[TechieMom]

Hi

I'd like to start counting calories and I've found a website to give me that information but I'm looking for something that tells me how many calories I need to eat in a day.

Any suggestions?

[mescelestus]

i'd say if you want to be 150 eat about 1400 calories a day.

[luckymommy]

I'm calorie counter and want to suggest a couple of things. First, you might want to check out the calorie counter community here at 3fc. Second, go on Google and do a search for Resting Metabolic Rate calculator. You will be asked to plug in your weight, height, and I think gender. It will give you an estimate of how many calories your body burns if you stay in bed all day. I would eat that amount. That way, any exercise you add to your program will be creating a major deficit in calories and, thus, lead you to lose weight. Some people eat one or two hundred calories more or less than this number, but you could decide that on your own after you try it out and see how it works for you. By the way, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn while at rest, so I highly recommend lifting weights too. Sorry if you already know all this, but I just can't help myself!

[luckymommy]

Here is one website you could use:

http://www.start-losing-weight-today.com/rmr.html

[Suzanne 3FC]

It really varies by person because our individual metabolisms vary so much. Plus, many people have to gradually reduce calories as they move closer to their goal so you don't want to start out too low. I think it's safer to start at a higher end and work down. Your goal is 1 to 2 pounds per week. Start at 1800 and see if you lose weight. If so, stick with it until later on when your loss slows, then reduce it a little more.

Trial and error

[tjbop66]

I like NutriMirror.com. It computes how many calories you need based on your Resting Metabolic Rate and your activity level and logged exercises, then adjusts your daily calorie recommendations to a number that will let you meet your weight goal. It even has a feature that I haven't seen anywhere else that will let you override your basic RMR number if you know your metabolism is different from what you get from standard calculations.

[TechieMom]

Wow........thanks everyone! I'll take a look at everything you've posted.

[flutestarkiss9]

I'm checking out nutrimirror as compared to sparkpeople. Nutri is harder for me to figure out how to imput foods.
I don't know how to put in my supplements in either. -_-