This is the first time I've tried stictly counting calories. I've done carb counting, but not calories.
Day 2 and I'm not doing so well! I'm already at 1346 and I haven't had my afternoon snack, or dinner. My final count yesterday, after subtracting the treadmill number was 1980 (this doesn't even include the special dessert calories, which I have to imagine is closing in on another 500-800).
I can't believe how FAST they add up. No wonder I'm so fat!!! When I think of the days where I have an average breakfast, a big lunch and a big dinner I must be consuming around 3000 calories.
OMG! Am I ever going to feel full again? Now I'm really worried. I don't even know how many calories I should be consuming. I was planning on ~1600. Is this too low? Too high? I don't tolerate the "hunger pangs" very well...makes me dive for the first food I can find and that's rarely the healthy stuff.
Since you've never done it before, and because it sounds like you have been perhaps eating a lot of calories, I would recommend starting at 2000 rather than 1600. That will give you a feeling of some "breathing room" as you start out, from which you can figure out how and what to cut as you go along.
Remember...you don't have to get it all figured out on the first day, or in the first week, or the first month Success can start with small steps.
As to feeling full, if you concentrate on lean proteins, good carbs from green veggies, and good fat sources, then it's very likely that you'll be able to stay full and satisfied on a reasonable number of calories. However, the more processed/refined foods you try to fit in to those calories, the more likely it is that you will NOT be able to stay full.
Relax. Take a deep breath. This is only Day 2 of your food log -- you are still in prep mode.
Just leave it alone and log the food for a week or two with NO CHANGES to get a better picture of where your starting point is. That "THIS NUMBER (whatever it turns out to be) is what I eat to stay at my current weight." I suggest 2 weeks so you get at least one weekend snapshot in there. Sometimes people seem to do fine til the weekend and that is what skews it all.
You can't make sensible, effective changes if you have no baseline data to go from. How would you even know what to change if you have no picture of your current habits? How can you make a plan of attack to get to where you want to go if you don't know where you are at the start?
When you are ready to make changes you can look at your food log snapshot. Some things may pop out right away -- maybe not enough water. Or too little veggies. Or too much dining out on the weekend. Or too much space between lunch and dinner setting up a binge situation. Whatever.
When you have something to look at, THEN you can have a better guide for where to make the changes.
Then it's a matter of creating an average of -500 per day for -1 lb per week or -1000 per day for -2 lb per week.
I eat 2000 per day and lose comfortably. I aim for -500 per day average. My workouts are typically -250 or so I know I need to trim -250 ish from the food log to make the total -500 for the day. That keep it doable for me.
Hang in there Moondance! You'll get it figured out!
I try to stick to about 1500 a day and that works for me. You may need to look at where you can substitute some lower calorie items. I'm a big fan of Arnold sandwich thins or Thomas' Bagel thins. They make great sandwiches and are only 100 calories each. I snack on things like string cheese (90 calories) 90 calorie granola bars, small pieces of fruit (80 - 90 calories each), or carrots with a couple of tablespoons of hummus. I also keep a supply of smart ones or lean cuisines in my freezer for times when I am close on calories, that way I know exactly how many I am eating. I don't like to eat them too frequently but they work well in a pinch!
I don't eat as big meals as I used to but I am not one of those folks who is happy with a tiny breakfast or lunch (dinner is sometimes an after thought but if I go out to eat I want to have a meal and not just half an appetizer).
If you don't already love veggies it's time to make friends with them - they are your friends, your very very good friends. Take one of my favorite meals - Carbonarra - I don't know how many calories would have been in a regular serving in the past - a HUGE pile o' pasta is a HUGE pile o' calories. Now my carbonarra has more broccoli than pasta in it. It is still a HUGE pile of food, in fact what used to be a meal is now two as I typically have left overs for lunch the next day. But I am getting to eat something I love, and am full and satisfied afterwards. One HUGE dish is about 400 calories.
Anyway, that's just an example. I bet there are plenty of things you used to enjoy you could veg-i-fy to make more calorie friendly.
I will say that most low calorie snacks and diet foods leave me cold, unsatisfied, and still hungry. You are better off working with real foods and figuring how to make them work for you. There are lots of good recipes in the calorie counting section.
it took me a week to just count without trying (being really honest about what I ate) then it took me weeks to start making changes and cutting calories to get to a weight loos level. So no worries no one starts out knowing how it all works and how it works best for you.
Are you changing items? Like instead of regular ground beef use lean beef or turkey? Using sugar free items? Low Fat?
What is a sample of what you are eating?
Here is a sample of what I eat on a daily basis.
Breakfast 2 servings of eggbeaters with 1 slice of lean ham
90 calories and 1 gram fat
snack after workout:
Carrots 1 serving 35 calories
1 cup steamed broccoli 25 calories
lunch
salad with Fat free turkey breast, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, fat free salad dressing, fat free cheese I figure 250 calories for the salad, and a half a Dill pickle 0 fat
snack
air popped popcorn with 5 sprays of parkay Fat free, sprinkled with popcorn flavor 2 cups 60 calories 0 fat
dinner
Turkey chili
5 wheat saltines
350 calories 7 grams of fat
total for the day 810
so that leave some room for my frozen yogurt after dinner 180 calories and 3 grams of fat
And Im still low so I get a cup of pineapple and honeydew and split it so I get two snack during the day whenever so that adds another 100 calories and no fat
1090 calories..kinda low I usually get 1200-1300 range
Hi, Moondance. The one other thing I would add, in addition to all the great advice you've received already, is that for me personally, when I am counting calories, I don't subtract off the calories that I burn exercising from my calorie intake.
In other words, if I eat 1500 calories and burn off an estimated 400 calories, I don't look at it as if I really only ate 1100 calories. Consumed calories and burned off calories are in completely separate buckets in my mind. I eat what I eat and I burn what I burn. AND, if I burn more than I eat, then I'm losing weight.
Oh, and also, don't look at having an eye-opening start as failing. Just take each day as it comes and try to do something, anything, better than you did it the day before. Maybe walk a little more, or make a healthy choice, what have you. It's all just a work in progress... if you take away the "fail" mentality, then you gain the strength to just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Remember, we got at by eating 3000 calories per day. It would take me over 2000 cals to maintain my current weight, and or you, likely more, making 1950 still a LOWER number,and a good learning start! I think it took me six months to really LEARN what my own good acticity and calorie range was.
It's great that yiou didn't lie to yoursel and you counted properly! I think 1600 is a great goal. You were hungry, so you had to eat! Try drinking more water, eating more fibre dense foods and lean proteins with every meal. I and many others feel it keeps us uller longer.
I like big meals, unlike many others. I also currently opt for a higher calorie range and more physical activity.
Thanks for all the advice! Many good points and it helps quite a bit! Thanks!
I think was surprised by how many calories I've really been consuming when all added together and I panicked! It's a clear illustration of the kinds of changes I need to make!
Slow and easy is the way to go. There's really no need to be hungry. It takes time, but what you need to do is focus on the quality of the foods you're eating. You'll find that if you're making good choices, it's easy to stay full all day on relatively low-calorie foods -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Don't make this just about losing weight to reach your goal; it should be about developing new, healthy habits so that when you reach your goal, you stay there naturally and happily.
I'm going with a meal plan, so it's a little easier - they do all the counting and stuff for you! Plus I don't cook, so being able to just throw something in the microwave is a big plus for me.
My first shipment came today, and I'm happy to report that my first dinner was very filling and tasty too. I'm starting on the 1600 calories-a-day plan so it's a little easier to get used to.
Like everyone has said, just the fact that you're aware now and actively thinking about it all is a great start...all that potential!!
OMG! Where did all these calories come from?
When I think of the days where I have an average breakfast, a big lunch and a big dinner I must be consuming around 3000 calories. 
Now I'm really worried. 
I don't even know how many calories I should be consuming. I was planning on ~1600. Is this too low? Too high? I don't tolerate the "hunger pangs" very well...makes me dive for the first food I can find and that's rarely the healthy stuff.
Yikes!
Success can start with small steps.
