anj - have a question for you girlie!

[zeraspride]

You said in another post:

btw - I went to a dietician on Friday. She wasn't all that helpful, but she suggested that I do not go under 1600 calories if I am exercising regularly. I weigh 157 and am 5'2'.

I'm 178 pounds (today, yuck) and am 5'1". You already know I exercise just about everyday, of course some days more heavily than others. Anyway, I thought you should shoot for ten times your goal weight in calories (I'd like to eventually weigh in the 150's) so I thought I should eat about 1500 calories per day. In talking to my sister, she said her doctor told her she should eat about 1200 calories per day. Now I'm so confused!!!! I don't want to be eating too few calories but of course if I eat too many, I'll never get to goal. This morning for my work out I ran on the treadmill at the gym for 20 minutes then went to a weight lifting class. My projected calories today are 1350.

Help!!!!

[zeraspride]

anj - I guess you're busy and haven't had a chance to check the boards today and I was pretty antsy so this is the info I found when I did a search on google about calculating how many calories I need to lose weight. Let me know what you think of this if you have time:

Women's Nutrition Guide

Your results for the Women's Nutrition Guide Calorie Calculator


These results will help you to know how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, and the number of calories needed per day to achieve your goal weight in a healthy, steady manner.

You need 1953.9 calories per day to maintain your current weight without exercise.

You need 1881.6 calories per day to reach your goal weight slowly and maintain that weight without exercise.

If you reduce your current caloric intake to 1453.9 calories per day you will lose one pound per week without exercise.

If you increase your current caloric intake to 2453.9 calories per day, you will gain one pound per week.

Exercise and Calorie Needs

If you exercise for 30 minutes each day, you may increase your caloric intake to 2178.2 calories per day and still maintain your current weight.

If you exercise for 60 minutes each day, you may increase your caloric intake to 2458.7 calories per day to maintain your current weight.

If you exercise for 30 minutes each day, you will be able to reach your goal weight with 2097.2 calories per day.

If you exercise for 60 minutes each day, you will be able to reach your goal weight with 2366.8 calories per day.

So according to this schedule since I work out at least 30 minutes per day I should be eating about 2000 calories per day to make my goal weight (I set my goal weight as 158 pounds). If I continue to eat around 1300-1500 what will happen? Will just wither away to nothing? Or will my body's metabolism shut down? It seemed to me when I ate around the 2000 calorie mark before I was just maintaining. I haven't lost any weight since last October. This is just really frustrating!!!! If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it. It just doesn't make sense to me that this calculation is saying I can eat so many more calories than I think I should and lose weight.

I'm definitely sticking with Phase 1 this week but if I should up my calories a bit I will (but of course they will be "good" calories"). Maybe I'll give increasing my calories a try tomorrow. I just wish I could figure this out!

[anj]

I've been struggling with the same things you are struggling with. I went to see the dietisian and she suggested not going below 1600. The problem is that I think that no one actually knows. I always hear that you should not to go below 1200 for anyone. Personally, I think your calories should be based on your current weight, not your goal weight. I needed a lot more at 238 than I do now. I've noticed that I feel crappy when I only eat 1300 calories a day and workout.

I've decided to eat about 1500-1600 calories. I think that is a reasonable number. It does mean the weight might come off slower though. However, I put your stats into fitday and it says that you burn about 2200 calories a day without exercising. That means that you that if you eat 1500 calories, you will deficit (expend more than you eat) 700 calories a day. If you exercise and burn 300 calories (don't go by the machines though, they are way off normally) that means you've deficited 1000 calories a day. 1000 calories a day over a week should be 2 pounds in a week. (obviously, though, you don't always see the 2 pounds. I never see more than 1.5 pounds in a week). This is the most people say it is healthy to lose anyway. Anyway, I think I'm going to try to decifit 750 - 1000 calories when I work out and maybe about 600 when I don't. THat means I'll probably eat 1500-1600 calories.

I totally understand why your having a hard time with this. I am too. It's really frustrating. Everyone has different answers. I wouldn't depend on my Dr. for this info though, particularly an internal medicine dr who really doesn't specialize in this area. I have two BIL who are docs and I've learned that they don't know all that much unless they specialize. It seems like docs just want you to get the weight off and have read in their med school text books that people on a diet should eat b/t 1200- 1500 calories. My dietician said that when you go too low, you end up having a rebound effect and eating too much because your body is deprived. THough she's not a dr (RN and some other stuff), she spends all her time doing this stuff so I put a little more weight on her opinion.

I'm going to try to keep researching this stuff. I really don't want to mess with my metabolism by going too low though. I'll let you know if I find any other good info.

Also, go by how you feel. I felt shaky and awful the one day I only let myself eat 1300 calories. Other times, my fitday shows 1290 and I had plenty to eat.

[anj]

Okay, I guess we cross posted. It took me a bit to write that. I'm a slow typer!

I checked in earlier, but somehow didn't notice your question until a little bit ago.

What do you think you are going to do?

[anj]

Oh, btw, my dietician thought that the calories burned per day according to fitday was a little high and more in line with what yours said.

[zeraspride]

I actually ended up editing my previous post too! We must keep missing each other with our posts. I appreciate your giving me this feedback it helps!

I'm going to try to increase my calories (it sounds scary just saying that) but I think I'll shoot for between 1400-1600. I'm doing Phase 1 Monday thru Friday this week and there are areas I can add a few calories here and there. When I start adding carbs back on the weekend, I'm going to be very careful. I think the mistake I was making before was eating too many whole wheat products and I had started adding back potatoes and some other stuff that I shouldn't.

I'm really excited to be experimenting like this. I think the right combination of fat, calories and carbs plus exercise will get my weight loss started again, I just need to find the right mix for my body. Thanks for all your help!!! Let's keep tabs on each other and let the other know how it's going okay? I know that would be helpful to me. You're a peach!!!

[anj]

I'm up for keeping tabs on eachother. I need the extra motivation. I keep getting motivated for a day and then losing it. Maybe I'll join you with this being the "first day". I really want to get to goal by graduation, but it is not translating into actual effort on my part.

[zeraspride]

We can do this! I was just entering my food into fitday and it's amazing how many calories carbs have in them. I'm doing my best to up my calories and can't get them over 1400 per day. I'm have eggs with low fat cheese and 3 slices of thin center cut bacon with Crystal light orange drink for breakfast; nuts and coffee for a snack in the morning, tuna salad with a sugar free jello cup for lunch; a yogurt for afternoon snack or 2 thin slices of buffalo deli chicken and 1/2 slice of cheese; and dinner is lean meat (salmon, boneless pork chop or chicken breast) and a veggie or salad and then for dessert I'll have a sugar free pudding or a couple of sugar free fudge pops. I don't really see where I can add anything else in there for Phase 1.

If you have any suggestions or could post a day's menu that might help me out. I never thought I'd be in a position where I was struggling to ADD calories to my diet! How funny!

[anj]

I wouldn't worry about it unless you are hungry. How did you feel today?

What about adding some beans?

I'm doing P2 again so it's easier for me. Well, actually it has never been hard for me to get in enough calories. Here was my menu today:

break: 1 HB egg (11am - no class this morning
Lunch: salad with chicken, goat cheese, pecans, sweetended dried cranberries (i know it's bad but I can't find any that are not sweetend. I tried like 5 different stores. I don't think they exist) and raspberry vinigarette
snack: asian pear
snack: la tortilla low carb tortilla, chicken breast, lettuce and mustard
snack: clemintine
snack: lf yogurt
dinner: chicken sausage, cabbage with butter, and 1 piece of lindt dark chocolate (85% cocoa)
snack: 1/2 cottage cheese
snack: 2 lc light cheeses, apple
snack: popcorn

As you can see, I eat a ton of snacks. I also eat like every hour or so. I'm not sure of any good ways to add calories. If you feel like you are eating enough, you probably are. I think p1 ends up being less calories since it's so low in carbs.

I'm not a perfect SBer. I have butter when I want and sometimes my cheese (like the goat cheese) is not low fat.

My day ended up being pretty good. My calories were around 1450. I worked out too. How are you doing?

[tree0164]

I am enjoy reading the discussion.

Have either one of you thought about going to phase 3 for a few months and then "shock" your body by going back to phase 1 /2 for awhile.

Both of you have had great loses and maybe your body is telling you to slow down for awhile.

And remember the number on the scale isn't the final say.

[zeraspride]

tree - thanks for the encouragement! I haven't tried Phase 3 but I did go straight to Phase 4 (okay I know there's no such thing) and I'm up about 5 pounds! I'm doing Phase 1 this week (Monday-Friday) to get my cravings under control and then I'll add oranges and limited whole grain for the weekend.

anj - thanks for sharing your menus. It never dawned on me to eat so frequently. Sometimes I'm hungry between meals and snacks but always felt guilty if I had a "little" something. I won't anymore! I had a "perfect day" yesterday and finished off the day eating about 1400 calories. I did a double work out at the gym (running the treadmill for 20 minutes and then a weight lifting class). Today is starting out good for me. I had my bacon and eggs for breakfast and I'm eating a 60 calorie yogurt. I've got my tuna and a sf lime jello cup for lunch and nuts and a couple of slices of deli buffalo chicken for a snack in the afternoon. Dinner will be a repeat of last night - baked salmon and homemade cole slaw. I've got an intermediate step class at noon for my work out at the gym.

I'm going to try some of LindaSue's recipes next week - like her hamburger scramble florentine, deep dish pizza and I'm making a big pot of chili with lots of beans next week too. I also can't wait to have an orange next week. Yummy!

Keep up the great work and thanks for being accountable with me. It really does help to go through this with someone else!

[anj]

tree - I basically did ph3 during for a month starting at Christmas. I think my body is just going through something right now. I really haven't lost since mid december. But as far as wanting to know calories, I've always kept tract of my calories and am just curious about what is good level for me.

lisa - you are doing great. I had a good day yesterday too. I just woke up so I haven't eaten anything. I have afternoon and evening class tonight so I'm going to head tpo the gym soon. Yeah, I eat a ton of snacks. Sometimes it's annoying, but I eat when I am hungry. Often times, the snacks are 50-100 calories. I feel like it really helps to eat small amounts more frequently. I'm so glad you are doing well. I have a feeling we are both going to be able to get out of our slumps.

I'm not sure what I am eating yet, but I will post it later. Good luck. We can do this!!!

[vessel of prayer]

Hi Guys
I enjoyed the reading. Do you mind if I copy and paste the womans nutrition guide on the golden yrs? Thanks ahead of time.

I will keep reading, for I need to do something also. I do not know if it is the otc hormones I am taking, but I am up 2 whole pounds this morn. I try to eat about 1200 cal. also. So I do not know what to do either. Thanks for being here.
Sheila

[zeraspride]

Hi Shelia - no problem whatsoever you copy away! I did a google search on how many calories can I eat per day and lose weight and that was the first site that came up so I plugged in my numbers and that's what I got. It's based on where I am today (178.5 pounds) and where I want to be (158 pounds).

anj - sounds like you're doing well. You are right we can do this! I had about half a dozen people try to get in my a conference room for a V-day chocolate fest complete with flowing chocolate fountain and chocolate covered oreos but I won't even go in the room. I think the ladies are a little upset with me (what is it with the group mentality thing that we all HAVE to eat crap together?) but they will get over it. I'm focused. I've got the eye of the tiger back. I'm like a pitbull biting down as hard as I can and I'm not letting go! I am going to get rid of these 6 pounds and get to my goal. I do not NEED candy or any other food to feel good. That's what I work out at the gym for! I used my double riser today and was sweating like crazy. It was such a wonderful work out - that's all the "sweetness" I need in my day!

Let's be strong, we can do this - we are worth it!!!

[anj]

Well, my day was not perfect...

break: egg
Lunch: salad (same as yesterday)
snacks: 1/2 asian pear, clemintine, apple, 2 laughing cow light cheeses, 1/2 cottage cheese, yogurt
dinner: cliff bar and peanut butter cookie (this is where I stumbled, obviously)
snack: SF soda, not sure what else.

So far my calories are about 1625. I'm sure I'll have some more snacks in a bit though.

THat's awesome you passed all the snacks by. I got upset cause I was lost and ate too much. Not too much as far as calories, but I ate most of my snacks in one sitting.

[zeraspride]

Hey anj - I'm checking in. Last night went pretty well. I felt a bit resentful that I couldn't have candy so I decided to have a hot fudge sundae (sugar free of course) but I talked myself out of it and had a few 100% whole wheat chocolate chip cookies instead. Not perfect but way way better than the giant sundae I was going to have!

Here's today's menu:

B: 1 slice of ww toast, 2 scrambled eggs with a slice of lf cheese and 3 thin strips of bacon with 1/2 glass of Crystal light orange sunrise

S: 10 whole cashews

L: a bowl of low carb soup (chicken cheese enchillada)

S: a SBD cereal bar and 1/2 cup of low fat milk

D: a grilled pork chop and 1 cup of broccoli and cheese sauce with 2 no sugar added fudge pops

Projected calories: 1600

As you can see, I'm NOT doing Phase 1 anymore. I just can't and it's so much better to admit it to myself instead of setting myself up for a binge and I saw it coming so I thought better to back to Phase 2 than to go off on a full blown binge. I felt better just having 1/2 slice of 100% whole wheat toast this morning - just more satisfied than with bacon and eggs alone.

Today's work out is 60 push ups (part of an Olympic gym challenge) and a weight lifting class.

I hope your day goes well. Let's keep up the great work and don't worry about the snacks. You've really opened my eyes about them. When I'm feeling hungry Im going to have a little something. It sounds like we're eating about the same number of calories. Oh, I forgot to mention I'm down 1 pound (5 more to go to get back to my low weight)! Leaving the junk alone is making a big difference.

[anj]

I can't do ph1 more than a day or so either. I think it's good to stay until you have control again. That's great you're down a pound! I weighed this morning am down 1 pound also. It looks like we are doing well! Yeah!!!! Maybe our calories are in the right place.

I gotta run to class but I'll post my menu later. Oh, where do you get the chicken tortilla soup? Is it homemade? It sounds tasty.

[anj]

breaK: la tortilla wrap with chicken, lettuce and mustard
snack: apple, 2 laughing cow light cheeses
snack: popcorn
lunch: chicken suasage, cabbage
snacks:string cheese, turkey stick
dinner: salad (lettuce, chicken, goat cheese, dried cranberries, pecans and raspberry vingiarette)
snack: yogurt, clemintine
snack: ??

I'm sure there will be something else too. This is just what I packed for my "lunch today". I have a Bible study and someone always brings snacks. I'll probably have a bit of it if it's good.

[zeraspride]

Congrats on losing 1 pound!!! We are both on our way. I think keeping our calories between 1500 and 1600 is a good thing.

The chicken cheese enchillada soup is by Progresso. It's their carb monitor soup and I'm so glad it's still around (at least for now). I had 2 cans squirreled away in the back of my cupboard and I didn't want to bring in tuna (again) so I thought this was a good choice. The soup is very filling. It's 200 calories for half the large can and 400 for the whole can. Since that's all I'm eating for lunch, I'll eat most of it for sure. I hope they don't stop selling it like so many other lc stuff. Most of it is junk I know but this soup has lots of veggies and tastes so good!!!

I'm so glad you understand about my not being able to stay on Phase 1 for a whole week. I sort of felt like a failure at first but then I thought there is no reason to torture myself. I have my eating back under control and that was my real purpose in going back to basics. Thanks for understanding. It's funny how we think alike sometimes!

I've got to get to the gym in a few minutes, just wanted to say WTG!!!

[anj]

Well, today didn;t go as well as planned. I had a big pumpkin muffin - which was not part of today's plan. Otherwise, everything was fine.

My calories for the day were 1600. I didn't exercise.

[zeraspride]

Mornin' anj! I'm checking in. Happy to report that I'm down another pound!! Woohoo!!! Only 4.5 pounds to go to get back to my low weight. I'm so glad I added back the grains. I feel much more satisfied this way and am still keeping my calories within acceptable limits.

The muffin you ate doesn't sound like it was too bad. And most important you kept your calories right where they should be. I had 1/2 cup of cole slaw (homemade) to my dinner last night because the small boneless pork chop and cup of broccoli wasn't enough. We just have to be flexible and gentle with ourselves sometimes. I hope you can get in a work out today. I am doing an advanced step and sculpt class at the gym. It's an early class, starts at 11:15 and it's always packed. But it should be fun at usual.

Here's my menu for today:

B: 1 cup of ww cereal with 1 cup of 1% milk, 2 thin slices of center cut bacon, 1 whole egg and 1 egg white scrambled with a slice of lf cheese

S: 10 cashews

L: tuna salad and 1 package of ww SBD crackers (100 calories for the crackers)

S: 1 SBD chocolate cereal bar and 1/2 small carton of 1% milk

D: 1 grilled chicken breast and 1 cup of homemade coleslaw for evening snack I'll probably have 1 or 2 n/s/a fudgepops

This is about 1600 calories.

I'm feeling pretty much in control and can't believe how loose fitting my turtleneck is on me this morning. I guess all those push-ups are paying off!!

Have a great day anj - I'll be thinking about you!

[anj]

Wow - you are doing amazing!!

Yeah, you are right. I stayed within my calories so I'm fine with that. I'm a little upset that I didn't exercise, but it was probably the best choice because I was going to go late and I have to be up early for a fasting blood test, so I wouldn't have had enough sleep. I can still get my 5 days in this week as long as I workout Th, Fr and Sat.

THanks for the encouragment. It's been really helping me to have to put my menus here. We are going to get to goal. How many pounds do you have to get to goal? 14.5? I'm at 21. We are both close!

[zeraspride]

You only have 21 pounds to go? Congrats that's really close! I would honestly like to get to 160-something on the scale. If could maintain between 165 and 169 I would be a happy camper. As of today that means I need to lose 12.5 pounds. I'm so excited for us both!!!

It helps me to be able to post here with you too. It's like our own sub support group of already great and supportive main group. I have also notice we have close to 200 views so I guess there are other people out there on the Beach interested in what we are doing.

Note to any lurkers: You can join us if you like! We're just plugging away trying to figure out what works for us while still sticking to the tenents and principles of the SBD program.

[anj]

12.5 pounds! You'll be there in no time. I had to do a fasting blood test so I didn't get to eat until a bit ago. I should have gone in earlier, but I just couldn't not convince myself to move quicker this morning. I ended up missing my class cause I couldnt get back on time. Anyway, because I was so hungry, I ate a lot.

Okay, here 's my menu. I'm not sure about dinner yet.

break: lc tortilla with chicken and mustard
snack: 8 oz tabouli salad (tomato parsely, lemon, bulgar, mint, salt and olive oil) this stuff is so addictive! (240 calories)
lunch: chicken sausage, snap green beans
snacks: yogurt, apple, 2 laughing cow light cheese, tomato soup
dinner: ??
snacks:

It's funny because we are about the same height (I'm actually 5'1.5" - I just say 5'2" and over ten pounds difference, but we wear the same size pants. I wear size 12 right now too! You must be all muscle!!!

[zeraspride]

I'll tell you something, I actually hate to say what size I wear because I'm afraid people will thinking I'm lying but it's true. I do wear 12's and a lot of 10's too. The 2 new slacks I bought are both size 10 and even though they are a little snug in the thigh, they are a bit baggy in the booty area. I'm big boned and very muscular and yes, it's funny that we wear the same size! I just feel funny saying it sometimes but now that I think about it, it's something to be proud of and not ashamed or embarassed by it.

I can be so silly sometimes being worried about what people think of me. I gotta stop doing that to myself.

You're doing great!!! Are you going to get in a work out today? I had that early step class and I'm so sore that I don't even want to get up from my desk right now and go make copies! Yikes. It's a good sore, if you know what I mean but still. Yikes!

[anj]

That's awesome that you can wear 10s and 12s. You should definitely be proud. I am going to workout today. I'm going to do the elliptical mainly (and maybe try to run a bit - my ankle is feeling a bit better, but I don't want to hurt it again) and then lower body weights.

I ate a piece of pizza today. Argh...I cannot pass up free food. I went to a speaker at lunch and there's always free pizza. It smelled so good. It was thin crust, at least and I had 2 very small pieces. I almost let that wreck my day. I was going go find more