[Windchime]

JayEll--Yeah, I'm a whole-egg girl, too. But usually I can only eat 1 or 1 1/2; two eggs and I'm kind of egged-out. I do like nuts and have been eating a serving of almonds every day. I'm realizing that I'm a little shy on fruits and vegetables these past few days, so my intention is to up those and try to get in a few more calories. It's scary, though--when we see the scale slow down, we want to cut back more!

It's amazing to me how we do become accustomed to eating a lot less food. Just a few months ago, I'd have been adding several pieces of buttered french bread to my dinner and still been eating all into the evening. I don't know if my stomach has shrunk or if I'm just way more aware now of what "full" feels like.

[Mainah]

Do any of you use The Daily Plate for your daily calorie log? I know that they seem to over state calories burned for certain activities so I don't log my activities, I just use the plate as a guide for my eating. I am wondering if they overstate the calories required each day as well. At my current weight, they tell me for a 2 lb. per week weight loss, I should be eating just under 2100 calories per day. That seems high to me! Anyone else have experience with this? Thanks!

[Rosinante]

Two cents to add, cheerful ones!

On 03/30 I joined sparkpeople .com . I've used dietpower for years but I just felt like giving this a go.
I love the fact that it says 'YOU need to eat this much/burn this much' - I know it's a maching generated total but it sounds personal.

anyhoo, it said I should eat 1500-1700. That seemed very high but I remembered what kaplods had posted, that if we try something and it doesn't work, how really world shattering is a week or 2 out of our programme?

I ate just over 1500 for the first two days, and felt very energized.
Then I discovered that I'd let 2010 not 2009 stand as the date in June I want to hit 179. When I re-entered a) it wouldn't let me, as it's just over 2lbs a week and b) when I put in 185, it dropped my calorie allowance to 1200 - 1500 .

I decided to keep to the 1500 end, so for 5 days I've eaten 1470 average and lost 2.7lbs.

Don't know if it's connected, maybe most of it was water just ready to leave, I know I'd been retaining water but it's been a good experiment to discover that I could go up to a very healthy 1500 and not gaine 50lbs overnight, which is always the secret dread.

My exercise is still just walking, tho I've tried to up the length of time.

[JayEll]

Jay

[sanshir]

I have found my greatest success was the day after I ate 1700 calories. I would fluctuate between 1200 and 1700 calories in a week, I would eat 1700 calories on Fridays when I went out to eat with my kids. Then I would drop pounds afterwards. It takes energy to burn calories. Try this. Just one day. Unless you are trying to maintain, I actually find I have been able to maintain without even counting calories, just by listening to my significantly smaller stomach, and if I overindulge on one day, the next day I eat sensibly.

You will figure it out.