Ok... so... my goal calorie count is around 1500 to 1600. I want to lose weight... but because I AM running in the evenings (and doing horseback riding) now... I don't want to go to 1200 calories... especially with my height and age (17 at 5'11").

Well... I ate today what I thought was a pretty good day, apart from the 20 m&ms I stole from my little bro's giant bag. I thought I was eating well... maybe even too much.

Well... I entered my numbers into a calorie counter (caloriecount.about.com).

I have a total of 991 calories (approximately)... including dinner which I haven't even eaten yet. I don't eat much at dinner.

Well... today is a semi-normal day in AMOUNTS. Now... what I actually eat... that usually gives me more calories... but I eat generally around this amount. I feel as though I'm stuffing my face... and occasionally... yes... I do... but this is my general amount... recently at least. Not because I'm constantly thinking "I'm going to be fat if I eat this", or trying to starve myself... but I'm eating less, and eating only what I need to not be hungry anymore. Which I thought was good.

But 991 calories? INCLUDING a dinner with steak, green beans, corn, and tater tots?

I'll bring carrots and other vegetables to school tomorrow... but I honestly don't think that I'm going to get my calorie count much higher than 1300 or 1400 even if I had a ton of those.

Should I just lower my calorie count to 1400 or 1200? Or... what's going on?

I'm honestly really confused.

Tell us exactly what you ate all day, give me a list

Ok. With a couple of these where I don't know the exact amount I am averaging up a bit (like with the coffee).

Breakfast -

A little over a cup of cheerios (the plain cheerios) - 132
A little over a cup of Coffee - 5
Milk (in both coffee and cheerios, around 2 fl oz of it, I don't put much in my cheerios or coffee) - 35

I was FULL after this.

Lunch -
Ham Sandwhich (should have eaten more... but this FILLED me up... and I didn't feel like eating anything more, and I calculated the calories based off of the ingredients, whole grain bread and turkey ham) - 250

Dinner -
1 Ear of Corn - 90
1/2 a serving of Chuck Beef Steak (the spices used are calorie free all-natural stuff... and I rarely eat more than half a serving of steak) - 70
1 Serving of green beans - 30
9 Tater Tots (1 serving, I rarely eat much of these either) - 150


Snacks -
Around four cups worth of Diet Dr. Pepper... I am estimating the highest amount here - 20
20 M&Ms - 70
1 Medium sized Banana - 100


Altogether, at the highest:

952 (lower than my original amount b/c I didn't end up putting the unsalted butter on my corn)


And I'm going running in a little less than an hour. For around 35 minutes (walk and jog... not really running. C25K W1D2). And that averaged on Calorie Count to a little over 300 calories.

I might have some rasberries later... but since they're sour... I probably won't eat many of them (maybe like... 1/3 of a cup at the most). My amounts that I normally eat (not including those days when I just absolutely stuff my face... days I abhor any connection with) are about the same... I just eat more unhealthy things than this... things that have higher calorie counts just as themselves. But the serving sizes are about the same...

What are you using to calorie count? Sparkpeople? DailyPlate?

Did you put sugar in your coffee? Or Mayo/Mustard in your sandwich?

I do think you are slightly under-estimating. Are you measuring out the portions or are you eyeballing them? Your "just over a cup" might be a cup and a half" and your 2 oz's of milk could be more, and so on.

I have the exact same problem. I added up all of my calories for the day and it said 920. I don't it either! I hope someone can offer some advice to help you!

I don't put sugar in my coffee. The only coffee related drink in which I put sugar is a frappucinno... and I'm not having any of those for a while. (except for maybe in a week or two I might grab one of those 150 calorie ones)

I hate mayo and mustard, and I didn't put ketchup on my ham sandwhich either. Like I said, all I had on my ham sandwhich was... well... bread and ham. That's it. I don't like other stuff on it. Makes it less appetizing for me.

I'm not just eyeballing... I am measuring. I measure out pieces, slices, not necessarily specific cups when it comes to my breakfast (I'm rushing out the door at that point... ).

I am using Calorie Count. Caloriecount.about.com

My just over a cup of cheerios was based on what I've poured out for myself before. All of our bowls are exactly the same size. A cup makes about one inch of a lip. What I had this morning was around an inch.

With the milk... I literally pour in just enough in my coffee for it to turn from black to a slightly lighter brown (which is hardly anything), and maybe more around a fourth of a cup in my cereal. Is that around 2 ounces? I'm terrible with ounces and so on.

But even with a couple of those little things... it doesn't bring the total up to more than around 1100, MAYBE 1200 or 1300 depending on what exactly the stuff is.


I just went for a run/walk. The C25K Week 1 Day 2. I then stopped off at Starbucks on my way back for a drink of water. That filled me. I did 30 minutes of the C25K, and then around 15 minutes walking to Blockbuster/Starbucks (had to get a movie from Blockbuster) and them home again.

I'm not skinny. I'm 215 lbs. I have eaten a lot of candy in the past... which brought my calorie count way up... like I said. And there are occasions where I just binge... and binge... so that's why I'm at that weight.

But... I also ride horses. I'm getting an average of 300-400 calories burned off by PLANNED exercise alone. A diet of 1000 calories... or even 1200 won't work for me... will it?

Now that I'm eating healthier... and slightly smaller portions... I'm just not hungry... but all of these healthy foods have much smaller calorie counts... so yeah... I don't know...

Wow, well that all looks like that maybe wouldn't fill me up, but you're right. Even if you're underestimating you're doing so by maybe only a couple hundred.

Bring yourself to 1200 - 1300 at least by eating tuna, veggies, a few pieces of cheese.

Just a thought... I might suggest cutting out, or cutting down on, the diet soda. Not for calories, but because it might be filling you up/satisfying you so that you don't want anything to eat.

Which is great for those of us struggling to stay *under* our calorie counts! But for you, especially since you are young and still growing, I think you would be better off with an extra serving or two of veggies to fill you up instead of the chemicals in soda (I am NOT anti-soda, by the way! Love it. But in moderation).

My other thought was on the steak. A portion is generally the size of a deck of cards, so a half-portion is *very* small. You may have taken that into account but I just thought I'd mention it.

Lastly, if this is consistent for you over a week or so (as in, you don't have days where you eat a bit over your calories), and you really aren't hungry for more, maybe you could talk to your doctor about it? It just seems to me that at your age and height you would need more to protect your health.

tuna, eggs, cheese - some filling calorie boosters. i can't stand cheese on my sandwiches, but i love to nibble on it on the side.

I'm really wondering about the steak. How many oz. did you have? 1/2 a serving does that mean 2 oz? If so, I still think it would be more than 70 cals. Steak is typically pretty caloric.

My mom buys lean steak... and this was the calorie count given to me on caloriecount.com. Maybe it's innacurate?

It was half the size of my palm. My mom told me that a good idea of how much a serving was is by measuring it up against your palm. And yes... it was a small piece. I don't like steak.


Maybe I should cut out the diet soda. Sad... It's the one thing that has enough caffeine in it to keep me going through the day. Not jumping off the wall... but keep me awake. Coffee does nothing for me in that respect... during the day at least.


I'm really not TRYING to eat less than I should... I'm just honestly not hungry. Last night, after my run... I thought I was hungry. I drank some water... because I knew I was thirsty (water, not diet soda), and I was completley filled. I didn't mentally or physically yearn for anything else.


I did eat a bit more today... had an omelette for breakfast this morning (these days where I actually WANT an egg thing come around VERY rarely... I despise the taste of eggs... )

I think part of my issue with meat and protein stuff is that for two years of my younger life I was on Atkins. All we ate was meat... eggs... cheese... and more meat. (and veggies too... but the veggies were a welcome escape for me). I now eat far less meat... simply because I don't like the texture and/or flavor. Chicken is really the only thing I'll actually ask for on occasion.


As for the soda... is one cup (ok... more like a cup and half if we're going by the measurement) before and after school and then one at dinner too much? Because... most days... that's what I drink. I do need to drink more water. Lots more. Lost my water bottle. Urgh...



Here's what I have so far for today (I'll probably be grabbing a salad or sandwhich on the road in an hour... I'm pretty busy this evening):

(just copied and pasted)

Tue, May 25 2010

Grade Grams Cals
Egg, Whole - Cooked, Omelet B- 122 192
Salsa Con Queso B- 85 100
Doughnuts, Cake-type, Plain, Sugared Or Glazed C- 45 192
ham sandwhich 200
Carrots, Baby - Raw A 50 18
Baked! Cheetos - Sides (Individual) C+ 25 120
Strawberries A 35 11
Total Calories Consumed 832