I've heard mention a couple times of folks counting calories and I was wondering how you go about doing that. I think I might be eating too much as I'm not really losing so much as fluctuating between 125 and 128. The roll around my middle tells me I still have room to lose, so I think maybe if I get a handle on how much I'm eating I'll be able to get back on track. Calories in vs. calories out, right?

I have a fitday account. Actually, when I went to register the user name I always use was already taken, so on a whim I tried the password I always use and evidently I had created a fitday account back in 2000! I didn't even remember it! So I've been logging things in there a bit.

How do you know how many calories to shoot for? What about the proportion of fat to protein to carbs?

I know there's a calorie counters section to this site, but you ladies are so fabulous that I figured if I could get my answers here, why step off the Beach! After all, I want my calories to be good, solid choices and not just a couple bags of candy a day.

Thanks!

Kara

I am..kinda sorta. I bought the fitday download a couple of days ago and there is a section that lets you put in the date you want to lose so many lbs by and tells you how many calories you need to consume per day to do that. I thought it was WAY too low (in the 900's!) and realized the date had to go out the window. I also realized by looking at the pie chart of what I'm eating over a couple of days that my fat intake was too much by looking at the percentage of fat I was taking in in comparison to other nutrients. I found a site that has a calculator that let's you figure out by your height and weight how many calories you need a day to maintain and how many to subtract from that if you want to lose. (mine was 1978 to maintain and 1238 to lose)So what I am doing is trying to stay within those calories (and of course only eating SB foods) but not obsess if I got over that a bit and cutting back a little with the oil..ie, steaming some vegs instead of using quite as much olive oil, and cutting back on the cheese a bit etc. I'm certainly not giving up my olive oil, cause I would rather be fat than wrinkly! I thought maybe be shaking my diet up a little I could get of the plateau I'm on.

How'd you find that site with the calculator?

Kara

I didn't put the link in because I thought it would be deleted (since the site also sells equipment)..but I found it by going to google and typing in "how many calories per day" and it was the first one that came up. Note that I don't know how accurate etc it is, but it gave me an idea of what I don't want to go over per day.

Thanks, Cat. I think we're trying to accomplish the same thing, so it should at least give me something to go by.

Kara

Kara, I've been using Fitday also, the free online one. I started back at the end of Phase I because in Phase I, I was focused on breaking the sugar cycle, and I was eating all I wanted, as long as they were SBD foods. Therefore, I only had a 5 lb loss on Phase I vs. the amazing losses some people report. Starting Phase II, I was getting frustrated, so I started tracking calories. I also needed help learning portion sizes and thought that would be a good way. I used an online calculator to find out what my daily calorie requirement was for maintenance, then subtracted 1000 calories for a 2 lb/wk loss, and ended up with 1300 calories/day, which seemed pretty reasonable. Fitday tells me to make my goal I need to lose 1.7 pounds/wk. I'm not fanatical, some days I'm up as high as 1500, and some days less. But it was a good tool lately that I've been having a trend of no apetite and not eating enough. I made sure I was getting 1100/day if I was short at the end of the day. I'm not crazy about Fitday, so I'm going to keep my eyes open for other software for purchase. Now that I've gotten in the habit, I think it's a good accountability tool.

Thanks, Schmoodle. Please post if you find something else. I have no comparison against fitday to say whether I do or do not really like it. It's easier than keeping tally on a piece of scrap paper, which would probably be my method otherwise! I am a cheapskate, so I will always go with the free option!

Kara

I had my best results when I was calorie counting along with SBD. I know we are to eat until satisified an no longer hungry, but I'm an emotional eater and can't really tell the difference between real stomach hunger and "I'm in the mood to eat" feelings. (Yes, I know normal people can do this.)

I went to visit an nutritionist a couple years ago to get a better understanding. I know that I lose weight when I follow the guidelines she gave me except that I don't go less the 1500 calories a day-my goal is between 1500-1800.

My goal for percentages is 40% carbs (good carbs from veggies, whole grains and beans) 30% fat and 30% protein. And I use the free online fitday also.

I haven't been very faithful to it recently but I'm working back to it.

I do have to ask you-do you think your weight goal is reasonable? It seems a little on the low side. You may be at a good weight for your body type depending on your build and what your activity level is. Maybe you need a good exercise plan-maybe something that works your core area like Pilates or something to tone up the middle. Just an idea-you know your own body much better then I do so please don't take offense.

Sarah in MD

Sarah, thanks for your advice! Honestly, I don't know if I could make it down to 115. I haven't been below 130 since I remember, certainly not since high school, and I was only at 130 by accident - found out when I learned I was pregnant with my third as I never had a scale until two months ago. I kind of picked that number at random by looking at the BMI ranges - 115 was low-normal for my height. My real goal is to get rid of the rest of this ring o' fat that encircles my hips, rear, and belly. The number on the scale doesn't mean a tremendous amount to me, but it's what I've got to go by. I know I could do measurements but for some reason that's really intimidating to me. So, anyway, the scale number is how I'm tracking my loss, and I've definitely got a little bit left there to shave off.

I have that issue, too, with eating when I'm not really hungry. I've actually considered putting myself on an eating time schedule to try to curb the munchie-type snacking. I've always eaten healthy foods - whole grains, lots of fruits and veggies, at least 80 ounces of water a day - but you can eat too much of anything and I am just looking for some further refinement so I can kick this blobby belly out of my life!!!

Thanks for looking out for me. I love that everyone here is concerned and trying to help each other out!

Kara

I started using Fitday again just this past week. I had an existing account from a year or so ago. Like you, Kara, I was thinking that as I near goal, I might need to focus in more on portion and calorie control. If you use Google to check for calorie calculators, you will find a myriad of resources on how to calculate what you need. Also try googling Basal Metabolic Rate.

Now that I'm back in the gym and lifting, I'm putting a strong emphasis on how much protein I'm getting (via lean, SB approved sources, of course). Keeping my calories low and protein high pretty much drives everything else. Vegetables as always is unlimited but beyond that, its pretty much just a fruit or grain a day and my olive oil and I've usually topped it out.

I'm interested to hear more on what's working for others on this.

I used Fitday for the longest time but it was such a hassle to input all the custom foods. I now use Spark People and it is amazing. I lost nearly 15 pounds counting calories with spark people before starting phase one three days ago. It lets you count exercise, water, and calories. Very motivational!

I use both fitday and the daily plate. The daily plate has a lot more options for prepared foods.

Thanks, Sary, Rocknroll and browneyedgirl! I have no clue what's out there, so it helps to get recommendations!

Kara

Hello!

Long time no hear. It's been a hellish week at work.

I also count calories on the custom Fitday for PC because, chicks, I could eat 2000 calories worth of radishes. I'm just that bad. I need the calorie count because I need the control. Fortunately, I eat a lot of the same stuff so when I add a custom food, it's one I tend to eat frequently. I came across The Daily Plate and love it because lets me enter restaurant foods, but I have to have an internet connection to use it. Since my laptop and I are like joined at the hip, I like to enter the foods fairly soon after I eat them without having to find a wireless hotspot...so I've stuck with Fitday.

If anyone knows of some software that is more like Daily Plate, please let me know and I sure will buy it. It has come to me recently that I will likely need to record calories for the rest of my life because every time I've stopped, I've gained.

L

I count my calories and fat and exercise everday, but I do not do online. I have a log book that I take with me to work and have in the kitchen and I log everyday. I actually got from my health insurance ( I joined there trial weightloss support and got free log book, scale and pedometer), I have to log for them online once a week and I find that it keeps me accountable for what I put into my mouth. I find it so much easier than fitday and having to search for foods, but that is me...I have been logging for 8 months now and when I lost all of my weight 10 years ago last time I was with Nutrisystem and they gave me a log book to, so it works for me.