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:

SJD- If I may make a suggestion....you should try to get in at least one snack during the day, around 100 cals(?) something to break up the time between lunch/dinner. It will help your body know there is MORE food on a regular basis. Good luck!

Thanks for the suggestion, GonnaLooseitagain! Most of the time, I'm not hungry in between meals. If I absolutely can't make it to the next meal, I will eat Jell-o. The 20 oz of water I try to drink with every meal fills me up. Now, when it's TOM time, I usually crave something sweet. Thank goodness for those 100-calorie snack packs! The Chips Ahoy thin crisps are a good fix! So are the Wheat Thins! Have you tried those?

yesterday was a good day
b- south beach bar 140cal
s-sf jello
l- fat fre refried beans 240cal
cheese 80cal
salsa 30cal
s- cookies 100cal
d-roast beef 350cal
brussel sprouts 67cal
cottage cheese 110
crystal light 10cal
Total 1037
I don't think I am gonna keep track tomorrow but I will make good choices and have small servings.
be back tonight with todays food

yes, I have tried them, I also buy soy chips, then each bag is like 3.5 servings, so I just put a serving size in a baggie right when I open the bag, and I can just grab and go. I dont like regular chips anymore, they're tooooo greasy

I started celebrating Thanksgiving early! I've been grazing on "junk" all day. For dinner, we had Pizza Hut! One good thing.... I stopped eating around 7:30pm! HaHaHa! In any case, have a very Happy Thanksgiving! :thanks1:

Hello all! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I'm STILL "feasting" on Thanksgiving food! I'm trying to do it in moderation. It should be all gone or I should be tired of eating it by tomorrow! Hope you are enjoying the weekend!
B: 2 scrambled eggs with ketchup, 3 sl turkey bacon, 1 slice toast, 1 c cantaloupe, 20 oz water
Snack: jello
L: turkey wing, dressing with cranberry sauce, collard greens, 20 oz water
D: turkey (or chicken), dressing with cranberry sauce, collard greens, watergate salad, 20 oz water

I am back for eating way to much turkey. :turkey:
Back to counting calories today!!!!!
let ya know tonight, I might even weigh in.

WEIGH IN??? Good luck! I'm too scared! Maybe I'll weigh in at the end of the week. I had a breakthrough today! I EXERCISED!!! :ebike: I went to the gym and did an hour of step aerobics! :carrot: Even though it was like 45 degrees outside, I definitely got heated up inside! I was drenched with sweat! I forgot what a rush I get after working out. My plan/goal is to workout at the gym at least 3 times per week for 30 minutes to an hour! This should definitely get those pounds moving!!!

B: yogurt, cup of cantaloupe, slice of toast, 20 oz water
L: tuna stuffed tomato (tuna salad with egg, 1 whole tomato), 1 cup cantaloupe, 20 oz water
S: 20 oz water, 8 oz peach herbal tea
D: Manwich sloppy joe, 1 hamburger bun, 1 1/2 cup broccoli, 1 slice cheese, 1 sf jello pudding cup, 20 oz water
S: 20 oz water

Can't wait for tomorrow! Have a good night!

I did not weigh in but i did cout calories
B- south beah bar 140 cal
L-turkey120 cal
bread 160 cal
mayo cal 180
S- 100 cal pack 100cal
D- wendy's taco salad no chips 400 cal
S- 4 cookies 200cal
TOTAL 1300
I will not be on much in the next week or two.
My daughter who has Cystic Fibrosis is going in to
the Hospital for 10 to 12 days. I will try to peek in!
Please don't forget about me

Odds, best wishes to you and your daughter-I pray all goes well for you both!

I will keep your daughter, you and your family in my thoughts and prayers! :hug: Check in when you can!

B: 2 scrambled eggs with cheese and ketchup, orange, toast, Cream of Wheat, 20 oz water
S: 100 calorie pack of Wheat Thins
L: rotissiere chicken with ketchup, can of unsalted green beans, apple, 20 oz water
D: stir-fry with shrimp, orange, sf jello pudding cup, 20 oz water
S: 20 oz water, 8 oz peach herbal tea
EXERCISE: 1 hour cardio kickboxing!!! :carrot: :strong: :ebike:

B: 2 eggs with cheese, 2 sl turkey bacon, 1 orange, 20 oz water
L: sloppy joe, 1 c broccoli, apple, 20 oz water
D: 4 oz grilled catfish, 1 c broccoli, apple, sf jello pudding cup, 20 oz water
S: 20 oz water
TOTAL: 1040 CAL
EXERCISE: 35 minutes on eliptical

Gotta go watch America's Next Top Model!

Good evening all!
B: yogurt, 1 sl toast, 1 orange, 20 oz water
L: 2 C soup, 2 sl bread, 2 sl cheese, 1 apple, 20 oz water
S: 1 carrot stick,20 oz water
D: 4oz catfish fillet, 1 C broccoli, 1 sl cheese, 1 orange, jello, 20 oz water
960 CALORIES :o

EXERCISE: Boot Camp aerobics 1 hour (day 4 of working out! :carrot: )

I back.... My daughter is out of the hospital. I will be back to waching my calories soon!
Thank you for all your well wishes!!!

I'm glad that your daughter is doing well! I've been posting on a December Daily Menu thread. Looking forward to "seeing" you around on the boards again! Take care!