How do you count calories? Website? Book?
 

How do you count your calories per day, on a website or in a book? I'm wanting to start calorie counting. I breezed through a small book at the bookstore and it scared me, I haven't been a calorie counter and my gosh the calories at some restaurants you wouldn't believe! No wonder I gained 20 lbs in the past year just eating out and pizza, etc.

What would be a good amount of calories per day, I'm 5'9 and about 177 right now, I want to lose 2 lbs per week and get down to 145-150 again.

Thanks

Hey there! :welcome:

I think a lot of calorie counters here use the Fitday program. You can use it free online or you can download a PC version to use all the time at home.

There are many, many calorie websites, such as CalorieKing, The Daily Plate, and more. A search will give you lots. Also, we have some calories listed here on 3FC.

You can check out the Calorie Counters forum also! It's in the Diet Central section. Scroll down on the main forums page and you should see it.

Fitday has a weight goal module that helps you to plan your calories based on your weight loss goal, and it also has some evaluation tools for your height, weight, and gender.

Good luck!
Jay

Hi there. Yes, restaurants are unbelievable, even when you think you are ordering healthy choices, they are still high in calories. I like Chili's because they have some healthy choices that aren't too bad for restaurant food.

I use the Fitday software (the one that you pay for and download) and I love it. It is so helpful. It's nice because like Jay said, it has lots of tools and reports and tracking things on it (you can even track aspects of your moods, which helps to see when you eat too much what you were feeling that day). But they also have a free online version, from what I understand it just has less reports. Good luck, it's not so overwhelming once you start!

I prefer to use a book because I don't have to be online to use it. The one I usi is from Calorie King and it is excellent , it has lots more information than calorie counts.

I use the free Fitday on the computer.

I use the free "FitDay" on my computer. It is really incredible that once you track things, it is clear how things add up.

Sometimes, I remember that I ate things I didn't track and then I go back and am astounded how my calories were over what I thought I had eaten :eek:

Hey girls,
I use fitday as well. I love it and although I do WW I use fitday at the same time. I guess i'm a half ww chick and a half calorie counter! I really enjoy using fitday it keeps me accountable and I ESPECIALLY love the reports they just make my day because it just shows my progress!!

fitday ... the free version ... and you can link it here!

NO, I signed up for the fitday online and I was about to have dinner. Even eating 1500 calories today all I could have was a salad, a little turkey, celery, other vegies, flax seed and low fat dressing. I didn't think I ate that much today - which must be why I gained 20-25 lbs in the past year - I was eating double this, so does that mean I was eating 3000 calories a day, would that be a 20-30 lb weight gain? And I quit exercising. I think my family genetics lean towards a quick metabolism - meaning in shape I could likely eat a lot, but out of shape I'm in huge trouble if I'm not working out.

How many calories a day to lose weight? Do I have to go lower then 1500? My goal is 1-1/2 lbs per week of weight loss, to get down to my ideal weight in about 5-6 months.

This fitday module/bar, I don't understand how I use it on this site, it's saying to cut and paste it, I dont' have to do that at every post do I? I'm on a macintosh if that matters.

There's lots of calculators online that will tell you how many calories you need, based on age, height, etc. Just google "calories needed to maintain", and then reduce that by 500/day.

One site said 1568 cal a day would be the goal to lose 1.5 lbs per week
Another site said 1958 cal a day minus 500 = 1458 per day.
So I'm thinking 1400-1500 will be my daily goal with 1200-1300 on non exercise days. Thanks for the help, I found fitday.com and thedailyplate.com both. I'm thrilled about this.

You don't have to cut and paste it everyday but you do have to make your journal public at the fitday site. I think that'll fix you right up.

And yes ... for what my opinion is worth ... 1500 cals will be fine.

I think that in order to calculate the right calorie level, you need to know for sure what you are eating normally (not dieting). Spend a week or two recording every thing you eat (every single thing). I am a fan of FitDay as a place to record what you eat. Then, you'll know how many average calories you eat per day. To lose 2 lbs a week, you need to reduce by 7000 calories a week. That means you either need to increase exercise to reduce some of those calories, or cut them all out of your diet. If you're just going to cut diet, take the number of calories you come up with that you are eating normally, and subtract 1000. That should be your new diet calorie level. Or you can say you'll do part through exercise ... maybe walk 3 miles a day (250 calories) and drop your diet by 750 calories.

I wanted to address this. You stated "all" as if you didn't get enough. And if that's how you feel, you're going to have a hard time continuing. Maybe it would help if you post EXACTLY what you have in a day, including snacks, drinks, etc., and how much.

A day for me could be:

Breakfast: one slice of wheat toast with Brummel and Brown yogurt spread, and one scrambled egg
Snack: apple or other fresh fruit for a snack
Lunch: low carb whole wheat tortilla with ham and light veggie cream cheese, stuffed with lettuce, tomatoe, pickle and onion, with perhaps some carrots and hummis on the side and/or another piece of fruit
Snack: light yogurt or lowfat string cheese
Supper: 3 or 4 oz. of boneless skinless grilled chicken, 1/2 cup of whole wheat alfredo or whole grain brown rice or a sweet potato with a spoon of brown sugar and Brummel & Brown, and a large side of steamed veggies
Snack: perhaps another apple or orange...I'm big on fruit.

Most of what I drink is water. I will sometimes have tea with just a drop of sugar (half a tsp.), or I get flavored waters or use flavoring packets.

All of that is under 1500 calories easy. So if you're not feeling like you're getting enough, you may need to work on your menu, tweek it to get in more filling, but low calorie foods, more protein and fiber to keep you feeling fuller longer. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but the way you stated that just caught my eye.