Hi Everyone,

I just finished my first day doing calorie counting. I can't believe how much food I was able to eat. It is almost counterintuitive. I thought that since I'm weigh 160lbs I would set my calorie limit at 1400 per day. Honestly I'm stuffed and do not feel deprived whatsoever and I've eaten 1325 cals today.

I managed to eat oatmeal w yogurt, nuts and raspberries for breakfast. Buffalo mozzarella salad for luinch, salmon salad for dinner, plus 3 snacks. I weighed everything. I've eaten loads of veggies to bulk up my salad and fill me up. I'm shocked.

Question: Should I stick to the 1400 cals per day limit or should I perhaps decrease it to 1300?

If you're that full and within your calorie range, then you know you've got the whole "more bang for your buck" thing just right. Getting as much food out of those calories as you can is the ideal, so good job!

As for the calorie amounts, I think you should have a 'range', because some days you will be hungrier than others. How about something like 1,250-1,450? That gives you some wiggle room to go by how you feel... (no appetite, particularly hungry, or somewhere in between)
Good luck.

Sounds like you are experiencing the initial shock of how much more you can eat when you are eating healthy. I had the same thing happen to me. It doesn't feel like dieting when you aren't feeling restricted. I would stick to your plan for a while, two weeks maybe, to see if there is a difference on the scale. Sometimes it may take longer. Are you exercising at all?

Yes. I did a spin class tonight and about 15 mins weights. I'm trying to limit my time in the gym to 1hr 15 mins max so that I won't get sick of it.

Ditto that. I remember posting something similar way back when. I was actually worried that I wasn't going to be able to eat all the food I needed to get to my minimum calories - and was totally stunned and a little freaked out.

I also agree with Layri's suggestion to give yourself a range rather than a single number. Unless you eat exactly the same thing every day and never vary the portion sizes, you'll put too much stress on yourself trying to "hit" that magic number.

I would stick with your plan for now. It is not unusual at the start to easily maintain a lower calories range. But as time goes on you will probably want those few extra calories.

You did not mention exercise, but as you workout and increase your intensity you will need food to fuel those workout as well.

What everyone else above said. You and I are about the same - I'm 5'4", 163 right now. I set my target at 1500 and aim for +/- 100 every day. On the weeks that I stay exactly on plan and hit the gym every time I plan to, I lose fairly predictably at slightly less than 2lb a week.

The problem is I'm never exactly on plan!

But ... I would stick wtih 1400-1500 for now and see where that gets you. Give it at least a month. If you feel after that, that you need to drop more, you can. But I think with the exercise you're getting, 1400 is plenty low.

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I had the same reaction when I changed my eating habits and started really counting calories. It's not hard when I stay at home and I'm feeling good. Eating out or going to a friends house and other things throw me off plan, but for the most part, it's not so bad!

Keeping a range is good, it keeps your metabolism guessing.

Good job!