I've been wondering.... I want to lose about 50 pounds. My goal is to maintain a daily caloric intake of 1200. I go to they gym almost every day and according to the elliptical, for 60 minutes, i burn around 670 calories. Does that mean I should up my intake to around 1800? Confusion confusion!
I think this is part of the reason i didn't want to count calories and just join a program but, if i did that, it wouldn't teach me anything about making right choices. HELP!

Does the eliptical trainer ask you to put in your weight and age and all that good stuff? if not it may not be estimating your calories right.
Do you use Fitday? I love that sight. It takes all your information and tells you what your base/lifesyle calorie burn. You then put in what you eat and the exercise that you do and you can get a general idea of how many calories you are consuming and burning in a day. Its great.

If you are just beginning to count calories, you may find that for a while it is not necessary to have your calories at the low level of 1200. I have mentioned this numerous times in the calorie counting section-but calories burned estimators-whether they be on a piece of exercise equipment, online calculators that average out about how many calories that you supposedly burn each day, and so forth-are notoriously innacurate.

Basically-not every 150 pound woman burns the same amount of calories per day-and the "guestimate" can be way off.

Calorie counting is pretty personal-as in, everyone is at a different level-a level that works for THEM. The only way to really know what level you should be at, is to start at a higher level (for your current weight, try 1600 a day to start) and weigh in ONCE a week. Do you lose 1-2 pounds each week on 1600? If so, then you are at the correct calorie level for YOU.

Did you lose more than that? Then you can afford to bump it up by 50-100 calories a day. Did you not lose a thing? Wait another week to be sure...and if you have no loss at 1600 per day, then start having 1500 a day instead. (Also be sure that you are exercising consistently, and that you are eating PROPERLY...because 1600 calories of junk and 1600 calories of fruits, veggies, and lean protein are entirely different to your body.)


Also, 1200 calories is about the lowest level that you want to be at on a regular basis. Some people talk about "starvation mode" and all of that...but it isn't that simple. Basically, if you eat below 1200 calories a day regularly, you are going to have a hard time getting in all of your nutritional requirements. Also, the more weight you lose, the less you need to take in to maintain that weight, and to lose more-so it isn't the best thing to do to "start" at the lowest recommended calorie range. If you start at 1200 calories-a couple months down the line when you lose 10-15 pounds and you stall-you don't have anywhere to "drop" your calorie intake to, to get things moving again.

Good luck,
Aphil

I've been wondering what harm could be done if we suggested that almost everyone could try to start at about 1500-1600 cals per day. That's enough to provide all the food groups and most nutrients.
As long as the questioner stuck with us so that we could cheer her on and help her tweak as she went along. Within a week or two ot three we'd know if that was about right or not.

I think for many people that's not a bad number. But for someone who's as fat as I was to start (almost 300) a figure like 1800 might be better...

It's funny, because I do feel like we say the same thing over and over (esp Aphil!). Maybe Aphil should take her great advice and sticky it and then we could all point to it... how many calories to eat is certainly a Frequently Asked Question!

I agree with wyllen here.

There are simply too many weight variables, and exercise variables to suggest a certain small calorie range for everyone to start out at. For myself, I started out at 211 pounds after my second pregnancy-and I was able to lose teh first 10-15 pounds at 1800 before I needed to drop.

1500-1600 calories a day may be a good starting point for many who are moderately overweight...but someone who is starting out needing to lose 100 pounds or more-this is often way too little.

Exercise is a big factor as well...because we have members here that vary from no exercise at all-all the way to bodybuilding competitions and training for marathons. The calories a day variable for that alone is too great to suggest the same 200 calorie range for most.

I am thinking about doing a Sticky on this subject as well, but I am in the midst of revamping an entire area of the forum right now, and it will have to be put on hold shortly until that job is finished.

Trying to figure out how many calories to eat a day is almost trickier than actually STICKING to a diet. I have been eating around 1300 calories a day and exercising 5-6 times a week for over a month now. At first I lost 5 pounds, now I've gained 3 back. I'm not cheating! I'm wondering if I actually need to up my calorie intake to 1400 or 1500, then lower it. I just don't get it--and I'm afraid I'm messing with my metabolism too much.

I'm glad I'm getting in shape and all, but losing just 20 pounds is really turning out to be a pain in the ***.

Hi, all!

I am well over three hundred pounds and after trying all the new diets am back to basics and counting calories...

Here's my schedule. You may or may not find it helpful...

300-350 lbs. = 2,000 cals/day
250-299 lbs. = 1,800 cals/day
200-249 lbs. = 1,600 cals/day
150-199 lbs. = 1,500 cals/day
125-149 lbs. = 1,400 cals/day

I tend to be active (weight train, dance, etc.) and I may need a few more calories as I get to my goal. But I thought this would give me a pretty good blueprint to start with.

I also love Fitday and use it every day. You're right in that it's great for tracking most everything!

Cheers!

Claire

You are already at a weight of 138 pounds...and honestly, the lower you go, the harder it is, and the longer it takes. It is a lot easier for someone who is 170, or 190 to lose a pound or two a week than someone who is at a weight as low as yours. (Your CURRENT weight is lower than my goal weight of 140!)

What you have to consider here are the following:

~Is 120 pounds a "doable" weight for your age, height, frame? Do you actually need to get down to 120 pounds...or would staying your current weight in the 130's be fine-as long as you get fitter-meaning firmer, tighter, and in better shape? The reason I am saying this, is because sometimes our bodies will "let us know" that it isn't meant to be below a certain weight. 120 pounds isn't doable for a lot of people-or it may have been when they were 18, but now being 30 and having had 2 children-they most likely will never be that weight again.

~Make smaller mini goals and adjust your goal weight from there. You have a very low goal weight, and considering that you already are not far from it-you are really going to have to work for it. It will also be a slow process. It is very easy for women to lose their first few pounds quickly and with less effort...but the last 10 or so are the hardest. When you are in the home stretch, losing only 1/2 pound or 1 pound a month is NOT uncommon.

Thanks for the advice, aphil. I have never been overweight, but I used to be a competitive gymnast and at the time, I weighed between 110 and 105. Then I got injured and I gained a lot of weight over the past 7 years. Lately, I have been reminiscing about my gymnastics days and wanted to lose weight and get back into adult gym classes.

Maybe 120 isn't such a great idea for me. I would be happy with 135 or 130. I guess I will focus more on toning and eating more healthily than actually losing weight. Now if only I can shake that pesky slim fast bar addiction...

Thanks everyone for their input. Oh boy... too much thinking that needs to be done.... So, upped my caloires to 1500. So far, so good! I can't figure out what calories I am burning on the elliptical. My one hour workouts range between 650-700 calories burned (according to the machine. And yes, it does tell me to put in age, weight). I am sure it is off but it is something that makes me happy to see! I always try to get to at least 650.

I am motivated by everyone's stats!!!! I too hope to put down some amazing numbers oneday!