How many calories are right for you?
 

How often do you guys change up your calories? For the past...week, I've been at 1240 calories. I figure 1240 to lose 2lbs in a week, and even if I don't actually lose 2lbs in a week, I really don't need those extra calories anyway.

I feel okay. I don't feel starved or hungry all the time, but I'm noticing more of a "oh crap, I only have XXX amount of calories left" pretty early in the morning/afternoon, which on 2 days had lead to a little snack in the evening that was not in my plan. (EX: It's 9:23AM and I have 820 calories left for the day. Part of this is actually guestimation, because I can't find the exact bread I eat, or the exact whatever I eat, so I have to choose something 10-20 calories higher and just sort of mentally remind myself.)

Granted I haven't put on any weight (it's only been a week, maybe another week would say different) I just feel like maybe 1240 calories is too low for me. I'm used to to being in the 1400 range. I think I was at 1477 the last time I was calorie counting, and that seemed fine, but it seemed like I stopped losing on it after a month and a half.

So what do you guys think I should do? Stick with 1240 for another week, see how it goes? Then bump it up to at least 1300 something if I'm not feeling satisfied? Or just stick it out? Is my body just getting used to a lower calorie intake?

If you are really feeling hungry, not bored or tired or whatever when you eat, try bumping up your allowance a little bit...with veggies or maybe some protein. How about some chicken breast wrapped in lettuce leaves with other veggies shredded in. For me, I NEED snacks. The trick is trying to keep them healthy.

You don't say how much exercise you are getting. You might be able to eat more if you move more, and it may not be that much more that you need to move...maybe even just 5 extra mins a day...

Good luck!

Barb

I'm not very religious with exercise yet, so I forgot to include it. I try for 5 times a week, but sometimes I exercise every day. It depends on what the scale says and how I feel honestly, and I hate to say that. I usually get on the stationary bike for 30-40 minutes during the afternoon and burn anywhere from 200-something-to-300-something-calories.

I could lose an extra half-poiund by dropping from 1500 to 1200 but it's really hard for me to get the daily intake of nutrients you're supposed to get that way. Also 2 days a week I'm gone for 12 hours and I find I need snacks to keep me focused and it is hard for me to do that on 1200.

My phone app (lose it) gradually drops my calories for me as I enter in my new weight (weekly). When I first started out, I had it set for a 2 lb/week weight loss. I took a bit of a break over the summer (still lost 10 lbs, but just slowed way down from my starting rate of loss, which was close to 10/lbs per month.)

When I got back in the saddle this september, I set my app for 1.5 lbs a week. The calorie level for 2/lbs week was just too low for me to function on at that point in time. Right now at my current height/weight, it has my limit at 1619. I don't eat 1619 every day, instead I shoot for a range between 1400-1600 a day, which puts me at a loss of anywhere between 1.5-2.5 lbs/week.

I don't want to get to the 1200-1400 range until I lose a little more weight as I don't want to plateau at that level and have nowhere else to go!

I think it's all a matter of finding your "sweet spot" where you feel satisfied, but you're still losing at a comfortable rate. It's definitely not an exact science.

This is a common misconception when it comes to weight loss and in the end eating less than you should will cause more damage than good when it comes to maintenance. For your weight and activity level I think 1400 sounds a little more realistic.

That said plenty of people lose and maintain just fine at 1200. But from what I've seen those people are very good at getting their cals from the most wholesome foods. If you're losing at 1400 I'd stay there and if you stall you can always drop to 1200 later.

As for what I'm comfortable with, as many cals as I can eat and still lose weight. Right now with my activity level thats 1600-1800 with a couple 2000+ days. But I am very active and need those cals. When I was less active I was losing around 1400-1700.

I was too hungry at 1200 so I went up to 1400 and it has worked well.

I'm trying to be conscious of if I'm really "just not needing those extra calories" vs "starving myself." I don't want to say, "lol well this cheesecake is 300 calories and I could use some more, so c'mere cheescake!" you know? In my mind, I just don't really need the cheesecake, or whatever it is.

I was thinking about trying this out for 2 weeks, and then going back to the 1400's. I just wanted to try something different, trying to get to 170 as fast as I could just so I could feel some relief, I guess.

It sounds like you are on the right track, both with food and exercise. Again, I would suggest a few extra minutes of exercise daily, upping your calories by maybe 100-200 with healthy food...AND: give it a couple of months. Two weeks isn't really enough time to be sure what's happening. You need to give it a chance to work. And then re-evaluate. Also, be patient. I know it's hard. Boy, do I know! But as long as you are eating well and getting enough more exercise than calories in, you will lose weight over time.

Barb

Before I started cutting calories, I tracked what I normally ate to maintain my weight. I was eating around 2000 calories a day. Some days 1800, some days 2200.

Because I was maintaining at that level, I chose to drop to 1500 to cut calories.

You don't say if you are just starting or restarting...but you might want to look at that to see what you level you were eating at to begin with.