[Fairyprences]

Ok, so Im new to all this dieting stuff, but over the last year Ive gained 17 lbs (ouch!) So I thought Id give it a shot before this gets way out of control. Im trying to start a low calorie diet, but I dont know how many calories are healthy for me to be eating per day. Im 21 years old, 5'6" 142 lbs and I would like to be 125... I was thinking 1400 but Im not sure if this is healthy or not... any suggestions? Also curious.... Diet Pepsi doesnt have any calories does that mean I can drink as much as I want... seems to good to be true.... there has to be somthing else wrong with it right? Thanks! Shannon

[LesnarsTXF5Diva]

Diet drinks....be careful. The no-calorie thing is good to start, but sodium is in pretty much all of them, and too much can cause mega-water retention and make you feel heavier than you are. That's one reason why I have trained myself to drink nothing but water. Some people have problems with diet drinks, but sometimes you can find like, the flavored waters at Wal-Mart and other stores that don't have sodium in them and they taste just as good. One that I really like is the diet cherry limeade water stuff in the bottle from Albertson's. To me, it tastes just like the ones from Sonic

[treefrogtoes]

Based on FDA an average woman maintaing weight needs to take in 2000 calories per day. If you're trying to lose weight you should be between 1600-1800 per day. If you go lower than that you can set your body
into 'starvation mode' and not lose any weight at all. I keep my calories at 1700 (roughly) and lose an average of 3 pounds a week.

Diet Rite is sodium and calorie free and they have lots of flavors. I usually drink unsweetened iced tea or black coffee.

hope this helps!!

[Ahealthierme]

You can drink diet drinks if you want but they have so much sodium and chemicals that diet drinks actually leech calcium from your body- not great...plus caffiene is an addictive substance. But if you need something sweet or aren't ready to stop drinking it in the scheme of things I dont think diet pop is *that* bad. On the other hand I don't drink anything except good old water!

As for the calories 1400 sounds perfect. I cycle between 1300, 1500 and 1600 just so my body doesnt know what to expect on any given day, so it never knows what to store and what to burn- kinda keeps it on it's proverbial toes.

I should add since you are so thin to begin with it might be more difficult for you to lose weight, but keep at it! Good luck!!

[gypzye]

Hi--I'm 22, 5'5" and 149 so hello there, fitness twin.

My freebie e-diets profile told me to stick between 1300-1400 calories daily. Which came as quite the sticker shock as I added up the calories I'd consumed that day and came in around 2400.

I'm not much of a calorie counter so I couldn't tell you if I've been doing well since then, lol!! I'm trying to get into the fitday.com habit but it's hard... harder than remembering to take my multi... harder even than dragging my butt to the gym... sigh. However, if it works for you, go for it!!

If you find a menu that hovers around 1400 calories, shoot me a PM and let me know!

[jenicra]

Welcome - my opinion of diet drinks is pretty similar to yours - it seems to good to be true, right? Usually things that seem to good to be true ARE, so I try to limit them, but if you're addicted to the full-sugar version, I think that they would make a great crutch. Definately try to get in some regular water too, though. As far as your cals, 1400 isn't too low, but you might start off at around 1800, then if you don't lose any weight for a week or so, reduce to 1600, if you continue to stay the same, reduced to 1400 and so on. (That way, you get to know your body and metabolism a little better and see where your weight-loss maximizing zone is. I tend to lose more weight when I'm eating around 1500-1600 cals/day then when I eat 1200-1400. Also, it's easier to stick to for longer if you give yourself a little more wiggle room). Just make sure to get AT LEAST 1200 cals per day MINIMUM. Also, you might check out a good multi-vitamin to make sure that you're still getting all the good stuff you need despite the reduced food intake. Good luck!