question about calories

[dancin_princess]

I am setting some goals up for myself (to lose about 30 lbs) One goal i have is to consume between 1300 and 1650 calories per day. My main question is can i continue to eat the foods i love (smaller portions and less often) and lose weight as long as i stay within the bracket?

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

The basic theory is calories in must be less than calories out. With that your answer is that you would probably be able to effect weight loss.

The thing is, you also want to make good healthy choices. Our bodies need the foods in the pyramid to operate efficiently.

That said I would say do what works for you. Sometimes we need to try different methods until the right one clicks.

I am so happy that you are trying to figure a way!

 

[JMD]

If your goal is just simply lose weight, then you can do that by lowering calories. But if you want to lose bodyfat, you need to make healthy food choices along with regular exercise. So unfortunately, you'll need to give up some of those food that put in this position in the first place.

 

[ohMom]

another note -- empty calories (food with little nutrition like junk food, processed food, etc) will not fill you up as much as healthy and/or high-fiber choices, and may leave you craving more. i think over time you'll notice you feel and can function much better when eating healthier foods.

taking small steps is a great way to go! portion control is certainly a step down the road to good health

 

[angelat]

I lost 45 pounds counting calories last year. Unfortunately, my thyroid went wacky this summer and I gained back 15 pounds and I also started eating crappy again.  So, I need to get back to counting as well.

The idea is if you lead a non-active lifestyle, take your body weight and multiply it 11. This is the amount of calories that you need to consume daily to MAINTAIN your weight. Multiply your “ideal:” weight by that and that would be the calories you would need to consume to maintain that weight. Now, to lose 1 pound per week, cut back 3500 calories per week (or 500 per day). I’ve jumpstarted my calorie counting with a 500 calorie budget per day for about a week. Believe it or not you can eat amazingly good on those amount of calories per day. I wouldn’t recommend it to most people though. Cutting back just 500 calories per day should be fine. If you think about it you probably consume that much in what you drink daily. Substitute your drinks for water and watch the calories drop.

I measure my foods and count neurotically though when I am trying to loose. It does pay off though. I have some info I wrote up regarding the weight loss process. If you’d like me to send you a copy of it, PM me with your email and I’ll send it your way. It’s just got some good information that I’ve discovered over the past year while looking for ways to lose weight.

HTH!

 

[mom2faith]

I’ve jumpstarted my calorie counting with a 500 calorie budget per day for about a week. Believe it or not you can eat amazingly good on those amount of calories per day.

WHAT!! This cannot be healthy!! When you do not eat enough your metabolism slows and begins to store every ounce of food. You will not be funtioning properly. You need nutrition!! You need to eat!! That is part of life.

WW has you on about a 1200 to 1500 calorie per day diet. And, basically it is the same premis - yes you can have chocolate or chips, but in moderation. You soon learn that you do not want to "waste" points on certain things, because you want something else.

I wold suggest checking out WW, even if only a few times. You can at least get a good start and then do it on your own.

Good luck!!

Amy

 

[angelat]

WHAT!! This cannot be healthy!! When you do not eat enough your metabolism slows and begins to store every ounce of food. You will not be funtioning properly. You need nutrition!! You need to eat!! That is part of life.

This was actually approved by a nutritional counselor. It's a week, not longer. I ate all day long actually. Just a lot of vegetables and at night I had lean meat with vegetables. The key is to measure food exactly in any calorie counting "diet"