Good morning!!! Figired since I was here, I'd get this thread started for April!

Well, well, well... it's April Fool's Day! Hope there's no foolin' around with our calorie counts! Wouldn't it be awful if Fitday or whatever plan you use were to "fool" with all the counts for the day???

How did March go out for you? I know several of us had several lambs coming in. In my neck of the woods, March weather went out like a lion. We had a fierce windstorm. Yesterday (March 31) was Recycling Pickup Day in our town. I put all the recycleables out and within an hour they were blown all over the yard and into the lot next door!!! At least, I got a lot of steps in while collecting them all!

Anyway, hope things go well for everyone this month! Onward and downward, everyone!

Morning all .

March went out like a lion here too, we had our first bad thunderstorm of the season last night. April will probably be the same.

Yesterday's deficit for me was 1000 again, I'm pretty happy as I've had 3 x 1000 deficits this week. I should lose a lb, weighing on Monday before gym so I'll let you know!

It's April!? How did that happen?!?

Good morning all!
I did a fitday report just because Lena mentioned that it was a new month. In all of March ... I lost a grand total .... of 3 whole pounds?!?
I averaged just under 1600 cals.
Did not exercise 5 days ... that's not too bad.

So in April ... if I could wiggle those average calories down a smidge and make sure I do weights and cardio everyday (or lets say I miss 3 days or less) ... I should have a very nice productive month.

Hi fellow calorie counters,

I hope you don't mind if I join. I've been meaning to for awhile, but the threads were long and I wasn't sure which one to join - and this one just started! I need the support badly.

I've been calorie-counting for 5 weeks straight, going on the 6th week Monday. I am proud of myself for sticking to it but recently I've had a bad spell of eating...and I was about to just throw in the towel, like usual. Then after some contemplation, I realized I just have to get through this and it will get better - because any other weight loss plan is just some form of decreasing food intake - and I love the relative freedom of calorie counting. It's easy and I could see myself doing it for the rest of my life - it takes what, maybe 10 minutes a day? I'm just glad I feel back on track, but for Monday's weigh-in I'm most definitely expecting a gain as most of this week was a binge.

I've been losing roughly 1-2 lbs a week, on average just over 1800 calories per day. My exercise is walking about 30-40 minutes 4-5 days a week.

Thanks for having me here

Good Morning all! I accidentally posted in the March thread..oops..Well March went out like a lion here in SD too! Wow was the wind strong yesterday.
Lena: I couldn't even get the bags to stay for 1 sec so I had to wait for the garbage man and then put them out....
Lynne: We haven't had a bad thunderstorm here yet but its supposed to be here on Sunday...(no tornados I hope)
Cyndy..I have not been here long either but the girls here are terrific and so friendly! I have tried so many other things but you are right I can see myself doing this for the long haul!...congrats on your loss so far!
Susan: Wow..I think that 3 lbs is great ..you are so close to goal...! congrats!
Have a great day all see ya later! Blyn

Hello and Cyndy!!! I'm so glad you're here and I'm even happier that you posted what you did! I could have written the exact same post (see below), except for I slacked up on exercising, whereas you slacked on food choices.

I'm so glad we're both going to stick it out! We're strong folks and we can do this!

I think this was why I was sort of silent this week. Well, silent for me (Yes, I admit I'm a posting chatterbox!)! I just felt off this week -- like things weren't clicking like they should. Winter doldrums? Spring fever? Who knows.

Supposedly, I'm shooting for 1,000 calorie deficits every weekday. This week has been not so good. Only hit 1,000 two days and those two days I just barely squeaked over 1,000. I somehow managed to take the entire week off from deliberate exercise, so no wonder.

The scale hasn't been too good to me, either. Slowly crept UP all week after a low on Tuesday. Ended up with a net gain over last week. ((sigh))

Just like Cyndy, I started out March like gangbusters, but the wheels fell off this past week. Oh well, I'll start fresh on Monday. New month, new start, right?

Thanks for warm welcome, BlynC and Lena I always feel like an intruder and then when people are so nice I get all warm and cuddly hehehe. I feel very at home here now.

Today went sooo much better than the past few. I am sitting at 1359 and I was not hungry much at all today, it was an easy eating day. I made a really good cheese noodle casserole for lunch, my mom made perogies for dinner...yum!

Just a question...Excuse my ignorance, but what does "1,000 calorie deficits" mean exactly? How many calories do you eat? Just curious! Thanks in advance for clarifying.

I hope I don't eat too much else tonight! I may be able to salvage my weigh in for Monday to some small degree.

Oh yes, and I forgot to mention that I walked for 45 mins today. I started by walking on the treadmill while watching tv, and then finished off by listening to music. It went by really fast.

Good luck with the exercising this week, Lena. Just put your mind to it and I have full confidence you will do it. I always find Spring easier to get myself going. It feels like a new beginning to me, with all the beautiful new grass and flowers. I am also ecstatic because I finish up my undergrad degree in a few weeks!

I'm pretty confident in fresh starts, too, Cyndy!

As far as what's meant by a 1,000 calorie deficit? Well, the basic basic of weight loss is Calories Burned have to exceed Calories Eaten, yes? The difference between the two, then, is the Deficit. The opposite (which you probably don't want) would be a Surplus, where Calories Eaten exceeds Calories Burned.

All things being equal, if you have an average deficit of 500 calories a day, theoretically you should lose about 1 pound in a week (500 calorie deficit times 7 days a week = 3,500 calories = 1 pound). Likewise, a 1,000 calorie deficit should work out to about 2 pounds in a week. This rate (1,000 deficit, give or take) results in what is considered to be a healthy rate of loss.

I say "all things being equal" because there are a lot of other factors in there that will influence whether or not the body releases the pounds on schedule. But that, in a nutshell, is how the system works!

Hope that clears it up a bit!

Oh, by the way, a lot of us use computer food diaries to assist in some of the math. Otherwise, the calorie counting task could be just mind-boggling, especially once you start trying to calculate calories burned. Are you using a food diary of some sort?

Yay yay! After all my concern this week my official weigh in Saturday did show me down an even 2 pounds from last weeks weigh in. I guess we just have to have faith in what we're doing. I've been making it into the gym a lot more and I know that is making a difference. If I don't work out I can't hit a 1000 calorie deficit because that drops me below 1200 calories so working out is definately the key for me. I'm also trying out Nutridiary instead of FitDay on a tentative basis. So far I am liking a lot of things better, everything seems to be all in one place as opposed to flipping all over FitDay and having to do my own math. Things I don't like are that I can't track all of my nutrients and I can't enter in a custom food as being a cup. Guess I'll have to invest in a food scale? Anyway, I'm feeling great and I'm super positive right now... I think April's going to be a great month for all of us!

Hey Lena, thanks for the clarification! That's what I had in mind when I asked. I guess I find it a little confusing because how do you know what kind of deficit you are creating? For example, do you use those calculators to figure out how many calories you need to maintain, and then subtract either 500 or 1000, depending on how fast you want to lose? Sorry for all the questions lol

I personally don't use food diaries. I have tried numerous times over the past few years with FitDay, but for me it is not effective. I can see why people love it as it calculates so many different things for you. But me - I'm a simplistic gal - I just try to eat healthy as often as possible and track calories on my own Excel sheets. I don't have to look for the foods, I always know what I've eaten and am pretty bang-on with portions. I, unfortunately, have been a calorie counter since the 7th grade, so I know calories in food better than I think I would like to! At least know I'm putting that knowledge to good use now.

I take the total calories for one week and figure out my average per day, and keep track of my weekly weight. Takes no time at all, is very easy and that's my goal - so I can see myself doing this because it is natual and efficient. Whew, that was long-winded! Maybe once I'm more into this in terms of time, I may start tampering with a food diary to check out nutrients etc.

Well today the time changes........Hope everyone has a fantastic Sunday

Morning .

Had a deficit yesterday of probably around 200, treat myself to a muffin and latte in the afternoon but couldn't find any count for the muffin so going to guess it was around 300.

Also, I got another compliment yesterday! Went for a haircut and my hairdresser told me he noticed I have lost a lot of weight . They are just flooding in this week!

Ah, I don't know what it is, today was a royal mess up. I ate okay most of the day, but once I went over my calories I completely gave up and ate whatever. Tomorrow is my weigh in day and I'm not sure if I should because it may set me off again to see weight gained. I just can't help but be so MAD and want to scream at myself because I'm going on six weeks and I'd have at least liked to be in the 130's by now...but I won't be...Argh, this is not going according to plan at all, and it's completely my doing.

Sorry, I shall end my rant now. I just want to cry.

I hope the rest of you did better

Chin up Cyndy. It's the averages that count. If you are under most of the time, one day is not going to ruin everything. Fourteen pounds in six weeks was a fairly ambitious goal. You've done well, in the grand scheme of things, to have lost 5 lbs. That's good, really, it is.

I had a deficit of over 1000 cals yesterday. Very odd for me. And the good news is that I really did do it by exercising. Every time I was bored (very quiet Sunday) I just did something else.

Thanks Susan. You are right, it is about the averages. Good job on the calorie deficit yeterday. That is one good thing I did, when I was bored I went for a really long walk with my friend. Oh, and I should be more articulate when I write! My goal was just to be anywhere in the 130's - so around 137 rather than still in the 140's - which I am as of today - up to 142.5. Oouch, depressing.

Anyways, onward! Have a great day everyone.