How many calories should I be consuming?

I am trying to figure out how many calories I should be consuming and the website below is a great tool. However, I'm not sure if I should characterize myself as "lightly active" or "moderately active" The difference in calories to consume is about 300 different. I ride the bike 45 minutes per day 4-5 days a week and do 100 situps 4 - 5 days a week. I also try to walk or rollerblade in the evenings, but sometimes don't make it at all and sometimes I make it about 3 times a week.

http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm

Tue. Aug 1, 3:29pm

I'd say you're at least moderately active.

I'd say that I'm lightly active. I use public transportation to get to work every day, and as such, I walk around 2 miles a day. In addition, I play Dance Dance Revolution (that Playstation game) a few nights a week. You do way more than me.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006, 5:14 PM

I believe that to lose weight, you're supposed to eat about 9 calories per pound if you lead an active lifestyle as you do (200 pounds x 9 cals = 1800 cals/day) and never go below 7 cals per pound or 1200 cals. Another formula cites 11 cals per pound of goal weight (140 lbs x 11 cals = 1540).

Sorry I can't cite my source...I came across stuff like this on bodybuilding sites where they discuss strategies to cut body fat % without losing muscle, saying it works for regular weight loss too.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006, 5:27 PM

The idea is to cut your calories by 500 per day for every lb you want to eat.

2 ways to cut the calories. 1) eat less calories 2) exercise more.

Most references say do not drop below 1100 without medical supervision. Calorie counting is difficult you have to find what works for your body it is different for each person. You can also figure that different days your body is going to need different amounts of calories.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006, 7:15 PM

ditto the not going below 1200 per day, it slows your metabalism, and that stays. i was basically anorexic a few years ago (eating under 700 cals per day), i lost weight for a while, but then started gaining again, and then after talking to a nutricionist i went up to 1600 per day and gained tons of weight cause my metabolism had slowed down soo much, now trying to get back to a healthy weight is almost impossable because my metabolism is so slow eating 1600 per day makes me gain still. by all means count calories and reduce, but take my word for it, don't eat to little!

Tuesday, August 1, 2006, 7:38 PM

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