babyblue982
02-15-2005, 05:46 PM
Hi all. I was wondering how many calories I need to eat a day to lose weight safely? I am 24/ f/ 222. Also is there a website I can check to track my calories?
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LV40
02-15-2005, 06:31 PM
I can find out for you, but I need more info.
I need your height and activity level. Like do you exercise at all? Do everyday light activities? Sedentary? etc.
I need your height and activity level. Like do you exercise at all? Do everyday light activities? Sedentary? etc.
LV40
02-15-2005, 06:32 PM
Also, I know of a website that tracks calories (I used it every day) but I'm careful of not breaking the rules here and I'm not sure if it can be posted without breaking the TOS.
Best thing to do is a good search for food and calorie trackers :)
Best thing to do is a good search for food and calorie trackers :)
babyblue982
02-15-2005, 06:40 PM
Ive started working out on an elliptical 30 mins/ 5 days a week. Other than that its pretty sedentary. Thanks for checking on it for me.
LV40
02-15-2005, 08:57 PM
Hon, I can't check into it for you until I know your height and activity level :)
babyblue982
02-15-2005, 09:00 PM
Hehe. Im sorry! Im 5' 7", 222, pretty much sedentary.
LV40
02-15-2005, 09:09 PM
Thanks :)
For your height and weight, your maintenance calories are around 2353. Meaning, if you eat about 2300 calories a day, you'll maintain your current weight. If you eat MORE than that a day, every day, you'll gain. To lose at least a pound a week, you subtract 500 calories from your maintenance, which gives you 1853. I'd go ahead and round that down to an even 1800.
For your height, your ideal weight, assuming you have a medium frame size, is 135 pounds. For large frame, 144.
Next thing to do is find a site where you can track your calories. I believe I've mentioned this site here before and didn't get in trouble for it (I've seen others mention it as well, so I'm not alone) is fitday.com. I use it every day. I enter in what I've eaten, and how much, and it calculates calories, fats, carbs, proteins, and lots more. It's how I keep track and how I know how many calories I've eaten a day.
Just keep in mind, though, that the more weight you lose, the fewer calories you need. When I first started I was a little over 1500 calories. Now that I've lost 55 pounds, my maintenance calories have dropped and I'm now eating about 1400 a day, although I'm considering shaving off 100 calories and going down to 1300. But only shave calories according to how much you've lost and what your current weight is. You don't want to 'over-do' it. Do it slowly and safely.
I started at 220 pounds. I'm now 165 and still counting. My goal is 130.
For your height and weight, your maintenance calories are around 2353. Meaning, if you eat about 2300 calories a day, you'll maintain your current weight. If you eat MORE than that a day, every day, you'll gain. To lose at least a pound a week, you subtract 500 calories from your maintenance, which gives you 1853. I'd go ahead and round that down to an even 1800.
For your height, your ideal weight, assuming you have a medium frame size, is 135 pounds. For large frame, 144.
Next thing to do is find a site where you can track your calories. I believe I've mentioned this site here before and didn't get in trouble for it (I've seen others mention it as well, so I'm not alone) is fitday.com. I use it every day. I enter in what I've eaten, and how much, and it calculates calories, fats, carbs, proteins, and lots more. It's how I keep track and how I know how many calories I've eaten a day.
Just keep in mind, though, that the more weight you lose, the fewer calories you need. When I first started I was a little over 1500 calories. Now that I've lost 55 pounds, my maintenance calories have dropped and I'm now eating about 1400 a day, although I'm considering shaving off 100 calories and going down to 1300. But only shave calories according to how much you've lost and what your current weight is. You don't want to 'over-do' it. Do it slowly and safely.
I started at 220 pounds. I'm now 165 and still counting. My goal is 130.
babyblue982
02-15-2005, 10:08 PM
Thank you LV40. I really appreciate you looking into that for me. 1800 calories it is and hopefully the weight will start coming off, as it did for you :)
LV40
02-15-2005, 10:22 PM
You're welcome, I really hope it helps you :)
Your maintenance calories are higher than mine because, obviously, you're taller than I am. I'm 5'5.
Again, as you lose weight, your maintenance calories will come down. But the good news is when you reach your goal weight, you can up your calories by a couple of hundred so you can maintain.
For example, say you lose 50 pounds and you get down to 172. Your maintenance calories will then be 2068 and to continue losing you'll have to eat about 1500 calories a day. But say you get down to 140 and want to hold that weight, you can then up your daily calories to 1887. More than 1887, you'll gain. Less than 1887, you'll continue to lose.
And remember, even on calorie-restricted diets, we all have days where we eat more calories than we should. However, to gain a pound of fat, you have to eat 3500 calories. That could be in one day or it could add up over a week if you go a few hundred calories over your daily limit. As long as you stay at about 1800, you'll continue to lose. If you have a day where you eat more than 1800, like say you go out to dinner or something, don't panic about it, just get right back on track the next day. And don't deprive yourself of favorite foods, just make sure you count them in with your daily cals.
Your maintenance calories are higher than mine because, obviously, you're taller than I am. I'm 5'5.
Again, as you lose weight, your maintenance calories will come down. But the good news is when you reach your goal weight, you can up your calories by a couple of hundred so you can maintain.
For example, say you lose 50 pounds and you get down to 172. Your maintenance calories will then be 2068 and to continue losing you'll have to eat about 1500 calories a day. But say you get down to 140 and want to hold that weight, you can then up your daily calories to 1887. More than 1887, you'll gain. Less than 1887, you'll continue to lose.
And remember, even on calorie-restricted diets, we all have days where we eat more calories than we should. However, to gain a pound of fat, you have to eat 3500 calories. That could be in one day or it could add up over a week if you go a few hundred calories over your daily limit. As long as you stay at about 1800, you'll continue to lose. If you have a day where you eat more than 1800, like say you go out to dinner or something, don't panic about it, just get right back on track the next day. And don't deprive yourself of favorite foods, just make sure you count them in with your daily cals.
babyblue982
02-15-2005, 11:08 PM
Thank you LV40. I really appreciate you looking into that for me. 1800 calories it is and hopefully the weight will start coming off, as it did for you :)