I've been pretty sedentary, since I'm always at a computer and studying (I'm a nursing student), but I've started CC and exercising about an hour a day.

I don't think I'm eating enough calories, but the food choices I've made are really keeping me full ... that and my water intake. So if I'm starting out between 1500-1800 and exercising an hour a day, should I be adding more??
I'm also using Fit Day to help me CC and my average is about 1500. I don't want to get to a point where I have to go too low and would be hungry all the time.

What do you guys do? Eat protein before exercising or carbs?? You'd think I'd know this stuff, but it's funny how when things come down to me, I'm clueless!

Thanks for any help!

I don't "eat back" my calories burned, but I do listen to my body: when I upped my exercise I would up my calories some if my hunger increased, but I didn't try to calculate exactly how much I burned and eat that much.

That said, it's important to learn to listen to your body. I used to think that if I didn't have hunger pangs, I wasn't hungry, and the fact that I was a raging b**itch, craved junk food, was tired but couldn't sleep, and had a constant headache was just a coincidence. It took me a long time to learn that all those things ARE hunger, and that eating just a couple hundred more healthy calories a day made my life much more livable.

Throughout my active losing phase (on a hiatus now as I am undergoing infertility treatments) I changed my calories any number of times. Sometimes they went up when I permanently upped my exercise routine (not just "today I took a long walk" but "I am going to add another half mile each day.") Other times I lowered my calories in response to a slowing of my weight loss or a lowering of my appetite that I attributed to my lower weight. It went like 2200-2000-1600-1400--1600--1800--1500 over a year.

My big rule is that I thought about each change for like a WEEK before I actually made it, so that I knew it wasn't the impulse of the moment that motivated me, but rather a rational understanding of my body's needs.

ETA: I always try to eat some protein after a big workout. Bodybuilders do this because they think it helps your body build/repair the muscles you've used. I have no idea if this actually makes a difference.

Thanks for your reply ... I understand what you're saying. Congrats with IF tx (I also did that) ... and best of luck! I'll be looking for your happy news!!

hi SDV219,
i think your calorie intake is correct for wieght loss. i think if you gear more toward 1800 on a day that you do an extra intense workout that would be ok if you feel like you need more. i agree with shmead that you want to listen to your body and not "eat back" calories you burned. if you feel ok and not hungry, then you are probly fine.

i for one don't eat a lot before a workout. but my workouts are typically less than an hour. if i do them first thing in the morning (i.e. a 20-30 min jog), i don't even eat. other than that, i'll just make sure i'm not feeling weak/hungry prior to the work out. also, definitely a protien snack over a carb snack if i can help it!
thats'just me tho, carbs make me sluggish, even the good whole wheat kind.

Hi SDV219,

Personally I think that it is the type of calories you are in taking in addition to sodium, carbs, fat, protein. If you count all these you will be more conscious of what type of foods you are eating. You will be surprised that you will be reading a lot more nutrition labels than ever before. It helps me to keep all these in balance, especially excess sodium intake not only is bad for your blood pressure but will also make you retain water. I have learned that this is all a balancing act on a day to day basis. All your hard work will pay off, good luck !

Thanks for all your replies ... I just started CC and I thought that I would just see how much I was putting into my mouth and being more accountable for what I was eating. To my surprise, I'm already making much better decisions and can't believe what I used to eat!!

I do know that I need to cut down on the carbs and sodium, as it looks like carbs are my best friend ... sadly my thighs and butt want a divorce!! There are some days where I've eaten so many fruits and veggies and just cannot put another thing in my mouth, and at the end of the day I've only eaten 1200-1300 calories. I'm only at this 2 weeks, so I'm still on a learning curve, so thanks for your help!!