How many calories do you consume?

[CLCH]

I am trying to lose 8-10 pounds for my law school graduation in May. I do 45 minutes of cardio/ 5 days a week and am eating 1200-1300 calories a day.

I read in Shape that 1200 calories is too restrictive and that to lose weight, one should consume 1800-2000. I think that this is too many and that I will not lose weight following this advice. 1800 is about the number of calories I aim for when I am not trying to lose.

What do you guys think? For those of you that are trying to lose weight, how many calories do you aim to consume daily?

Thanks.

[m4star]

CLCH, try eating 1600-1800 and pump up your workouts. Now I don't mean workout for 2 hours a day but raise the level of intensity. I'm not sure what types of exercises you do, but how about trying some strength training too? I found that the more muscle I build, the quicker my metabolism and the more weight I loose.

Still, I wouldn't recommend going below 1600 calories or you'll put all of the weight back on after the 'big day'. Also, take a multi-vitamin to ensure you are getting all of what you need.

[This message has been edited by m4star (edited 03-06-2001).]

[lindrusso]

Well, I'm shooting for 1500 calories a day, but I'm not too worried as long as it stays between 1500 and 1800. On my bad days, which still come too frequently, I definitely go over 1800! These days I'm making it to the gym at least 5 days a week, and I'm doing a pretty intense weight routine, so I'm not quite as concerned about staying near 1500.

I do remember reading in the past (and it was also mentioned by someone on this board) that if you eat too little, your body will go into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow down. I don't know how little you have to eat for that to happen, but just something else I find interesting...

[leasha4him]

I can't remember which website I was on, but it had a calculator that allowed you to input your height, weight, body frame size, and activity level and calculated a good goal weight and number of calories one should consume. When I figure all this out it said I should weigh no less than 120lbs and that I should consume 1200 calories a day (I am sedentary--I sit in front of the computer ALL day at work and have not a lot of energy for a strenuous workout when I get home).

I also read that it is more important to get anaerobic exercise than aerobic, because the latter only burns calories and does not build muscle which is important to burn fat and keep it off. So I use an abslide for about 20 reps 3 times a day, Susanne Sommers thigh master abx and thigh master golds for about 5 sets of 40 at 3 times a day and that is my main exercise. I have lost 13 lbs in 2 months and have gone down 4 clothing sizes while building muscles I never knew existed!!

Hope this helps.

[emilycat]

Your body will definitely retaliate by slowing down your metabolism and grabbing onto every last calorie you consume if you eat too little. Especially if you're working out 5 days a week for 45 minutes -- 1200 is most likely not enough. If you start eating more, you'll have more energy, and you'll be able to pump up your workouts -- and rev up your metabolism.

Just for a frame of reference, I weigh 102, and I eat about 2,000 calories a day. Sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more, depending on how tough my run was. Granted, I run around 50 miles a week, but but I would not be able to pull that off with much less fuel.

I can personally attest to the metabolism slow-down thing: when I was in highschool and during part of college, my calorie intake was extremely rigid at times -- I ate about 800 calories a day and I was dancing for several hours, 5 days a week. My body needed more food, but since I didn't give it what it needed, it hoarded every thing I took in. I weighed the same then as I do now, but I'm probably more muscular and definitely in better shape than I was then.

In addition, it's very difficult, if not impossible, to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need in only 1,200 calories. I really wouldn't suggest to anyone dipping below 1,500.

Sorry to ramble...hope this helps! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Danielle]

There's actually a weight-loss success story printed in April issue of Fitness magazine that touches on calorie consumption. The woman had lost weight through diet and exercise, and sort of came fanatical about it. At one point she was only consuming a little over 1,000 calories per day, which was not enough to sustain the amount of exercise she was doing. She increased her intake to 1,800 calories per day, and she noticed that she was able to build more muscle because she was taking in more nutrients (and the more muscle you have, the more efficiently you burn calories), and therefore looked better.

[MelissaAS]

I'm in a weight control/exercise study run by a hospital (in conjunction with Brown University)and they have everyone under 175 lbs. at 1200 calories/day and 30 minutes of exercise/5 days per week (over 175 are at 1500 calories/day). Just thought I'd add that they've been studying it for years and that's what they find to be effective for weight loss- it remains to be seen what they have as a prescription for maintenance. I'll let you know when I get there- 18 lbs. to go!

[aggie94]

I've heard that a good rule of thumb for weight loss is to multiply your current weight (not your desired weight) by 13. That gives you the number of calories you should be consuming per day. As you lose weight, your calories will decrease because your "current weight" will decrease. For maintenance, multiply by 16.

[Seattlegirl99]

Good luck CLCH - I too am trying to lose weight - aren't we all? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Recently my personal trainer recommended to me to get a simple heart rate monitor (about $45) to ensure that I was exercising within my target heart rate. The first day I used my monitor I realized that I wasn't even close to exercising within my target heart rate. As a result with the monitor I was able to increase the intensity of my workout and burn more calories. You go girl!

[CLCH]

Seattlegirl,
The heart rate monitor is helpful. My gym sold then awhile back, and I got one then so I now know that I am in the proper range when I work out. Now that I've been wearing one for awhile, I've found that I can guess my heart rate by how I feel most of the time, and I don't always have to wear it.

[KValley]

Hi CLCH,

I encourage you to think long term and aim for a weight loss that you can maintain; 1200-1300 calories isn't sustainable nor healthy in the long term. As someone has already stated above, it's unlikely that you are getting all of the required vitamins and nutrients with such a restrictive diet.

Remember that 3500 calories equals a pound; if your goal is to lose 1/2 to 1 pound a week, shaving about 300-500 calories a day should get you there, with exercise of course. To maintain that weight loss, keep your calorie count to 200-300 fewer than your pre-"diet" (I hate that word) amount.

I also echo the advice to add weight-training to your workout routine. THis will boost your metabolism and define your slimming body. Try to mix a couple of sessions a week of high-med-high-low intervals into your cardio- 30 minutes of high-med-high with a cool down on the stairmaster or treadmill (for example). Interval cardio training will also boost your metabolism.

I've got 7 lbs I'd like to lose by mid-May. I just made those terrific Chocolate Chip-Cranberry Biscotti in this month's CL. Delicious- someone please get them away from me. No one said this would be easy!!!

Buona Fortuna CLCH!

[This message has been edited by KValley (edited 03-18-2001).]

[This message has been edited by KValley (edited 03-18-2001).]