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.

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!

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?

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.