How Many Calories Do You Consume?
 

Okay girls, Stay with me! I wanna know how many calories is working for you. I don't really know if I'm eating the right amount. I did some calculations last night, as always, and here is something that might help you guys too.( I used my starting weight) see below:

To calculate maintenence calories
Body weight x 10, + body weight
195 x 10= 1950 + 195=2145 this is the amount of calories keeping me at 195. Now, I wanna lose from 1.5-2lbs a week.

1.5 lbs is 5250 cals. So my weekly intake,15015 (2145 x 7), minus my 1.5lbs(5250 cals)=9765, 1395 per day.

So I guess this will allow me to lose 1.5 lbs per week if I consume this amount of calories. Did I lose you? Try it if you haven't already.

If anyone is losing by counting calories, tell ne how you do it. Thanks:D

Well....I did that calculation and I came up with 1540. Now, to lose a pound a week you need a 3500 calorie deficit, which would mean you need to deduct 500 from your maintenance level. That only puts me at a little over 1000 calories and I personally think that's too low.

I use Weight Commander, a neat little pc thing that tracks your weight and habits over the months and that program, plus another online calculator I use, tells me my maintenance calories are approximately 1700. Which puts me at about 1200 calories to lose weight. So I currently eat between 1200-1300 calories a day and I'm currently in the process of cycling my calories to try and get my weight loss started again because I've been stalled for over two months. I was stuck at exactly 141 for forever and this morning finally saw 140. So whatever it is I'm doing is going slow, but it's going.

I apparently am losing on 1700. I'd advise almost anybody to start at 1500. If you can figure that out in nice snacks and meals and see how it goes for a few days ... then we can tweak from there.
Remember now that that is my humble opinion ... formed mostly because I'm so tired of all the confusing messages people are getting. I feel folks are being frightened right into staying fat because the info is soooo overwhelming.

I eat 1100-1200 cals a day with one free day a week. I usually end up over 2400 on my free day. Keeps my body guessing and lets me satisfy cravings. Eveyone has a different calorie level where they are comfortable. For me, 1100-1200 is the perfect range. I am rarely hungry and I eat three meals a day with a treat after supper. ;) Best of luck to you!

I multiplied my goal weight of 150 by 12 to get 1860 calories per day. I probably eat somewhere from 1400-1800 a day.

Definitely NOT starving.

Kimberly

I maintain (at the mid 140s) at around 1400-1500 a day with moderate exercise. I eat at 1200 a day to lose. I've heard that rather than subtracting 500 a day to lose a pound a week, you are supposed to subtract 250 a day and then try to burn off the other 250 through exercise. Calories are really something you just have to play with and see what works for you.

My range goes from 1400-1600. I've been good for awhile for super bowl sunday/son's bday. What's wierd is I was buying finger foods today for the party and found myself stocking up on veggies and fruits to have available and didn't buy one chip or cookie - I called my mom to bring those. ;) Me thinks me's reforming! :D

Good job Carrie! I find myself doing the same thing. I'm FINALLY understanding that I am in control of what I eat. I'm not even too nervous about my "pre-PMS" week of craving chocolate and salt. I've got those 100-calorie packs of oreos and wheat thins! (I know, it's still junk food -- but healthier for me than a bag of tootsie rolls and a box of wheat thins!!)

Kimberly

Yes, but not all of us burn 250 extra calories a day ;)

Yes, even at my 30 mins a day 5 days a week(usually WATP) I'm pretty sure I don't burn 250 calories either :) Still sometimes you have to accept a slower loss to stay healthy...I'm sure if I dropped to say 1000 calories a day I wouldn't go into starvation mode, and I would probably lose faster, but I think I'd go a little crazy trying to get in all my food that way.

Hmmm...maybe im doing something wrong because i only am taking in no more then 1000 calories per day.

What does WATP stand for?

Tammy

Calorie Control
 

I think it is Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds.

Kimberly

Lost_here84 - I don't think 1000 calories is "wrong." A lot of people might tell you you need to eat more or some such, but juding by the starvation mode thread on the maintenance forum, I don't think starvation mode is a real problem, at least maybe not until below 800 calories. The only thing I would think that could possibly be wrong in 1000 calories is if either it is really difficult for you to maintain and you end up binging or going off plan a lot, or if you aren't getting your nutrients in (esp. protein!). Other than that, if your body is satisfied and you think you can eat that way for LIFE (shouldn't be a quick fix, should be the way you are ready to eat for the rest of your life) than I think it is the right number for you.

I lose successfully now on an average of 1900 calories/day. I make much healthier choices than I used to and am definitely not hungry most of the time.

I think 2000 is probably a good place for you to start. Fill those calories with nutrient rich foods (fruits, veggies, proteins, etc) and you might not make it to 2000.

Thanks :) How often should I drop my calories down? And by how much each time? :)

I think you should settle in at the 2000 and see what happens over a week or two. You'll soon find if it's not enough (hunger) or if you're dropping just fine. If it seems to be working and you feel good, have the energy to do the things you need to do and exercise .... stick with it!

I have between 1200-1300 calories averaged a week

I lose on 2500-3000 calories a day, when I can keep that up. This is because I'm (1) male and (2) get a lot of exercise. According to fitday.com, I burn on average 3300-3500 calories a day, including exercise.

Now if only I could keep it up for more than a couple of weeks at a time. :)

Thanks for the replies and keep posting! I'm gonna post my daily calories at the end of the week.

I can't use the formula you suggested, Mia, because it would result in a number too low for my comfort. But I am having some success at an average of 1400 calories per day. I've tried several different calculators for daily calorie intake and have gotten a variety of results, so I'm just going to stick with the 1400 since that seems to be something I can handle. Actually, my pattern of eating has started to resemble the "zig-zagging" discussed in a couple other threads, although that hasn't been intentional. I currently exercise three times a week for 50 minutes each time (half cardio, half strength training).

Oopps!
 

Maybe everyone whose number is coming up to be too low is closer to their goal weight than i am. Or maby multiplying by 10 was for lightly active people. I forgot which website i got the info from. But maybe 12 was for lightly moderately active people and 14 was for very active people. Sorry if I messed up.:o
Hope you guys still love me:hug: !

I think that might be possible.

Of course we love you here! This is an interesting thread, and many of us are still learning. :)

Thanks bobbidipity!

O.K. So I've been trying to eat between 1200-1550 calories. And I have been eating like 1600-1800 almost everday this week!:devil: I really gotta make up for it the rest of the week! Next week will definetly be better. I'm aiming for a total of 9,870 calories.:smug: Anyone else have a goal they'd like to share?

I read an interesting article in a fitness magazine today where a test was done with hundreds of women exercising and on a calorie controlled diet. One group of women was on 1300 calories a day and the other group on 1500 calories a day, both groups doing the same exercise. The end result was that the women on 1500 calories, lost more fat than the other group, and their metobolic rates were higher than the other group. I'll be sticking to 1500 calories and working more intensively and more weights.

Hi everyone! I am new here, but I am a calorie counter as well. I am still breastfeeding, so I was advised by my doctor to have at least 1800 calories a day, and even up to 2000 was fine! I hope she's right, because I need to LOSE! I am currently weighing 289. Nice to be here!

Welcome Cassie! (Is Cassie okay?)

I've heard breastfeeding women loose faster than non-breastfeeding women. Just something I've heard. I breastfed my last for the first 3 months or so but I wasn't trying to loose any weight at the time so I didn't pay attention.
However, I'm sure you will lose weight with those calories.:)

Smart thinking :)