Hey everyone, Im not sure if I posted this in the right place but I am kin dof new.

For those that count calories, what amount of calories should I be taking in to still lose? I read something different on every website...

I have never counted calories before...I was always a fat gram or Carb counter. So Im new to this. My doc said no more than 1200 a day to start, I am finding this extremely hard...Im HUGRY! I am a big snacker, and junk food addict. I have some of the 100 cal packs that I use when I want a dessert so its on moderation....but meals are killing me. She says I should eat bigger breakfast and lunch and smaller dinner. Its so hard because I generally dont eat at all before 10 because it makes me nauseous when I do. But I am literally HUNGRIEST in the evening...and I know that bad!

no more than 1200? I'd say find a new doc personally. I eat between 1500-1700 a day, and I'm losing. Do you also work out? The more you work out, the more calories you should comsume.

1200 sounds very low to me though!

I'm not a doctor, but 1200 is too low for your current weight. You have no where to drop your calories when you start losing because it is recommended you go no lower than 1200 calories. From all the research I've done into calorie counting, you should probably be around 1800, and then start to gradually decrease your calories as you start to lose weight.

When I've lost weight in the past, I would start around 2000 calories, and I was losing 2-3 pounds a week. I didn't even exercise when I was eating 2000 calories a day. Just my opinion.

If you eat small meals , but more often ,that will keep you from being ravenous . I eat something about every three hours. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. Most of my snacks are 100 calories or less, non fat yogurt, laughing cow cheese wedge, fresh fruit, non fat pudding, sugar free jello. There are many possibilities.

Thanks for the comments and wow so quick!

See I was trying to do just what you said bargoo. Breakfast, snack, lunch snack, dinner, (possibly another snack). Im just am unsure what to eat lol because if I try to incorporate all of those snacks in there I run out of calories at only 1200. I know if I am able to snack I dont get so hungry then I have an easier time making better choices and not stuffing myself. I try to make my snack a piece of fruit or string cheese or cottage cheese...something like that. I am just really struggling with keeping the meals in check. What do you guys average per meal?

The docs theory is I can add calories back as I learn proper portions and build muscle mass and increase my workouts. I have not been doing so well with workouts the last two weeks and I was traveling but generally I try and hit the treadmill for at least two miles and do strength training 3 days a week, then I do dance or tae bo tapes one or two other days a week to keep from getting bored. I just got a new tae bo work out called amped with a weighted bar...its awesome.

At 1200 calories + working out, you're not giving your body enough fuel for the day. It's also more likely for your body to hit starvation mode and it'll hold on to the weight.

Heidi, it takes planning. I plan my menu for the day, staying within my allotted calories. If I fail to plan I usually go over my calorie allowance. It only takes a few mimutes to plan the days meals and snacks and is so worth it.

Heidi,

Hang in there. This is a learning experience and you will discover a way to eat so that you will not be hungry!

First, I don't want to tell you to disobey your doctor. You may have some need to get the weight off fast. So take this advice with a grain of salt. As the disclaimer says, this is not considered medical advice.

Anyway, when I first started, my doctor and nutritionist wanted me on 1200 calories. I weighed a little more than you and am a lot shorter. I just could not stick with it, 1200 calories was not enough for me. I decided that I would be better off finding a level that I could stick with. I was not worried about how fast I lost weight. I just wanted to find a healthy way to eat and lose weight.

I gave myself a calorie range of 1500 to 1800 calories and really tried to stay closer to 1500. I also had to learn a whole new way of eating. I needed some bulk foods that were low enough in calories so that I could eat a lot of them. Veggies and fruits were my salvation there. I did not eat many vegetables before so that has been a big learning project.

I also learned that I would be very hungry if I did not eat enough protein. I ate and still eat more than was recommended but it works for me. I eat often. A bag of carrots sit on my desk for me to munch on. Being sure that I drank enough water also helped! I can not emphasis that enough.

I eat a fairly light breakfast at 6:30am, 2 pieces of toast made from light wheat bread and a slice (or 2) of sandwich ham. Then at 10:00 am I have a bowl of oatmeal (120 calories).

At first I ate a lot of 100 calorie packs but have moved away from them. I found that I could usually find something more filling or satisfying for the 100 calories. I still get 100 calorie ice cream products to satisfy my ice cream cravings.

Like you, I am a big snacker and junk food addict. I still snack but they are planned snacks. I have been able to move away from junk but it has taken time. At first I allowed myself 300 calories a day of junk. That made me consider what junk I really wanted. Now I allow myself 100 calories a day of junk.

I now average 1500 calories a day. If I eat 1800 one day, I will go to 1400 for three days. This has worked very well for me. I am seldom hungry. Actually I am not nearly as hungry as I was when I was eating junk all day.

My best advice is to be patient with yourself, experiment and find out what works for you. You probably will have days that you eat more calories than you want. Learn from it and keep going forward!

You can do this!

1200 is too low, no wonder you're hungy. I would be starving. you could eat more, just make them quality calories. You're exercising sounds great.

here's a sample menu I eat pretty regularly.

I eat approx 300 calories at breakfast:
lowfat yogurt (110)
piece of fruit (80)
granola bar (100)

snack - 150 calories
apple (80)
piece of cheese (70)

lunch- 400 calories
lean cuisine meal (300)
salad or veggies (approx 100 cal)

snack -200
100 cal pack popcorn
piece of fruit (90)

Dinner - 500
varies I just watch portion sizes, usually 2 large servings of veggies, 3 oz lean protein, sometimes (not usually rice)

I think that adds up to approx. 1550

my biggest meal is dinner. I love a big dinner and count for it accordingly. I am also, not a snacker so that helps. Now, it maybe a big dinner, but it is a healthy one like 2 cups broiled veggies then a few potatoes and a meat. It was hard adding more veggies and decreasing the meat and potato portion at first but I like it now. I eat a breakfast that is usually between 300-400 calories, lunch is about the same then dinner can be 400 to 800. I have lost 25lbs since Dec2nd. I am having a vegetable beef soup tonight that is only about 150 cals a cup so I will probably eat some snacks today. My daily calorie range is any where from 1100 to 1500. I have found that I cant keep those 100 calorie packs of junk around. I have to keep as close to whole food diet that I can, but I do indulge in LC panini's...lol but that's about my only 'diet' food.

I agree, 1200 is not enough for you to start out. Cause we're supposed to start out high, and reduce it as it gets harder to lose.

Unless the doctor put you on a strict calorie reduced diet prior to Weight Loss surgery, I would say get a new doctor. 1200 calories is not healthy, and 75% of professionals will agree with that. The other 25% have never dealt with a weight problem, and have no idea what it takes to take the weight off--and KEY POINT, keep it off.

Sure, if you normally had a high calorie diet, and your all of a sudden drop to 1200 cals you will lose, for a short while, till you just cannot stay on it because it is not realistic! You will do metabolism damage, which is hard to recover from, and you will be losing muscle along with weight, not what you want to do.

Do a google search on BMR calculator (what it takes to maintain YOUR body as it is, just breathing, digestings, heating and cooling itself......In fact then when you do that the same page will show you the Harris something or another, which will show you what you need to take off 1 or 2 pounds per week. These are tried and true formulas and they really do work, almost all medical professionals use this too. (I tried to enter the link, but it did not work)

I also am no doctor, but we've all been doing this weight loss thing for a long time.

The general rule is. Pick a calorie range...say 1800. Stay on that for 2 - 3 weeks. Are you losing? If it's 2 lbs or more a week stay there (first weeks will always be higher). If not, then bump it down 100, until you are losing at a somewhat steady rate (It will always fluctuate). Then as your weight loss slows, bump it down. 1200 is usually where we stop, not start.

It all boils down to the fact that this IS NOT A DIET! It can't be, or you'll never stick to it. It has to be a lifestyle change. Whatever you are doing, you have to be willing to keep doing because maintenance looks just like losing with maybe a couple hundred more calories!!

I estimate that when I started out at 289 pounds, I was probably eating in the range of 2400 calories per day--and losing a good 1 to 2 pounds per week. It was plenty fast enough for me and I saw benefits right away. (I don't know exactly how many calories I was eating, because I was using primarily a South Beach approach and counting nothing.)

Even now, my calories average around 1700 per day--and I am still losing very nicely.

So like everyone else, I'm not a doctor and I'm not YOUR doctor, but 1200 seems needlessly and perhaps detrimentally low to me.

If I were you I would start @ a strict 2000 and get daily exercise. You will create a nice calorie deficit for yourself this way and probably be consistently losing 2 pounds + each week. In the beginning it will be much faster.

BTW, I eat 1500 daily and still lose--slowly now, but I do lose.

What Sandi said is SPOT ON.

Yes, definitely stick to your whole foods. You will be satiated, you won't be hungry and it's something you can do from now on.

Heidi, it doesn't matter WHEN you eat. It only matters WHAT you eat. If you are in calorie range, you will have success. I promise you. I used to be a huge nighttime snacker. My family would go to bed and I would eat 1000-1500 calories afterwards. I started going to sleep with them because food calls my name late at night. LOL.