Hi!
I'm new to calorie counting, which has really opened my eyes to how many calories I was actually consuming!! Anyway my name is Amanda and I have 3 beautiful children (4, almost 2 and 4 months) I have about 100 lbs to loose.

My questions are does it matter what you eat as long as you stay within your calorie limit? Will you loose weight faster eating 1500 calories of veggie then if you eat sugar?! I'm starting out eating 1500 does that sound ok for now? I'm 240 and my goal is around 130

any good tips for beginners?!

Thanks in advance
~Amanda

Hi and welcome.
You've got excellent timing. I was just reading this thread
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109081

It might just help you.

As far as WHAT to eat...

Theoretically no, it doesnt matter, but the truth is the higher quality your food is the easier and more satisfied you will be on 1500 calories. Also you will have better energy to fuel workouts to burn more

And in the long run, hopefully health is at least some of what you hope to obtain, so the better food is the goal

Personally I try for 80% of my calories to come from good whole real foods and dont worry about the other 20% so much. I use the 80/20 rule for a lot of things.

Well of course the bottom line is calories in vs. calories out. But I know for myself I make those calories real good ones. I eat mostly low fat proteins and high fiber foods. These really, really help me to stay full and therefore stay on my plan, which is the only way to lose weight. By sticking to it. I don't eat added sugars, only those found in fruits and veggies. This also helps me as now my cravings for sugary foods are practically non-existient. I also want to get as many vitamins and nutrients as possible. Eating 1500 cals worth of junk will not do that for me. Also by eating healthy foods it keeps me in the right frame of mind, which is essential for longterm success.

As someone else said calories in vs. calories out. You want a deficit. Once you have a deficit of 3500 calories then you should drop a pound. I started out small and slowly changed my eating habits here and there. I feel that you should do what you can live with. Make a change once a week and try new things. Before you know it, you will have a new way of eating a "change of lifestlye". Your lifestyle doesnt change over night and and if you try you might get frustrated and give up. That is why Weight Watchers works so well for many people. They tell you that you can eat anything as long as you stay within your points...which is really just another way of counting your calories. Hope I didn't confuse you. I am currently reading a book that is very similiar to how I have accomplished my weight loss thus far. Check it out if you get a chance Calorie Countdown Cookbook by Juan-Carlos Cruz. Its good so far and I like watching him on the food network.

It took me a while, but I eventually figured out that it does make a difference whether I eat healthy foods or junk. If I eat junk, I don't get to eat very much if I want to stay within my calories for the day. As a result, I'll be hungry all day.

I put a lot of thought into finding foods that are high in volume but low in calories. These are the foods that will keep me satisfied and make it easier to stay on plan. I eat a lot of veggies (usually two BIG salads every day), a lot of lean proteins (chicken, salmon, tuna, halibut, catfish, ground turkey, turkey sausage, pork tenderloin, lean ground beef), and a moderate amount of non-fat dairy. I limit pasta, bread, nuts, desserts, cereal, chips, energy bars, and pretty much anything that doesn't have much in the way of nutritional content, etc.

I'll second this.

If I choose healthy, nutritious foods (vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fat-free dairy, etc) I can eat more in a day than if I were to eat more calorie-dense items. Like if there's a particular 'sinful' treat I just have to have (which I do every now and then because I don't believe in deprivation) then I have to cut back on everything else to make room for it. And, typically, I walk around hungry all day or get stuck eating carrot sticks for snacks (which I don't particularly like) instead of something more filling.

Some say it's not what you eat, but how much. Some say it's not how much you eat, but what. I say it's both