[yhahmd]

I've lost weight before doing CC and exercise. I was eating around 1400 calories. Logically I know that's a healthy amount. Mentally I was so surprised at that number, and wanted to puke every time I saw it. It just seems like SO MUCH. I'm using livestrong, and I just recalculated all my stats. To lose 1.5lb a week, I have to eat 1,135 calories. I could probably manage, but at the same time that just seems too low to me. This is all while my exercise level is set on sedentary btw.

If I am to exercise 3 days a week, and 1 day on the weekend, do I still consider myself sedentary? Right now, if I lower it to lose 1lb a week instead of 1.5lb it says 1,385 calories. Also set at sedentary. That seems a lot more do-able.

I just feel like I'm doing this wrong, and I don't know why. I did it once before. Why am I so confused now?

I'm 174.5, 22y/o, 4'9'' and will be exercising 3 days a week, and once on the weekend. Mostly exercise bike right now, with occasional Richard Simmon's or Billy Blanks tae bo tapes.

Thanks.

[lin43]

I would definitely start higher and see where that takes you. I am a bit taller than you (5 ft 3) but I'm also twice your age. I lost at a pretty decent pace (6-8 lbs. month--estimated) at 1400 per day. I cycled my calories, and I lost much faster than I thought I would. Of course, I did at least an hour per day of exercise 6 days a week, so that might have helped.

Don't be scared of starting with the higher number. I think it's important not to get your body used to a really low calorie count, and besides, it's harder to stick to that low calorie count longterm.

Good luck!

[yhahmd]

I could up it to 1400 I guess.

Even though I lost before, I can't help but feel like I could have lost more, faster, if I'd not been so damned stubborn/afraid of eating such a high number.

How did you cycle your calories? Don't we do that normally on days where we just don't eat that much, or days where we overeat slightly?

[124chicksinger]

Well, here is the thing....we want results, we want them now, right? Here is the OTHER thing....this is for life. You'll likely be on the same program, sorta, in a year from now as you are today, if you want to maintain your loss(es). So what you have to ask yourself is....do I want to eat a bit more now/today and get to my goal more slowly, or am I tempted to take a short cut even tho I know what worked in the past will work for me now?

Don't be so desperate to lose it now that you lose sight of what is doable. Good luck.