important thing is to eat healthy and give your body the nutrients it needs. It also pays to get used to eating more and planning to eat more because you'll have to do it at maintenance. Don't push planning for maintenance off because THAT is much, much harder than losing weight and requires much preparation.

Also, I remember seeing studies that say if you eat the "low fat" or "no-fat" alternatives, you'll wind up craving more/consuming more. That's why I, at the moment, chose the regular versions of foods in moderation of course. But you need to eat! Fuel your body properly.

I've been attending a physical fitness boot camp for the last four weeks. Part of the program consists of nutritional counseling. I've been advised that I should eat no less than 1500 calories a day (5-300 calorie mini meals) so that my body doesn't go into 'starvation mode'. I have consistently lost weight on this plan.

What is considered 'eating healthy' by your standards, if you don't mind me asking?

I didn't read what everyone else wrote, so sorry if I am repeating anything...that said, I don't think 1500s is bad, but I think if you might like calorie cycling. That's what I have been doing, and I really like it. I go between 1200-1800. That way, your metabolism doesn't get set in a routine. I eat more calories on days I work out, and less on days I don't. Granted, I am not losing very fast, but I have NOT been working out like I should. It would be going a lot better if I did. Just try a few different things, and see what seem realistic and comfortable to you. :)

I think you might like** not if.

just responding to ppl on this thread barking at others because their plan doesnt fit into their standards.i get sick and tired of ppl that tell me im not eating right, im the one that knows my body, not them. i know my body feels amazing when i eat 13-1400 right now and i know it feels like crap when i eat more. im not gonna bloat myself and make myself sick and lethargic because im not following someone elses standards. then they say oh youll gain it back when you eat maitenance! uhh no i wont. im not going to go from eating 1400 to 1700 calories at maitenance in one day. im not going to shock my body. i slowly decreased to 13-1400 until i was where my body feels good. im healthier now than i ever was. ppl get really messed up when they see youre not on the exact same plan thats working for them. every ones lives and bodies are different, what works for one person isnt going to work for everyone. im tired of hearing the fear tactics that youll gain it back or youre body is gonna be sick and youll stop losing weight! yea cause if i eat 700-800 below my maitenance im magically going to conjur up fat to make up for it out of thin air. youre not going to gain weight eating less its not magic. if that were true people wouldn't be able to starve to death, they'd just get to a point where they just stalled forever and eat food than boom-they are magically fat. and wouldnt die. stalls happen and they end. just do what makes YOUR body feel right, you have to experiment. YOUR body could feel great at 1500 or 2000. no one can tell you whats right for you, unless they are your doctor, as long as youre losing on avg 1-2lbs a week youre probably not going to do alot of muscle or metabolism damage, especially if youre working your muscles . sorry that im dramatic its just everyones so different and i hate ppl getting up in arms cause someone is different

While everyone is different there are some things that just aren't healthy. The OP said she ate 800-1,000 calories; that's not enough! She's 5'6" so she's not short at all (shorter people may be able to safely eat below 1200, because they're smaller and require less in general). We are simply offering advice and telling her that 1500 calories isn't high at all (and it's quite alarming that she thinks that 1500 seems high).

I know the maintenance thing was a jab at me, and I don't understand what was the cause of it. If you haven't had to maintain before, you can't really understand how difficult it is. I haven't even been maintaining for long and I can see that I should have planned for it more and I see so many people making the mistake and excuse of saying "I can't eat more." They shrug and decide to just worry about maintenance when they get there.

Well, unless you're short and at a really low weight, you can't really sustain yourself on 1200 calories forever. Learning strategies and plans NOW can help when you get to your goal weight so you do maintain. I'm not saying that one will magically regain if they keep eating low, but rather they that they'll keep losing weight and maybe get too thin! Diets that are also too restrictive may lead to binging and weight regain.

I offered up advice to safely add calories to one's diet. I'm not saying "THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO," because it's not. However, like a lot of posters on here, my hunger cues are messed up. We sometimes have to work around that to ensure we eat healthy and get to and maintain a healthy weight. Like you, I've found what works for me; maybe it'll work for someone else too.

You must have missed where I mentioned 'so far today', but I won't hold that against you. :)

While I am grateful for advice from those that have done it, this is not the first time I have attempted a weight loss journey. I, like charlaine09, know what works for my body. I know what feels good to me and what doesn't. ;)

i didnt even read your posts so there was no jab meant for you, sorry if you thought it was at you. i eat 1200 on some days, 1300, 1400, 1500 on others and my bodies fine. i never said 800-1000 was healthy. all the numbers in my post are a few hundred at least higher than that. and i have maintained several times in my life just fine after being on this lower calorie diet. my bfs a cook and i often have to maintain if hes having weeks where hes cooking for everyone. i have had no trouble, but thats my body, your body is different. yea my body will probably go lower than the 150 i want, but im just not a big eater naturally. once the junk and fastfood was gone my body runs on a lower number than alot of ppl do at my height. i will probably end up 15-20 lbs lighter than i think. i have no issue with that. my family tends to run either short and fat or tall and model-thin, thats just my body type, thats what genetics doled out to me. i don't binge ive never had a binging problem. thats not even an issue. and i really cant eat more. i get physical pain stuffing myself, do you know how much food 1400 calories of healthy food is? its a tonne. im eating every 3 hours. my post wasn't about you but people in generals attitude in the thread attacking other ppl in the thread about their plans, not even the ops plan. obviously she has to add calories if shes eating 800, but ppl telling others to add calories when they are eating 1500 or 1800? people are just fine with those numbers if thats what works for their bodies. when i get to a level i want to maintain i will slowly and i mean very very slowly add calories back in til i stop losing weight, 50-100 calories a day, for 2 week periods, so first week maitenance ill eat say 100 calories more for 2 weeks and than judge how its going, thats what ive always done and it works for me

I think I was the only one who mentioned maintenance, so I thought it was about me, apologies.

I lost my last 30 pounds or so eating 1200 calories of healthy stuff. It's a lot of food, I know! :( Even now, I'm trying to eat anywhere in the vicinity of 1700-1800 to maintain (which might not be enough to be quite honest) and I feel like I'm cheating because it seems like SO MUCH FOOD.

When you're at a higher weight, you CAN actually lose safely eating 1800+ calories. There are members who eat around 2000 and lose, but they'll probably have to lower their count as they go along. I think the problem often is that we see those high numbers and freak out thinking that we're eating too much when in reality we're not. It's a mental game when you're tracking your food suddenly after not tracking it (or never tracking it).

Like you said, it's best to find what works for you. I don't agree with telling someone what to do (unless they're doing something that is obviously unsafe, such as a very low calorie diet) but I do think offering up advice and letting people know what worked for me can help them. I've often stood up for those who choose to consume 1200 calories and face criticism--that number may not be too low for them. It's often a battle for us shorter folks...as we have to maintain on a lot less so 1200 is usually what we have to go to to lose, especially if we're at a lower weight.

Even if they're not short, I agree with you that we shouldn't TELL them what to do. We can say "Hey, you might be able to eat more," but we shouldn't pressure them into it. 1400 certainly isn't a starvation diet, so I don't see the reason for bugging folks who are eating 1400, 1500, etc. calories.

Weight loss is a touchy topic. We all think our way is "right" but I try to step back and realize that everyone is different and thus has different needs.

i think we just misunderstood each other.my metabolism is not as good as it should be from trying crash diets and even belumia when i was younger and im very sedetary being a student. at 1800 calories id be lucky to lose half a lb, i lose 1.5-2lbs right now. thatll slow as time goes on since im not going below 1200 and im lucky to get an hour a week of exercise in but on average probably 1-2lbs a week throughout my journey and thats healthy. i know ppl my height lose on 1800 but they havent had my history and work out more than me. increasing my activity level is something im working on but id rather be lazy and pass my uni courses than get less study time :)

Maybe try the 1500 a day thing and see how that works. If you don't feel hungry and you're losing weight at an adequate rate (like 1-2 lbs a week or something), then stick to it. Maybe adjust it up or down after a couple weeks if you need to.

I've been calorie counting for over a year now. Recently I've been trying to have a weekly calorie goal. So I cycle my daily calories. One day I might have 1000 calories, but then the next day 1700 or something. And I work to keep it all in my weekly range. We'll see how that goes!

Calorie counting is very adaptable, so you should be able to adjust as you need to. Good luck with everything!

A-freakin-men to that. I get agitated by that a lot too. Helpful advice and suggestions are always welcomed, but outright criticizing someone and telling them that they are wrong, not doing it right, etc. is just unnecessary. This isn't a "my way or the highway" kind of group, and you don't always have to shove your rude opinions down everyone else's throat. Be kind, be caring, and be helpful. And I am not solely referring to this thread when I say all this stuff, so people, don't get bent out of shape. I just think we can all use a reminder why we are here, and that we want to SUPPORT one another, not beat each other down. If you are genuinely concerned about someone, send them a private message, don't put them on blast for all to see. xo

Yeah, because your post was so supportive. :rolleyes: Get off your damn :soap:.

I hear that! Too many are influenced by others and what works for them that they lose sight of their entire journey trying to fit in to other peoples standards.

I, for one, would not support the rudeness I have read by some since joining this site either. Which is clearly what she was expressing by posting her comment. Just in case you missed that. :)

Ok...so I didn't read through all the replies - but a few things that stand out are:

1. It sounds like a good start.
2. As your lose weight you will need to readjust your calories lower -- just do the same input you did in the first place and get the "new" calorie requirement adjusted.

3. Track your results and if you like, shave off 100 to 200 calories daily - that is a simple thing to do when you start getting used to what everything contains calorie wise.

4. Calorie cycling is a great idea to look into after you become familiar with your program. Try it on, so to speak, and if tweaking is needed, you'll know.

5. Diet smart, not hard. Don't cut corners and be in a hurry because that could lead to malnutrition, binging, guilt, and quitting altogether.

Welcome to the world of counting calories. I think you will agree that when you reduce your program to the most base form you will enjoy your food more and can really get into your program. There is a big difference in actual calories in what you eat and formulaic points assessed to items, which on WWPP seemed to many to be arbitrary at times. When you know exactly what you are consuming, you are freed to make different choices, and some of those "what seem like splurge" choices may actually keep you ON program in the long run.

Best of wishes to you.

Lol, cute.

OP, I know what you mean by 1500 calories seeming high. That is what I'm starting at, and since its enough to eat decent sized meals and not feel hungry, it seems like there is no way I'll drop weight!

I don't have BTDT advice, since this is my first calorie counting outing (previously did juicing and Atkins a few times.) But what is helping me to go ahead and eat my 1500 cals is remembering how much I was eating before: a 500 calorie breakfast sandwich, a 100 calorie coffee, a 400 calorie pastry, a 1000 calorie takout lunch, and then a 700 cal dinner! So clearly, 1500 is much less than 2500+, and a 1000 cal drop has GOT to have some affect.