Does this sound right?

[runner2]

Hi everyone,
I know this topic gets kinda boring and repetative but I am not sure what to beleive in the "calorie" area.I have heard of how many we need and then there are diets out there that totally contradict what is published in mags or even what the experts say.Even Dr.Phils show yesterday showed a lady who wanted to cut back on her sweet tooth and did you see what she ate that day? Not much as far as I am concerned.So,is less really more????? Or does more food mean less?????

I guess I am still trying to find out what works best for me.I am in pretty good shape.But like all of us,there are areas that need a little help.

I have recently been using fitday.com.I log in all of my exercising and my food intake.Me,given my weight and height I need atleast 2567 calories, just to be me.Thats not including my exercise program that can range from running,step,kickboxing,swimming and weights.So if you add on another 500 cals to that(rough figure)Im looking at 3000 cals a day.

I would like to drop around 5-7lbs and I am not sure what route to take.If I shave off 1000cals from that diet,that still leaves me with 2000 cals a day.Does that sound right??? I don't think I can possibly eat that much.And to think that it also as to be healthy food.(alot of healthy food)

What about if I ate around 1600 cals, watched my sugar in take,ate healthy(most of the time:) )exercised and didn't eat anything after dinner.
Its just that I am so confused in this area.It seems like I do everything right but then I stay the same.I have even started a handwritten journal so I have all areas covered.And its not that I am concerned about what the scale says either.I just think that if I dropt 5-7 lbs then I would be at a weight Ive been at before and the annoying parts (like pants to tight around the waist)would be deminished.
Am I making any sense? I guess I just want to know what works best for everyone else? Eating more,eating less, eating more at the start of your day and then slowly decreasing it??
Thanks for reading this and any info you have would be greatly appreciated

[mogambo]

I eat about 1500 calories a day, averaged over a week, but instead of risking going into starvation mode, I do it this way:

1200,1500,1800,1200,1500,1000,2200. I got this idea from allyourstrength.com and it has allowed me to lose 10 lbs from 140 to 130. I couldn't possibly be healthy at any lower than 125, and I'm now trying to get there, just to see if I can. This method is great, because physically and psychologically it's easier, and you have a lot more energy since you refeed a couple of times a week.


Liane

[runner2]

Hi Liane,
How long did it take you to lose the weight? Are all of your calories from nutrious meals OR do you sneak a treat in there everyday and if so how many cals do you allow your treat to be?(I love treats):)
Do you eat after dinner or are your calories spread out over the day weather you eat in the night or not?
Thanks for all your help,sorry about all of the questions, I am just trying to get my head wrapped around this

[mogambo]

It took me 10 weeks. A pound a week. All my calories are from nutritious meals, on higher calorie days I eat more carbs. On the 2200 calorie day I eat the treatiest stuff, but I am one of those to whom junk food is just not worth it. I have lost any taste for most of it. Sometimes I eat sweets, but usually not.

I sometimes eat a tiny thing after dinner, if I'll be too hungry to go to sleep. A rice cake or piece of toast or fruit works well there. 50-100 calories, even if it puts me over for the day, is worth it in that case.

[Bobbi]

Runner2, those numbers can't be right for your BMR unless you are very tall? Do you mind sharing your numbers? How tall, how much you weigh? I used a basal metabolic rate calculator and a 300 pound person would maintain their weight at 2500 calories if they were bedridden! Check you numbers again. Try this calculator:
http://www.dietitian.com/ibw/ibw.html
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif

[runner2]

These Numbers sound better.It tell me that I need 2290 cals.Thats still alot for me.
The only thing I didn't like was the it said that my weight should be anywhere from 108-132.I am at the lower end of that scale.I am 127lbs,5"4" Am I really that close to being over weight.
Sometimes these calculators can be such a pain!

[kelley111]

According to that website I should only weigh between 90-110 as I'm only 5'. I actually weigh around 123 and it says I'm at an unhealthy weight. But get this. It says my BMI is at a healthy range. Go figure.

It also told me to eat only 1200 to lose weight. I was doing that and actualy gained weight. I'm now eating 1500-1600 calories and I've lost weight since upping my calories.

[Bobbi]

You are small! I knew you couldn't need 2500 to just be you! Play with your numbers. Shoot for the lest amount you can consume without being hungry. I eat between 1800 and 2200 per day and it varies. More active days I want more and less active day I shave some off. Theres' a perfect range for you. Experiemt until you find it!
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif

[Bobbi]

Kelley, I had a calculator tell me I was dangerously fat because of my hip to waist ratio and I am 5' 7", 117 pounds. So you have to take them with a grain of salt. You know what's healthy for you!
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif

[TarHeelMom]

I know this is kinda idiotic, but I'm so intrigued by what you did and wondered if you'd share a sample menu for each caloric day.

I've been using FitDay myself as well as WW Online, and have been losing slowly. But when I took a careful look at what I was eating, I discovered two things -- one, I'm still eating too many carbs (over 40% of my day's intake) even though I've cut out everything starchy except for a sweet potato once a week to satisfy my jonesing for potatoes; and two, most of the time I'm eating more calories than I thought -- on what I thought was a clean, good day, I ate 1700 calories. For me, anything above 1600 and I'm at the break-even point where my weight will stabilize and loss will stall out. If I could do what you did and average 1500 a day, I know I could consistently lose about a pound a week just like you did. That's the way I want to do it, and I'm just struggling with creating menus for myself that keep me at least mostly satisfied and still stay below my break-even point. Any ideas you have would be terrific. Thanks!

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung...smiley-003.gif Kathy S. http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung...dniklifter.gif