How many calories?… October 13, 2008
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
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So a few people have asked me how many calories I should be eating. I have to admit, I just randomly chose 1200 as my goal because, well, it sounded good. In an attempt to narrow in on a more specific number, here is my BMR as according some random website:
65 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
or
65 + (4.3 x 160) + (4.7 x 64) - (4.7 x 37) = 1227.7
So then, because I would consider myself lightly active, I would add 30% to that. This brings the grand total to 1595. So to maintain my voluptuous 160lbs, I should eat 1595 calories a day. Oh Lordy, and I ate 1711 calories today…
So lets say I want to get down to 140lbs. Heres my new calorie intake based on this forumula I found:
65 + (4.3 x 140) + (4.7 x 64) - (4.7 x 37) = 1141.7
Add 30% and to get to 140lbs I should eat 1483 calories. Hmmm… I’ve got a long way to go.
Comments
Kim-What’s important about this number is that it provides a reasonable floor for you to keep your body functioning. Places such as Jenny Craig oft-times put clients on an unrealistic number that is not sustainable. My step mom is a voluptuous, big-boned German woman (my mom has been dead for sometime, and my father remarried this wonderful woman 17 years ago). You know what they had her daily caloric intake? 900 calories. AT 900 Calories, you cannot sustain your normal body functions. Irresponsible!
Here are some things to consider: (1) as you get fitter and develop more lean muscle mass, you’ll increase your BMR without your lifting a finger (I think that 1 lb of active muscle tissue burns 50 cals per day); (2) consider SPLITTING the amount to lose between increasing your caloric burn and diet.
I think that the important think is to balance being restrictive enough to get you along your way, but no so restrictive that you are hungry or lack energy to do the things that you need.
Once I tinkered about with my own diet (listen to your body), I found that I could comfortably eat within my calorie limitations–in fact, I could make it below. But it took 3 weeks for that to happen.
Or, run 3 miles each day and burn off 400+ calories. (I know, I know, shut up)
Ummm, so I did the math for me, and apparently I can consume 1339 calories/day to maintain my weight. That seems freakishly low to me. I will do some more googling to see if I can find another calculator.
OK more math. Apparently I can eat 1200 calories in order to lose 20lbs for some who is “lightly” active.
That makes no sense to me…hmph.
Ok here’s another calculator that sounds much more normal.
[link]http://www.tlbc.ca/blog/index.php/bmr-calculator/[/link]
All the comments here are good…
And Kim, since you and I have known each other for years, I don’t think you’ll mind me saying this directly…
To lose weight you are going to have to cut back on the calories.
And… to make matters worse:
There are a lot more calories in most foods you eat throughout the day then you can possibly imagine! It’s SCARY HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN MOST FOODS!!!!
You can keep your calories to 1500… I know you can. And if you do it… you will find that you can get plenty “filled up” and plenty of nutrition in 1500 calories.
If you run or bike or do some extra cardio 5 times a week… you will see the pounds come off.
The trick to eating 1500 calories or less a day…
VEGETABLES!!! LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of vegetables.
No… POTATOES ARE NOT VEGETABLES! They are STARTCH– pure sugar– pure fat headed right your your thighs!
You need to eat GREEN STUFF! LOTS of GREEN STUFF!
Stay away from Dairy (avoid it as much as you can).
Stay away from Bread, Grains, pasta, etc…
I’m not talking Low carb… You’ll get plenty of Carbs from the Fresh juicy apples you need to eat 2 a day! Or the other fresh fruits like Pears, Peaches, Bananas, Berries.
Meat: Chicken breast– NO SKIN… Baked!
You know this stuff… you can do it!
I believe in you!
Rock on Girl! You get em!
p.s.
In case a nutritionist sees this, and says, what the heck is he talking about… When I say potatoes are “pure fat heading to your thighs” of course I don’t mean they have the macronutrient of fat in them, I simply mean they have so many calories in them that they will be converted to fat and added to your reserves.