Counting Calories

[Deleted]

When you need to lose weight, do you count calories? I need to lose 15 pounds and decided to start tracking my food intake on Livestrong. It says in order to lose 2 pounds a week I can only consume 1080 Calories. That doesn't sound like very much at all!
Yesterday was my first day and I had 1142 Calories. I did also jog/walk/ and burned approx. 88 calories. So I am within the 1080 they said.

I try to watch my portions, eat healthy, etc...but apparently when you eat small portions all day long and you drink wine....you gain weight! Ok in my defense I only gained 5 pounds here. The other 10 I gained in Kansas!

[msventoux]

It helped me. I lost 15 pounds then had a whole raft of excuses not to continue with it. I've now gained 5 of those pounds back and would like to lose another 20 overall, so back on it I go.

I wasn't so concerned with keeping track down to the calorie so much as making myself mindful of what my overall intake was. It made me realize what the tradeoffs were. I could have toast in the morning or I could have yogurt, granola and so many pieces of fruit that would be the same calories as the toast, jam or butter and be more satisfied with the yogurt. Or I could have this small bag of chips that would be gone in a few minutes or instead I could have a whole bunch of fresh sweet peppers and veggies with hummus for lunch and still have extra calories left over for dinner.

[susanb]

Hey ImAnAngel,

I would advise you to eat 1200 and get down to the 1080 through exercise. The internet is full of good information on this, but according to what I have read if you drop below 1200
1. your metabolic rate will slow down
2. most people become obsessed with food on a sub 1200 calorie diet

[Jaguar]

Aug 12, 2012 1:10:39 GMT -5 susanb said:

Hey ImAnAngel,

I would advise you to eat 1200 and get down to the 1080 through exercise. The internet is full of good information on this, but according to what I have read if you drop below 1200
1. your metabolic rate will slow down
2. most people become obsessed with food on a sub 1200 calorie diet

[Deleted]

Susanb

Thanks for the information. I will try it that way instead.

Msventoux-I don't eat much junk food (except for that damn donut yesterday). I am a real food person....but I like to eat it all day long. I love peppers and hummus, but I have a hard time just eating a little bit of it. I want to eat the whole container of hummus!
I seriously feel hungry all the time Maybe I am just bored all the time?

[Deleted]

So for breakfast yesterday I had
1 large grapefruit with 1 tsp organic sugar sprinkled on
1 cup of coffee with 1 tbsp of 2% milk.

Lunch:
jasmine rice
steamed broccoli and cauliflower
cherry tomatoes
mozzarella cheese balls (about 4 small ones)

Dinner
steamed artichoke hearts
sea bass with lemon caper sauce
jasmine rice

Snack
Donut.

[Deleted]

Today:
Breakfast:
3 Whole grain crackers
1 oz of Farmers cheese
Coffee with a tbs 2% milk
Total 122.8 calories

[Deleted]

Goose and I are going to the gym. I am going to work my legs and glutes today I think. That is my biggest problem area.

[Colleenz]

I prefer the WW points system because there are zero point foods (Most veggies), and high fiber foods are lower in points. That way if you are ever hungry you can always snack for "free".

[Deleted]

I went to the gym. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill. 6 minutes of that was jogging the rest was speed walking. It said I only burned 105 calories.

Then I did 50 box jumps on 14" step, 50 box jumps on an 8" step. No clue how many calories I burned.

I also did 50 crunches and 5 minutes on the rowing machine.

For lunch I had
grilled green tomato, red onion, and gouda sandwich on tuscan bread. Livestrong says it was 437 calories but I am not sure since Italy doesn't put nutritional information on their bakery bread.

[steph08]

Aug 12, 2012 6:43:25 GMT -5 @angel33 said:

I went to the gym. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill. 6 minutes of that was jogging the rest was speed walking. It said I only burned 105

I usually follow a formula of 1 mile = 100 calories when I run. But it is actually closer to 90 calories/mile on flat surfaces/treadmill. You burn more when you do hills. If you want to burn more without going longer, I would recommend raising the treadmill incline.

[Deleted]

Thanks Steph! I will try that next time.

[Deleted]

I weighed myself today and I was 126. That is down 4 pounds. I need to lose 11 more!

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...keep up the good work, Angel...

...regular gym time will fare you well in more ways than the weigh in... remember, counting calories is "simple math" while exercising is "algebra"... lol...

...iow, regular cardio and strength training builds up the body, transforming over time the "1500cal/day" person into a "1800cal/day" person... and so on... which helps with the whole "calorie deficit" approach to losing wieght...

...but that built up body also tends to have a great CBC, greater function, and tempts Italian artists to paint/sculpt about them...

...so, if you end up healthier and with an Italian artist groupie, you could be the next David or Mona Lisa...

[Colleenz]

Am I the only one who wants to call Angel a skinny bit**?

126 pounds... I wish

[Deleted]

Colleen, but I am tiny. I am really short....about 5'1. So on me 125-133 (what I have been weighing for the last year) looks chubby.

[Reckless Roselia]

When you need to lose weight, do you count calories?

It depends which diet or the type of diet you want to follow. Growing up I saw my mum follow the weight watchers quite sternly and that was all about the point systems, i.e. she was only allowed to eat food up to certain amount of points. The points she was allowed to eat up to was decided upon few factors like her weight and height, i.e. BMI and most importantly age.

[Deleted]

That happens to me as well Miss M. I just am not sure what else to do. I am trying to eat smaller portions and exercise more. I rarely eat junk food. I did eat a kit kat today because of my damn period trying to make me die a slow and painful death.

My big weakness is REAL food and wine. I love real food. I love home cooked food. Tonight for dinner I made roasted rosemary chicken breast with roasted balsamic vegetables (carrots, bell pepper, eggplant, red onion). I stopped at 1 serving, but it was hard.

[Deleted]

Counting calories and keeping a journal is a great way to keep yourself focused on your caloric intake.

[thyme4change]

I think anything less than 1200 calories a day is unhealthy. I'm sure I could find 20 sources to back me up, and someone else could find 20 sources that says it is just fine.

[Deleted]

Thyme I based my OP on Livestrong and then after the suggestions of others I have upped my caloric intake to 1200.

[thyme4change]

I'm disappointed in Livestrong. This is not the first time that I have scratched my head at some of their advice.

I thought he would do better. Oh well, what can you expect from roid guy.

[Deleted]

I don't know much about the site. I know my old co-worker loves it and highly recommended it to me. He is a huge fitness freak so I figured I would give it a try. I have just been using it to track my daily calories. So far I have been doing pretty good. I have gone over a few times by like 10-20 calories. But it is better than what I was doing. I don't even want to think about how many calories I was eating before.

[steph08]

My daily caloric intake is usually 1200 as well. I am average height, 5'4", and slight of frame, about 110.

I increase that on running days, depending on how many miles I do.

I use My fitness pal to track calories and it gives me 1200/day based on my size, but it also wants me to eat back almost all that I burn through exercise. If I have more than a 200-300 calories deficit, which happens on high mileage days where I stick with my same eating or only a little more, it tells me I am eating too little.

[Deleted]

Steph so you totally understand how 126-130lb can make a 5'1 person chubby!

I don't want to be super skinny. I just want to get back to 110-115.

[flopsy]

I've never counted calories but when I feel my clothes are getting a little tight I up my intake of water and fruits and veggies and decrease my alcohol and junk intake. I also balance it out with working out/working out more.

Don't cut back too much. I hate the woozy and listless feeling that comes with not consuming enough calories (I feel that way right now, must eat!)

[Deleted]

I have to cut back on my wine too? Not sure life is worth living right now.

[Cookies Galore]

Aug 16, 2012 14:25:25 GMT -5 steph08 said:

My daily caloric intake is usually 1200 as well. I am average height, 5'4", and slight of frame, about 110.

I increase that on running days, depending on how many miles I do.

I use My fitness pal to track calories and it gives me 1200/day based on my size, but it also wants me to eat back almost all that I burn through exercise. If I have more than a 200-300 calories deficit, which happens on high mileage days where I stick with my same eating or only a little more, it tells me I am eating too little.

I use my fitness pal as well and I'm down to 1290 calories/day and it yells at me on days I go below 1200 calories. My goal is losing one pound a week, which, for me, is completely reasonable and beyond doable. I lost 24 pounds since January and I'm holding steady right now (it's too hot to workout!).

[Deleted]

I don't believe in counting calories and 1080 calories per day wil put your body into starvation mode thus saving more FAT.

Eat good non processed food and excercise, it really is the only way I've ever found that works.

[flopsy]

Aug 16, 2012 15:00:44 GMT -5 @angel33 said:

I have to cut back on my wine too? Not sure life is worth living right now.

Less beers, more vodka tonics