[schwally]

Hello everyone,

I am 22 and have about 130 more pounds to lose, I start back in May by counting calories I was not exercising unit recently. I started working out on my elliptical machine five to six days a week for 45-60 minutes, I also started doing Pilates once a week for about 50 minutes, and rollerblading recently a few nights a weeks for around a half hour. And now I am not sure how many calories I should be eating a day? Before I was working out I would eat about 800-1000 calories a day (20% Fat, 40% Carbs and Protein), but now since is started exercising I have been trying to eat about 900-1200 (30% Fat, 30% Protein, 40% Carbs). I am not sure how calories I should be eating?

[DeafinlySmart]

I weigh less and I eat 1400-1500. I think yours should be a little higher. If you start low and stall, you have nowhere to go. It's healthier for you to start a little higher and lose 1-2lbs a week. Others can answer with more exact numbers and it will vary with individuals and their body. Plus you should add some extra calories on days you excercise. Also remember that this is for life. Can you maintain really low (and that is really low) for the rest of your life? If you can't, you will gain it back.

[jqpublic1]

Time's you weight by 11 that will give you the calorie's your body need's. Add 500 to gain. Drop 500 to lose. it doe's work. but if you are working out that much your going to have to Up your calorie so you don't Plateau or If your Calories are too low your body will go into Starvation mode.

Let me no if I can help in any way John.

[snuggle]

Try doing at least 1400 or 1500 calories per day. When I eat less than that I lose less.

[aphil]

Originally Posted by schwally

Hello everyone,

I am 22 and have about 130 more pounds to lose, I start back in May by counting calories I was not exercising unit recently. I started working out on my elliptical machine five to six days a week for 45-60 minutes, I also started doing Pilates once a week for about 50 minutes, and rollerblading recently a few nights a weeks for around a half hour. And now I am not sure how many calories I should be eating a day? Before I was working out I would eat about 800-1000 calories a day (20% Fat, 40% Carbs and Protein), but now since is started exercising I have been trying to eat about 900-1200 (30% Fat, 30% Protein, 40% Carbs). I am not sure how calories I should be eating?

For your current weight of 268, you could be eating WAY more than 900-1200 calories a day. 1200 is the lowest recommended calorie intake that you should be eating on a regular basis...and 900 a day is not enough for someone to be eating regularly per day who is HALF of your weight...

You need to remember that the more you weigh, the more calories you use and need per day. If you walk a mile...and a woman of half your weight (134) walks a mile, you burn a heck of a lot more calories than she does-simply because you are carrying another 134 pounds with you. This is the same for every single activity that you do during the day.

What you should be doing, is starting out at a much higher calorie range than 900-1200. 1200 is pretty "bare bones" nutritionally speaking-and 900 is definitely NOT enough. Also, the more you lose and the closer you get to goal-the less calories you need per day...so if you start out at over 200 pounds eating 900 calories some days...what are you going to have to do to get to 190 pounds? 175 pounds? 150 pounds? This is no way to start out. You have nowhere to "drop" your calorie level to at this state when your weight loss plateaus now and then as you get smaller.

Start eating around 1600-1800 calories a day. (Like, NOW. )Your calories that you eat per day should reflect your CURRENT WEIGHT. Someone who is 250 pounds is going to lose weight at a higher calorie level than someone who is starting out at 160 trying to get to 140 pounds...

Weigh in once per week-and you are on the right track if you are losing 1/2-3 pounds per week. After 10, 15, or 30 pounds or so are lost-you may find that your weight loss slows down or stops. This is the time to drop your calorie intake SLIGHTLY. By slightly, I mean about 100 calories a day.

[schwally]

Thanks everyone for all the help : )