[Amberelise]

I have read time and time again that weight maintenance is around 2200 calories. Or, maybe I haven't read it... but that's where my mind was at. Stick to 2200 calories and I'll maintain weight.

I just sat down to the Mayo Clinic calculator, and at 5'9" and 161 lbs, with no activity, my maintenance is at 1800 calories. And, in the winter when I'm not working out... my fitibit has shown me, I'm low activity. Let's just be honest here.

I want to believe I'm active, but unless I'm going to the gym, I'm really not. It takes me two 45 minute walks each day to hit 10,000 steps (that of an active person). On travel last week for work, I had three days below 5,000 steps.

Staying below 1800 calories is work! I've been doing 1200 for a month and I HATE it.

The choice is mine... get more active for the rest of my life, eat fewer calories for the rest of my life... or a little of both.

But, I can't keep living the way I have been. I'll gain weight every time.

That's why I love calorie counting. It's eye opening.

[beecurrency]

It frustrates me that I have friends who can't gain weight regardless of what they do...I think I'd love to be like that. But not really...I want to be healthy, and healthy is watching my intake and regularly being active. Thanks for the encouragement - I have to live this way if I want the results I want.

[Amberelise]

Yeah, I think those friends just don't eat as much (or move a lot more) than they think they do.

Here's a great example, I really watched my food intake on Thursday this week. I was perfect. I went out with a girlfriend and had two beers. I had been really good all day, I was certain I could have two beers and stay within my calories. I ordered triple karmeliets.

641 calories.

The skinny friend probably got the miller light twice, or a glass of wine. These are the choices I have made time and time again without realizing how many calories I was consuming. If I hadn't been calorie counting, I would've assumed I had 250 calories max with those two beers.

My partner is calorie counting, too. He had a slice of cheesecake last week. One average sized slice. 650 calories.

How many times pre-calorie counting did I have a cheesecake and two beers in a single day on top of my other food?!