I started counting calories about 4 days ago and I really like it. I like knowing what I'm eating and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with getting the right number at the end of the day.

I'm not sure how many calories I should be eating though...I just kinda picked 1400. But I think it's too low because tonight, I was at the end of my calories and still sooo hungry I ended up bingeing.

So I"m wondering how do you figure out what number is right for you? I'm doing heavy weight lifting and spinning and insanity for cardio so I'm pretty active.

ANy help is greatly appreciated!

Go to: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/cal...alculator.htm#

It will have you type in your weight, height, and activity level. It is really healpful!

I'd also add that calculators won't tell you the whole story. You should listen to your body. If you feel that you need more for a night time snack, you should plan for it. Make sure you leave X amount of calories for after dinner and it will no longer be a binge.

Another thing is, as you get more into calorie counting, you'll find low cal options of your favorite things so you'll be able to eat more! That was the most fun for me, I took whatever I was eating and found an alternative (ex: my wraps used to contain anywhere from 120 to 240 calories in each wrap, simply because I was ignorant about calories. Now all the wraps I eat have about 60-80 cals each )

Good luck! Calorie counting gives you amazing control!

Thanks ladies!

rynkay, the link was really helpful! it said for 'extreme fatloss' i should eat 1440 no wonder i felt hungry! So I think I'm going to try 1600 and on days I don't work out (which aren't many) I can do 1440.

jkinboston- i like the idea about saving some calories for later in the day. it makes a lot of sense! I want the wraps you are eating that are only 60-80 cals! What brand are they?

For the past 6 months I've been eating every 4 hours. I've started noticing that recently I've been needing to eat sooner. That's going to make things tough because I work at a 'fast food' type environment where I only get one break to eat and i'm there for 8 hours a day. So I will have to like just pack some protein powder in a shaker cup and call that a meal...or something..