https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:41:23 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740884 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:59:41 +0000 littlecasita1122 740884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: Oh ok, that makes sense then that you'd be back up to 1450. 1150 still seems low, though. I remember for LoseIt, it gave me the option to modify the plan so I could add more calories if I thought I burned more throughout the day. I would give myself 50 extra calories and even that little bit helped because I could get in an extra snack. I would still lose an average of 1-1.5 pounds each week. I definitely agree with WW being better healthwise as it keeps track of protein, carbs, fat, etc...but tracking calories on the other sites is free, so it's a good start to modifying your eating habits and getting on track. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740861 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:32:19 +0000 citymouse 740861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, Can You Stay For Dinner has a great series on what 2000, 1500, and 1200 calories looks like. Wonderful blog on health and weightloss. She lost 135 lbs! </p> <p><a href="http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2012/05/03/what-does-1200-calories-look-like/" rel="nofollow">http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2012/05/03/what-does-1200-calories-look-like/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740858 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:29:05 +0000 citymouse 740858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree with everyone, thats too low. Add 100-300 more and see how that helps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740838 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:11:02 +0000 MrsSCB 740838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlecasita1122: when you exercise it adds on the calories you lose, so if I exercised off 300 calories then it would up my total to 1450. I'll have to check out Lose It, thanks for the suggestion! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740826 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:56:07 +0000 PrincessBaby 740826@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1150 is like starvation! You would most definitely be hungry! I used to have an eating disorder and my goal was to stay under 1000 calories a day. You DEFINITELY need more calories. And if you don't eat enough calories, your body can go into a hoarding stage where it hangs onto fat because it's not getting what it needs. Starvation mode. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740819 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:52:38 +0000 littlecasita1122 740819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used LoseIt.com to track calories a couple years ago and it was very successful for me (lost 35 pounds). I think counting worked for me because it taught me correct portion sizes. I didn't realize that when I was eating crackers, that I was eating three times the amount that I should be!</p> <p>I started out eating about 1700 calories a day and then as I lost weight, the calories slowly decreased for me so it was a gradual change I got used to. I now try to eat about 1300 a day but I don't track - I judge more on how my clothes are fitting now. </p> <p>Maybe try using LoseIt (it is free) or another similar website to see if they recommend the same amount of calories? 1150 seems very low, though, especially if that's including the work-out calories you should be getting back! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740815 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:48:16 +0000 MrsSCB 740815@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: @Anagram: @sarac: thanks, you all are so helpful! It seems like the consensus is not enough calories which definitely makes sense. I think probably most important for me is to just keep eating healthy stuff, because that has been my main issue -- eating badly.</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: wow, that is awesome, congrats on the loss! It does seem like WW would be more structured, which would be helpful. I need rules to follow for weight loss, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740803 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:36:46 +0000 T.H.O.U. 740803@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>WW does require money. I lost 10-15 lbs though easily on it. I tried to maintain that weight for the last few months using MFP but its just not the same accountability for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740789 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:30:16 +0000 Anagram 740789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I don't know what you weight, but 1150 seems way too low. Before I was pregs, I lost about 15-18 lbs with just calorie counting (no set plan). I ate about 1500-1700 calories on days I worked out (making a net calorie intake of 1200-1300), and 1200-1300 on days I didn't work out. And yes, I would be starving on the days I didn't work out.</p> <p>I ended up working out more just to be able to eat more. My goal was to lose 1 lb a week, so that's how I got the calorie calculations, but I actually lost about 1.5-2 lbs a week, pretty steadily--which means my resting metabolic rate was actually higher and I could have eaten more calories per day.</p> <p>On some weeks (like, pre period), I wouldn't lose at all but I found that if I stuck with it, I would suddenly lose 2-3 lbs all at once...so it was probably retained water.</p> <p>If you are running 3 miles a day (roughly 300-350 cals), then your body is probably burning 2000-2300 cals a day. To create a 3500 calorie deficit each week, you just need 500 fewer calories a day either through working out or eating less. So aim for 1500-1800 calories a day. That should help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740778 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:22:48 +0000 sarac 740778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a huge fan of calorie counting, and used it to lose 40 pounds. That being said - I think you're doing it wrong. 1150 is waaaaaaaay too low for most people to stand. I'd totally suggest upping your calories by several hundred and seeing how you can do with that. Any diet that's impossible to follow isn't worth much!</p> <p>I lost all my weight eating no less than 1700 pounds - so it can be done. I didn't start all that high either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740625 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:43:11 +0000 MrsScottish 740625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>WW also has an app that you can download that works similar to MFP but depending on the extras you want it may have a monthly service fee </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740623 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:42:12 +0000 Kemma 740623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>From what I've read 1200 is the minimum calorie intake required for an "average" sedentary woman, so I would've said that 1150 was on the low side and definitely if you're running.</p> <p>As a rough guide, it takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose one pound so if you were to cut 250 calories via diet and burn 250 through exercise per day, you should lose around one pound per week. For me personally I could lose weight while eating around 1600-1800 calories per day (I walked daily).</p> <p>You could try googling your basal metabolic rate and calculating your calorie requirements that way and then compare it to My Fitness Pal.</p> <p>ETA I just calculated my BMR and it's around 1450 calories without allowing for any exercise </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740563 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:01:53 +0000 MrsSCB 740563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsScottish: I thought it didn't sound like much, no wonder I'm freaking hungry! I also have a big appetite, though, DH jokes that I can eat more than him. </p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: Maybe I should try WW, I've heard such good things. Is it something that always costs money or can you do a basic version for free? Has it been successful for you? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740560 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:57:19 +0000 MrsScottish 740560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>thats not many calories!! Holy crap! When I was using it I was allowed 1550. I dont think I could stay within that range! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740559 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:57:17 +0000 T.H.O.U. 740559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is part of why I like WW because it takes the protein into account. An fruits and veggies are "free" meaning no points. But counting calories does work and many studies I believe have shown it doesn't really matter where the calories come from. 2,000 calories is still that many calories even if some are "good" calories. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/calorie-counting-am-i-doing-it-wrong#post-740540 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:44:16 +0000 MrsSCB 740540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know if anyone will have any insight on this but I'm just getting confused and frustrated. I'm trying to get in shape and lose a bit of weight so I've started tracking my food on My Fitness Pal. I seem to be having a hard time staying under my recommended calorie intake (which is 1150) without being hungry. But should everything I eat really count the same? </p> <p>For example, here's what I ate today: Coffee with skim milk from Dunkin, lentil soup and a small salad, an apple with a bit of peanut butter, and a mushroom veggie burger on a whole wheat english muffin with sweet potato tater tots, avocado, and tomato.</p> <p>That's all pretty healthy stuff, so does it matter that it puts me a bit above my calorie allowance? That's even with running three miles which gave me more room. I'm not sure if this counting thing is for me :-/ Any advice would be appreciated! </p>