Thanks wormtown. I would love to write a book, but I am not the book writting type. I do share what I learned by being fat and loosing weight with others who show interest. I was 250lbs 13 years ago, I lost a bunch of weight and got to 135, then my thyroid slowly went out and I regained most of it up to 215lbs, that is where I was when I started this time, I got my thyroid under control and started paying close attention to portions and types of foods I eat. Since there is no magic formula to loose weight except eat less move more, that is all you can do.

Slimcharm....does the "Eating for Life" book have low cal recipes in it? and yep...I am the same way....it seems like the more carbs I eat the MORE I want to eat......grrrr

Kimberly, that was sweet of your husband..... If me & my husband could ever get out there in the garage and pick our stuff up and arrange things we could use the boflex that is sitting there collectint dust! lol. It is amazing how much STUFF you store! whewww.... One of my favorite things to do is to dance with my kids....I love music and we just turn up the stero and dance around alot lol That future woman of my sons better watch out he is getting good (and he is only 12) lol

Thanks for the info, wormtown! And thanks for the kind words. I did great for awhile. Was steadily losing and very active everyday. Then, in November, I found out I was pregnant after 7 years of trying (weight loss works wonders), so of course I stopped trying to lose and I was also put on bedrest due to some spotting, so I also stopped exercising. Now, I found out last week that the baby's heart stopped. So, I'm going to get back on plan so I can try again. But it's been slow going and hard to get up the motivation. I think this Calorie Queens book could be just what I need to get started again. I plan on buying it this weekend. I hope this thread stays open and other people join!

Just my opinion, but I think this is where their approach gets a little fuzzy because they don't talk about exercise and how it figures in as much as I had hoped to read. I think you just have to try a level and see how it works for you. So...here goes my attempt at logic:

Your current weight x 12 = Number1 (calories theoretically to maintain your current weight)
Your goal weight x 12 = Number2 (cals eating & needed for goal weight)
(Number1-Number2)*7 = Number3 (your weekly caloric deficit)
Number3/3500 = Number4 (expected pounds you should lose per week)

I figure if you track a couple weeks (allowing for things like monthly cycles screwing up your system! ) and average, you should be able to tell how your metabolism stacks up with the expectations. Remember, you need to recalculate the Number1 and pull it through the figures each week.

If your actual weight loss is consistently LESS than Number4, then your activity level and metabolism run somewhere under 12/cals per pound. So...maybe start adjusting downward (say 11 cals/pound and then adjust back up or down more depending).

If your actual weight loss is consistently HIGHER than Number 4, then between your metabolism and activity level you're burning more than 12 cals/pound. You could either take the accelerated weight loss, or eat a bit more and continue to monitor.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

The Eating for Life is not focused on low calorie, it is focused on eating a healthy balance of proteins and carbs. The recipes are DELICIOUS! One caveat is they dont give the calories. I had to go to the Eating for Life website and download the calorie information. The recipes in the book are designed to be BETWEEN a man and a woman for portion size and they dont tell you that.
Otherwise its fabulous!

LOOKING FOR CALORIE QUEEN ONE ON ONE BUDDY! I am interested in a one on one to email several times a week at my regular addy Calorie Queen buddy.
I have about 40 pounds to lose and am 49.
If anyone is interested please PM me.

This thread sparked my interest so I ordered the book from amazon. It arrived today and I really like what "mom" has to say thus far. I was really pleased to see the recipes included and they don't seem so over the top like some lowcal/lowfat recipes I've encountered (with ingredients I would have to travel 40 miles to find). The only thing that I can't settle myself with is what's my "normal" weight. That's nothing new really. I don't agree with my normal weight range on any of those calculators/equations. What I think would be a good weight is classified as overweight. Oh well, I'll just keep an open mind to it.

TatianaHdz: I am so sorry for your loss!! I can't imagine the stress and sorrow you must be going through, especially after trying for seven years! Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Kimberly

I was browsing through the sites, trying to find a magic solution for the weight loss and this peaked my interest. I tried to search it at my local library but no such luck, I calculated my desired weight of 185 X12 and came up with 2200!! This seems like a lot of calories for someone who only now weights about 217. Does this seem right? Also, I try to alternate days of weight training and cardio so would this have to be adjusted?
Any suggestions would be helpful to get me going on this.

Hi everyone!

Tatiana: I'm so sorry. I hope things work out. Sometimes life is so hard....

Slimcharm: I *thought* I sent you a pm about being a buddy...but I'm not very good with a lot of this computer stuff. I am interested...so check and see if there is something from me; and if not, I'll try again

Cutieshirl: Yes, the calories allowed/recommended by this plan probably seem like a lot. That's kind of the point. You are eating more; BUT it's trying to find a place where you are comfortable AND can live with it for the rest of your life. You will lose more slowly; but from day 1 you are trying to find a comfortable and realistic way of eating. I must admit, altho it 2000/day (I have a high goal weight), it's still difficult. And I'm having a hard time writing everything down every day. I hate to do that but I know I need to.

I'm back to the gym tomorrow!

[QUOTE=cutieshirl40]Also, I try to alternate days of weight training and cardio so would this have to be adjusted?QUOTE]

IMO, I don't think your exercise schedule needs to be changed. Given that you have a fairly small weight loss (in the big picture of things ) you could certainly choose to eat LESS than your maintenance cals (185x12). But, I think if you eat at that level AND continue to exercise, you'll probably see a very regular, slow drop :-) My suggestion would be to log all your calories every day--very faithfully and honestly. After a couple weeks, (and tracking your exercise too), you can decide if you should maybe drop your cals a bit if your metabolism is a little on the slow side (the Cal Queens do indicate that their formula doesn't allow for individual differences). If you're already alternating aerobic and resistance work though, my guess is you've got your system revved up.

I also find that in order to be successful..I cant just count calories because I cant stick to the calories if I eat the wrong foods..
For example if I eat really sugary chocolate..I run looking for more. Or lots of carbs I tend to overeat.

So I am using the idea of eating a protein and a small starch at each meal..with veggies at lunch and dinner..sometimes breakfast and counting the calories.
I still may have chips or something..but I make sure that I eat protein or I lose control of my eating..and eat more than I should.

So I am counting with Calorie King..and trying to eat so I can stay in control...

I have been reading this for a day or so.. and it sound fairly easy.. until I did the math. It seemed to me that the closer you get to your goal weight.. the less you lose per week. I added it up and it would take me about 4 1/2 weeks to lose 2 lbs! Is that right?

157 lbs x 12 = 1884 calories currently to maintain your weight
140 lbs x 12 = 1680 calories to consume to get to your goal of 140 lbs.

1884 - 1680 = 204 calories less per day or a total deficit of 1428 per week.

To lose one pound, you need to be in a deficit of 3500 calories. So you would be losing a little over a half pound a week. BUT.. this is not taking into account any exercising you might do. If you upped your exercising to burn an extra 1000 calories a week (or 142 calories a day), you could easily lose a pound a week.

Kimberly

Hiya guys....I've been kinda busy so I've vanished for a couple of days...I have really been trying to keep track on a daily basis if I can.....I am sorta in that uhmmmm you know stage of figuring out what is going to work for me. It is kinda funny cuz the Calorie Queens book is based on the weight I want to weigh....I would feel most comfortable at 135...that is my ideal weight I am striving for.....and I have a ways to go... So I have been keeping a journal and writing down my cals. every day... trying to stick to the 1600 and I have started working out with my kids along side of me....taebo and dancing workout videos.....I have this thing about weighing myself....Actually with all of the information I have read....one tells me...weigh yourself every morning....the other says....once a week...Calorie Queens tells you.....(heck put the scale in your gargage and forget about it) lol. What do ya'll do???? Should I just wait to feel the change in my clothes......????