Question
 

If I want to loose 2lb a week how do I find out how many calories i need a day?
Thanks

Well, roughly speaking you need 1,000 calories less per day than you're eating now ....

7,000 calories = 2 lbs, that's 1,000 calories/day.

Fitday.com is a great place to start. It'll give you an idea of how many calories/day you're eating now, and it'll help you determine how many calories/day you need to reach your goal.

Don't put yourself in harm's way by eating too few calories, though. Most people seem to eat about 1,800 calories/day, I think. (And I'm not a professional by any means.) Also, be sure to choose a plan that is going to work on the long haul. Consulting with a nutritionist is an excellent idea, and many health insurance plans will cover that.

I agree with phantastica -- Focus on making good, healthy choices you can live with for life. The weight will come off, and you want it to stay off, even if it comes off a little slower.

I also agree, it took time to gain it, it will take time to loose it (the healthy way). Good luck.

Hi Odds! I am also wanting to lose 2 lbs per week. Do you want/need a buddy? How much are you looking to lose? I'm 5'9", 179 lbs. I want to get down to 150 (29 lbs to lose). I lost 40 lbs last year eating 1200 calories.

I would love to have a buddy!
I am 5'4" and 150lbs, i WOU;D LIKE TO GET DOWN TO 125-130. I lost 20lbs about 8 months ago doing south beach.

Cool! Will you be doing the South Beach diet again? I am not on any special diet. I just try to eat 3 meals a day with 2-3 snacks. I (kind of) count calories too. Would you like to post here daily with our menus and stuff?

I am not sure if I am gona do south beach or not I am kinda on it now just not by the book. I am also counting calories. I'm kinda new at this posting so I will follow yor lead.
By the way my name is Kristi

Good afternoon Kristi! Today started off well. How about yours? I need to go grocery shopping though. There's no telling what the rest of my meals will look like!

Breakfast:
2 scrambled eggs with ketchup (160 cal)
2 slices turkey bacon (70 cal)
1 slice toast (45 cal)
1 cup cantaloupe (60 cal?)
20 oz water
8 oz herbal tea
TOTAL: 335 CAL

Snack:
2 spoonfuls of applesauce
1 *tiny* spoonful (less than a teaspoon) of peanut butter :o Why does peanut butter taste so good bet yet is so full of fat?!?

Lunch:
Turkey sandwich:
2 slices bread (90 cal)
3 slices luncmeat (90 cal)
1 slice cheese (50 cal)
Lots of lettuce and tomato
1/2 c applesauce (90 cal, but I'll round to 100 for those spoonfuls I had earlier)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 330 CAL

Dinner:
Wendy's Homestyle Chicken Strip salad (450 cal)
2 Tbs Catalina Free dressing (50 cal)
1 SF Jello pudding cup (60 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 560 CAL
DAILY TOTAL: 1225 CAL

When I tried logging my meals online before, I would post at the end of the day. I'm online all the time though since I'm a faux SAHM. I work three 12-hour nights a week. Therefore, I'm always home during the day taking care of my almost 5 month old puppy! Ok, I'm rambling so I'll end for now. :wave:

I think I did good today considering dinner
breakfast- south beach breakfast bar 140cal
snack- cookies 200cal
lunch- taco saild no chips 250cal
snack- sf jello 20cal
dinner- 2 peices of pizza 372cal
cookie-100
chips baked 1/3 bag cal 40cal?
a few cans of diet coke all day 0cal
and water 0cal
Hope you have a super weekend!!!

Good evening! How has your weekend been so far? It's definitely going by too fast for me!
Breakfast:
frosted shredded wheat (200 cal)
1/2 c 2% milk (60 cal)
1 banana (120 cal)
TOTAL: 380 CAL

Lunch:
4 oz grilled salmon (140 cal?)
1 c corn (80 cal)
1 apple (80 cal)
1 yogurt (80 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 380 CAL

Dinner:
4 oz grilled chicken (140 cal)
1 c corn (80 cal)
1 apple (80 cal)
1 sf jello pudding cup (60 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 360 CAL
DAILY TOTAL: 1120 CAL

This weekend went by way to fast! Here it is already Sunday night! I'm still doing pretty good. Here's my menu for today:

Breakfast:
1 c cheerios (120 cal)
1 c 2% milk (120 cal)
1 banana (120 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 360 CAL

Lunch:
homemade tuna salad (125 cal)
2 sl bread (90 cal)
1 c cantaloupe (60 cal)
1 yogurt (80 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 355 CAL

Dinner:
4 oz grilled salmon (140 cal?)
1 c cantaloupe (60 cal)
2 c broccoli (60 cal?)
1 sl cheese (50 cal)
1 jello pudding cup (60 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 370 CAL
DAILY TOTAL: 1025 CAL

Hope you had a fantastic weekend! Monday here we come! :)

WHERE'S MY BUDDY? :?: I hope all is well! I couldn't resist weighing myself today. I'm down to 177.5. I won't celebrate just yet with Thanksgiving being right around the corner... :dizzy: My plan is to not go crazy on Thanksgiving! I think I will graze on jello, fruit, and water all day until dinner, eat what is prepared in moderation (including dessert) and then not eat anything after 6:30pm, 7:00pm at the latest.

Breakfast:
1 serving Frosted Shredded Wheat (200 cal)
1 c 2% milk (120 cal)
1 banana (120 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 440 CAL

Lunch:
Tuna salad (125 cal)
2 sl bread (90 cal)
1 c cantaloupe (60 cal)
1 yogurt (80 cal)
1 can no salt green beans (70 cal)
lettuce and tomato
20 oz
TOTAL: 425 CAL

Dinner:
1 c Zatarain's gumbo (210 cal) (stock = 70 cal, added chicken and shrimp = approx. 140 cal?)
1 can no salt green beans (70 cal)
1 apple (80 cal)
1 jello pudding cup (60 cal)
20 oz water
TOTAL: 420 CAL
DAILY TOTAL: 1285 CAL

I'm here, sorry I was not feeling well the last few days(cold)
I like your idea for Thanksgiving diner, I think I will do the same.
Heres yesterdays food
B- south beach breakfast bar 140 cal
s- sf jello 10cal
L- light bread x2 cal 80
ham x2 70 cal
mustard 45cal
s- bag of sun chips 420cal ( large snack won't do that again, I hope)
d- south beach wrap meal 220 cal
crystal light 10 cal
s- sf pudding 60 cal
Total 1055

I need to start drinking more water, I mostly drink tea or diet coke! :(

I did loose some weight last week :goodscale but I will not count that till after Thanksgiving- for fear I will over do it :ink:

Hey! I'm sorry you weren't feeling too well those past couple of days. I hope the "holiday blues" don't get to you! I don't know about you, but sometimes the holidays are depressing to me... :( Anyway, my husband and I got an early Christmas gift earlier this week. We treated ourselves to a new computer and it is much faster than our old one! Here's my menu from yesterday:
Breakfast:
1 cup cheerios, 1 c 2%milk, 1 banana, 20 oz water (360 cal)
Lunch:
2 sl bread, 4 sl turkey bacon, lettuce, tomato, orange, yogurt, 20 oz water (370 cal)
Dinner:
1 c zatarain's gumbo with meat, can of green beans, 1 c cantaloupe, 1 jello pudding, 20 oz water (400 cal)
TOTAL: 1130 CAL

Tomorrow's the "big day"! I can't wait until it's over so that I can stay focused on this weight loss journey! At least until Christmas! :dizzy: