Hello from Texas

[angels0510]

I am 28 years old and and have been overweight since I was 19 years old. But before that I was a size 3. It all started with female problems and then 3 kids later, and it just never went away. I have tried diets and the all the pounds come back and all I have ever lost is 10 pounds. I always thought there was some medical reason for this and I still can't find one. I wish it was that easy. I always thought I was a light eater until I started counting calories, you never really realize how much you eat in a day until you count calories. Do you know how many calories you need to have in a day to lose weight>? Thanks for listening I wish everoyone out there sucess in their weight loss.

[MiaDVito]

I think calorie intake varies depending on your metabolism. It's more important to try to count what you burn I think.

To loose a pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories. So by taking in less than you spend you will loose. For me I walk, or use equipment to burn 700c a day. By doing this I hope to burn off 1.5 - 2lbs of stored fat a week.

Also, more than half the calories I was taking in were from beverages instead of food! So I changed that as much as I could. This is real hard! Sometimes you just have to have a coke. Sometimes you want real cream in the coffee. But I have cut way back- that should help too.
Good luck

[susieokla]

Welcome angels5010!

I haven't really been counting calories in my quest to lose weight. I've just cut back on how much I eat and I eat things with as little fat in them as possible.

I agree with Mia on the drinks though. I was a faithful Dr. Pepper drinker and now I've switched to water and it has helped alot! If I get the craving for a Dr. Pepper I'll drink a Diet one. They're not too bad.

[Beth]

Welcome Angels0510 to the forums! I know what you mean about how you really don't realize how many calories you intake until you actually count them.

I agree that drinks can put just as much weight on you as solid food can. I don't drink soda but every once in a while I get a craving and I'll have a diet like you susieokla but for the most part I stick to water and non carbonated sugar free drinks.

[ehyatt]

Originally Posted by angels0510

I am 28 years old and and have been overweight since I was 19 years old. But before that I was a size 3. It all started with female problems and then 3 kids later, and it just never went away. I have tried diets and the all the pounds come back and all I have ever lost is 10 pounds. I always thought there was some medical reason for this and I still can't find one. I wish it was that easy. I always thought I was a light eater until I started counting calories, you never really realize how much you eat in a day until you count calories. Do you know how many calories you need to have in a day to lose weight>? Thanks for listening I wish everoyone out there sucess in their weight loss.

From what the Biggest Loser website says, it may be a little different for everyone. I know that they recommended 1300 a day for me. I can totally sympathize with you on the weight gain. I thought I was heavy all of my life, but I didn't know what heavy was until I had my son 11 years ago! I would love to go back to my previous weight.

[ehyatt]

I agree that most of us don't think we eat very much each day. I never thought I ate very much. Unfortunately I used to always skip breakfast, eat a light lunch and then a regular dinner. I thought I was doing well until I realized that I was also supplementing that with a lot of high calorie beverages! It is amazing how easy it is to lie to ourselves or to reason out why we have made the bad choses we made, or why we didn't work out that day, etc. I have heard that keeping a journal of what you have eaten everyday is very helpful. It allows you to take a very honest and realistic look and just what you are REALLY eating. I have already mended my bad eating habits and am definitely going to start keeping a notebook of what I have eaten and how much I have exercised each day. Wish me luck!

[weaverdelooh]

thanks for the idea of counting calories. I had no clue as to how many calories I was consuming in my salad alone!

[pathoulihanuk]

hi angels and welcome to the forum.
pat

[pathoulihanuk]

recomended intake for women is 1200-1500 calories per day. men is 1500-2000 per day.
pat

[ehyatt]

Originally Posted by angels0510

I am 28 years old and and have been overweight since I was 19 years old. But before that I was a size 3. It all started with female problems and then 3 kids later, and it just never went away. I have tried diets and the all the pounds come back and all I have ever lost is 10 pounds. I always thought there was some medical reason for this and I still can't find one. I wish it was that easy. I always thought I was a light eater until I started counting calories, you never really realize how much you eat in a day until you count calories. Do you know how many calories you need to have in a day to lose weight>? Thanks for listening I wish everoyone out there sucess in their weight loss.

Hey, where are you in Texas?