I was using fitday the past 3 days to enter in my food. I've changed a LOT about my diet... no more soda, no high fat products (cheese and such) and eating lots more veggies and such! My meals have been exact portion sizes and everything... yet I still hit about 1800 calories per day! I would love to cut back to 1500 but I think I'd almost be starving myself if I did that!

Is this just me thinking crazy?

Right now, you'll probably still lose at 1800. If it's healthy and balanced, and you feel satisfied, then stick with it for a while. If you eat that much and exercise, even a moderate amount a few tiems per week, you'll lose a little more. Then, when you hit a plateau -- meaning going several weeks without losing -- then you can try to knock a few hundred off every day.

It's better to have a diet you can live with and lose slowly than force yourself to do something more strenuous and stress yourself out about it.

Yup, what she said. Once your stomach starts shrinking, so will the amount of food you consume. I wasn't counting calories back when I first started in the 240s, but I ate nearly double what I do now, and still lost weight, because I ate all the right foods.

Thank You ladies

Today I am actually at 1561 (I just finished inputting to fitday from my palm pilot where I record throughout the day!)

It's amazing how much I used to eat without even thinking about it!! I'm sickened by it, and hope I don't backslide!

I also started exercisign today! I went for a 20 minute walk with my husband and dog It was a quick pace as my husband walks daily and likes to go quicker! I'm in a bit of pain but a good pain I'm hoping to get this workout daily!

It's just so discouraging at first!

Hi Jacque ~ I, too, can lose at 1800. I started at 245 and have lost 18 lbs. so far!

My situation sounds a lot like yours. I can lose 2 pounds a week by eating 2100-2300 calories a day. I do work out. About 1-2 hours a day, but I think even if I cut out the exercise, I could still lose on 1800. It freaks me out to think how much I had to be eating at 208 with no exercise. I guess I have a high metabolism. I have never compromised it by very low calorie diets, maybe that has something to do with it. I am in absolute wonder at women who have to eat around 1200 calories a day. I really don't think I could do it without stapling my mouth shut! My advice is too keep doing what you're doing right now and give it a couple weeks and then adjust your calories as needed. Up them if you're losing too fast, lower them if you still aren't losing. That's what I started doing when I was constantly hungry at 1500 a day. I do find though, that the smaller I get, the less I can eat I'm finding that I do better lately around 2150. Find what works for you and stick with it. Best wishes

Exercise...and you wont have to worry as much about the calories! Avoid low fat dessert cakes...packed with bad stuff...good on occasion!

Hi, Jaque. I am new here as well and also use fitday. I've set 1500 calories as my goal but don't beat myself up if I hit 1800 or even 2000 every now and then. I don't exercise a lot, but I do try and get in at least 20 minutes at least a few days a week. I've got lots of daily menus that are in 1500 calorie range if you would like me to share them with you. I've got them saved as Word documents if you would like me to email them to you. Just let me know!