Hi everyone,

So after a very, very long time. of staying the same weight, I decided to buckle
down and track. My weight as of today is 179.4. I was gaining, but I have
seemed to stabilize.

Before I was very active. I have just had knee surgery a week a go, and I was also diagnosed with low thyroid. So I am sedentary, but I plan on starting walking.

My question is, how many calories? My plate said 1700, and after tracking for a week,
I found that I was taking in around 1500, and not losing. I also researched my fat/carbs/protein/ and sodium, and found I'm right on target. So my plate says 1090 to lose 1.5 pounds a week. That to me sounds really low, but it seems if I remember correctly, I did go low calories before to lose weight, uuhhh, maybe 20 years before, I don't know maybe I have really screwed up my metabolism? I have been on the thyroid med for a few months, thanks for any help.

-Rosemarie

Never go below 1200. Using your stats (and putting you as 30 years old), the site I used says to maintain without being active you need 1900. Minus 500 for weight loss without exercise and you have 1400. Yes, thats to lose ONE pound a week, but that's a very healthy goal. Plus, you can lose more then that depending on your body. A lot of people tend to stall if they eat too little or too much. Its all about finding the perfect number. I'd aim for 1300-1600 depending on the day, how much walking and how hungry you are. Some days eat 1300, some days eat 1600. The unset calories per days seems to work for a lot of people. I base it on my hunger. Some days eating 1300 can be a challenge if I am eating really low calorie food. Other days, even 1600 does not seem like enough! However, I am losing weight doing this.

Thank you, Candeka. I thought 1700 to 1800 was too high for me. It is confusing, because when I was running, it would add or calories, and that would confuse me. I think when I was running I was taking in more calories too, moderate exercise seems to be better for weight loss, you don't get so hungry..

I have also found the low calories and then the higher number is good. I almost seem to lose when I actually go low calorie and then eat more, as you mentioned.

I am 48 years old. My high weight was about 184 and I have never weighed that in my life. My average adult weight was 150.

When you start being able to exercise again, I'd up the calories. I live a pretty inactive lifestyle (Canadian winter doesn't help), but I always make sure my net calories are 1300-1600. If I exercise, I eat those calories back. Example : I burn 300 calories per exercise, it means I am going to eat between 1600-1900 that day so when I minus the 300 burned, I am back to my net range of calories.

Yeah, calories can be a tricky thing to master. Once you find that special number that works for your body its amazing, its just a pain trying to find it. Then of course once you lose some weight, that number changes.

Just based on experience I'll mention that my wife several years ago went on a special doctor-supervised diet (it was his unique diet system), which had her on about 1000 calories a day (you can see the link below - this isn't a plug). Her diet was carefully regulated to make sure she got the necessary nutrients. She said that oftentimes she only ate about 700 calories a day, and she walked about 3 miles a day, also. Over six months she lost about 60 lbs, and she said it was at a steady rate of about 2-3 pounds a week. She never mentioned anything about stalling during that time. True, she was hungry a lot, but it wasn't out of control and she said it was a regular loss.

http://taguenutrition.com/

What's a good place to find out how many calories you need a day?

Also, does anyone know how many calories are in a weight watchers point?

Thank you!

Claudia

Thanks! I'll take a look at that link.

I've been using "My Plate @the livingstrong site or whatever its called, I think some other people used "Fitday".. The site I use is easy to use, as it has everything you need, graphs and charts,

I used to use weight watchers. I think the biggest thing with weight watchers is choosing healthy foods and writing down everything you eat or I guess now its points, so I figure you can do that on your own , and I don't really have time or money to go to meetings.
I'm not sure how many calories are in a point.

I started walking yesterday. I hope to get back to work later next week.

Hi Rosemarie,

First let me say I see your rottie on the picture and I love them and am on my 3rd (lost the last two to cancer... : (

Where do you live in NY? That's where I am from originally. I have been in Asheville NC for a year and a half. (and miss NY terribly...)

I have used fit day and actually seem to remember they gave me a range of 1200-1600 a day to lose 1-2lbs a week, so was curious to see if that is what weight watchers suggests since they use points and not calories. I imagine it is similar.

Bottom line I wish I had a faster metabolism...but it just doesn't happen and I have to be patient, and that is very hard for me...especially when I am working so hard.

178 something today, yay, the scale is moving really slow, I think that's good, shows I got the water weight under control. I stopped eating Lean Cuisine and anything processed, and am drinking mostly herbal tea and water. Tonight we might eat out, oh no!, wish me luck, that seems to be key to wight loss too, staying out of the restaurants! That gets tough,
I love restaurants! Oh well at least I don't go as often, and its usually some place like Ruby Tuesday's that has a salad bar and calories on their menu.

Calmelda, the rottie, Damien, died almost 3 years a go to the day, it was president's day.
He developed complications from autoimmune, and was only 4 years okd, the pic is up in his memory. We now have a rotti mix, but Damien was a special dog. I live in Woodstock, NY. I have been to Asheville. I have done Weight Watchers, I think the calories are probably similar, I think they say a pound a week.

Hi all,

Continuing with weight watchers, watching EVERYTHING this week since I keep going up and down a lb so am stuck... it's very frustrating, especially when I work out a lot.

I think years of dieting have caught up with me. I just need to find the patience and persistence and hope this is is simply a phase.

Wish it wasn't so tough.

I am weighing myself everyday this week to see if there are fluctuations and there definitely are, so I am going to take the average this week and see what truly happened. My weigh in day is Friday - so I'll let you know. Won't change the ticker until then but so far it's up and down.. I guess it's water, sodium, SOMETHING!!!

Rosemary - Damien is very handsome. Onyx was my baby and I don't think I will ever have another dog like him although I love all the other ones I ever had or currently have. I lived in Manhattan then moved to Rockland County, about 30 minutes from the City. I'm a true urban girl so living in AVL is nice but I'm getting tired of the country life!!!

C

We get a lot of people from Manhattan here, most of my clients are from there.
Yes, Damien was very handsome, I should add that he was overweight, I don't know if that was his downfall, but I think I gave him too many snacks, (although we did exercise together).

So this is interesting, we just went to Ruby Tuesday's I had the salad bar,
( I was careful), and lump crab cake, and a glass of red wine). My Daily Plate says the crab cake appetizer is 110 calories, I thought, no way, and sure enough its 398 calories, the menu says 420 I think, So then the total calories should be around 600, is that about right? I got the honey mustard dressing and a few croûtons, I did not eat the bread. the dressing says 100 calories, that sounds about right, I guess its better than a big dinner!