HELP ME DECIDE!

I just had dinner and I want a bowl of special K cereal later on and added that to my calorie intake...and came out to 590-600 all together for today...is that to much? I am in the process of losing 100 pounds.

Mon. Jan 23, 4:25pm

Hi there. There's another forum in this community that talks about calories in vs. calories out - it's called "please help - I am confused about calories in versus out" - it says not to eat fewer than 1200 calories a day as it's not safe for your body.

I, too, have to lose around 100 lbs. and currently am keeping it around 1800-2200 calories per day (a large range, but still less than I used to eat). I follow Weight Watchers (core plan) and that has helped me a lot with making good food choices and I am down 7.2 lbs in two weeks (WW doesn't insist that you count calories but I keep a running tally in my head just to make sure I don't go overboard).

Eat the Special K (and a banana or something), but don't starve yourself or you'll do more harm than good. Best wishes as you embark on this journey.

Monday, January 23, 2006, 4:33 PM

Sorry - forgot to add that the "don't eat less than 1200 calories" rule isn't only on that forum - I'd talked to my doctor as well and she'd mentioned that too drastic a reduction in intake can cause harm.

Monday, January 23, 2006, 4:34 PM

thanks!

Monday, January 23, 2006, 4:39 PM

To the OP, you definitely don't want to cut too many calories out, or you will put your body in "starvation mode"--which means that once you start to go back to regular caloric intake, it will pack on the weight more quickly to compensate... Instead, I would suggest eating a bit more and adding some exercise in the mix, it will help to build muscle and muscle burns calories more than fat! ;-)

(If you eat too little, the body will start to consume muscle, which will cause more harm than good in the long run.)

Monday, January 23, 2006, 5:04 PM

If you don't eat enough, or often enough, your metabolism will slow down and you won't be able to burn calories effectively.

You should make sure to eat throughout the day, not just at dinnertime and in the evening. If you're not a morning eater, just a piece of fruit or glass of milk will suffice to jump-start your metabolism in the mornings. Be sure to eat lunch as well.

I aim for 1300 calories a day - 300 before work (breakfast), 500 while at work (lunch plus snacks), and 500 between dinner and any evening snacks (i.e. if I eat a heavy dinner, then no snacks/dessert afterwards; if I eat lighter, I can have more snacks). In order to do this w/o being constantly hungry, I have to make sure to get some fats and fiber in at every meal. Many people recommend eating 5 or 6 times throughout the day. I only eat 3-4 times throughout the day, and am still losing weight (though not much lately, as I've nearly reached my goal!)

Don't starve yourself, you'll just cause your metabolism to slow down, and likely you won't stick with the diet (b/c it's so limiting!), so when you go back to eating as you used to, you'll pack on more pounds than where you started!

Good luck!!

Monday, January 23, 2006, 5:19 PM

I also had to lose 100 pounds. I'm down 47 now and am doing it with the attitude that it's a journey. I eat the good food that "they" always tell us to eat. It really works! And exercise is critical. It doesn't matter if you have to start slow. At least do something to get your body moving. I am constantly learning about what is good for my body and helpful in losing weight and getting my body stronger. I want this weight to stay off for the rest of my life. Try not to rush things. It is going to take some time to get it off. You will have good days and bad days but it will be worth it in the long run. Best to you!

Loricbme

Monday, January 23, 2006, 7:20 PM

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