Calories - how many is not enough?

[Elc1112]

Hi all,

Just wanted to get people's opinion on something. When dieting, a lot of people go down the route of restricting their calorie intake. This is the path that I choose.

I was having a discussion with somebody the other day and they thought I was eating too few calories. I disagree and do no believe that there is a set in stone number of calories that everybody should stick to. Everybody is different so surely the minimum amount of calories required is going to differ from person to person. I still have sufficient energy to go to the gym and do a good workout, my sugars are within the target range etc.

Anyway, be really interested to get other people view on this.

Tha ks

 

[borofergie]

First work out your Basal Metabolic Rate (the energy that you consume at rest, based on gender, age, height and weight):
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

and then work out your daily calorie requirement by scaling it by an appropriate energy factor (which depends on how active you are):
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calcu ... -equation/

 

[Elc1112]

Thanks. I have to say, I am eating nowhere near the amount of calories that this website suggests. If I even eat close to that I pile on the weight! I find a put weight on very easily if I let myself. Life will be much easier when somebody just invents a pill to make us all slim and toned lol.

 

[noblehead]

Thanks. I have to say, I am eating nowhere near the amount of calories that this website suggests. If I even eat close to that I pile on the weight! I find a put weight on very easily if I let myself. Life will be much easier when somebody just invents a pill to make us all slim and toned lol.

Again it all boils down to how individual we are, as long as your maintaining your weight and are otherwise healthy then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

According to my BMI I'm still classed as overweight, if I lost any more weight I'd look ill and probably feel it too

 

[hanadr]

I think it's a myth that if you restrict your calories too much your body goes in to starvation mode and you don't lose weight.

Hana

 

[Elc1112]

I agree, Hana.

Noblehead - I take the whole BMI calculations with a pinch of salt. Unless they are done properly they don't take into account muscle mass etc, so I tend to ignore them. Ok, if my BMI was in the 50s I would have to agree that I am overweight, but if you're only a little bit over then I wouldn't worry about it too much. I go more by 'do my clothes fit'!

Right, off for a run to try and burn off some of these calories. Why dot the scales understand how hard I am working?!

 

[claymic]

i have been focusing this week on low carb rather than low calories. sometimes it is a bit tedius measuring everything and counting everything. i felt less pressure not having to do that. i think as long as i lose weight i ll probably keep doing that, then when i stop i will need to look at the calories.

 

[Defren]

I think it's a myth that if you restrict your calories too much your body goes in to starvation mode and you don't lose weight.

Hana

Completely agree. When I first went onto Metformin it completely killed my appetite and some days I struggled to eat 300-400 calories a day, the weight poured of me. Then when I did the Newcastle diet, for four weeks I took in 504 calories a day, the weight still poured of me.

 

[Elc1112]

I thought I was bad, defren, but 300-400 calories beats me hands down! How is your weight loss going? I know you'd had some great results - hope things are continuing in the right direction

Claymic - I stick to low carb and have done for many years. This helps keep me sugars under control and keeps my weight stable. If I want to lose weight, however, I find I need to cut down on the calories too. Think my body has become immune to the low carbing so I just don't lose weight that way!

Managed an eight mile run earlier on. My legs are aching but I figure I now deserve a bottle of wine and a takeaway pizza, right?!? Maybe not...

 

[Defren]

I thought I was bad, defren, but 300-400 calories beats me hands down! How is your weight loss going? I know you'd had some great results - hope things are continuing in the right direction

Claymic - I stick to low carb and have done for many years. This helps keep me sugars under control and keeps my weight stable. If I want to lose weight, however, I find I need to cut down on the calories too. Think my body has become immune to the low carbing so I just don't lose weight that way!

Managed an eight mile run earlier on. My legs are aching but I figure I now deserve a bottle of wine and a takeaway pizza, right?!? Maybe not...

Hi Emma, yes, it was bad for a while. I then did the Newcastle diet, and since I finished it, I eat really well. I decided to remain on the ordinary Metformin, and it no longer effects my appetite - thankfully.

I lose on average about 2lbs a week now. By the end of the summer I should be at my ideal weight and BMI. Then I will have to find a maintenance plan so not to carry on losing. Things are great, my BG is rock steady, cholesterol exceptionally low and life feels pretty darn good right about now.

Hope all is well with you too. Jo x

 

[Juliette40]

I thought I was bad, defren, but 300-400 calories beats me hands down! How is your weight loss going? I know you'd had some great results - hope things are continuing in the right direction

Claymic - I stick to low carb and have done for many years. This helps keep me sugars under control and keeps my weight stable. If I want to lose weight, however, I find I need to cut down on the calories too. Think my body has become immune to the low carbing so I just don't lose weight that way!

Managed an eight mile run earlier on. My legs are aching but I figure I now deserve a bottle of wine and a takeaway pizza, right?!? Maybe not...

Hello Elc
I'm with Defren and have been on a 3-400 calorie diet for a year now and lost a shed load of weight. I don't count cals though...just carbs. I eat few starchy carbs, only all bran and porridge really. What you need, calorie wise, depends on your size, shape and activity level. In some ways, being diabetic helps because you can test BG and see how much energy you are burning...or at least that's my warped train of thought...and adjust your food intake accordingly.

Regarding BMI which some have mentionned: In order to reach my BMI I had to be under 11 stone. That made me a size 10! Now that's JUST within the max BMI limit. Bone density has a big part to play in skewed BMIs, I think. I prefer to use the waist to height ratio as a guide as this claims to be more accurate for those of us who are pear shaped. My ratio has me as borderline underweight with a waist of 26 inches. So, pick which extreme to believe! BootsWebMD has a good calculator which works out BMI and waist ratio for you in seconds. Have a play and see how you get on.

Oh and very well done on the 8 mile run. I'm in awe. :clap:

Good Luck
Juliette x :thumbup:

 

[Elc1112]

That's brilliant, Jo. Well done!

Juliette, thanks for that link im in the normal range for both, which is good. Im getting martied next year so an trying to lose a bit of weight for that and, more than anything else, tone up a bit (bingo wings especially!). As for the eight mile run - I've got a few screws lose in the head! Ha ha. I get really jittery if I don't exercise. It's my form of stress relief. I figure it's much better for me that comfort eating or smoking or anything like that!

Em

 

[Defren]

That's brilliant, Jo. Well done!

Juliette, thanks for that link im in the normal range for both, which is good. Im getting martied next year so an trying to lose a bit of weight for that and, more than anything else, tone up a bit (bingo wings especially!). As for the eight mile run - I've got a few screws lose in the head! Ha ha. I get really jittery if I don't exercise. It's my form of stress relief. I figure it's much better for me that comfort eating or smoking or anything like that!

Em

I said on the exercise forum what I bought for bingo wings, and it's true I really do have one of these, and like I said on the exercise forum get ya mind out of the gutter, this is a real bingo wings toner uper. (it does look naughty though). :lol:

[youtube]xXHUdvvHTkw[/youtube]

 

[Elc1112]

Ha ha that is brilliant! Have you tried it? Does it work?!

I've been doing body combat and body pump. Def seeing more definition in my arms and shoulders as a result, but the bingo wings are taking their time to go away!

 

[Defren]

Ha ha that is brilliant! Have you tried it? Does it work?!

I've been doing body combat and body pump. Def seeing more definition in my arms and shoulders as a result, but the bingo wings are taking their time to go away!

It actually does work. I will shake away while waiting for the kettle to boil, waiting for my daughters to decide what they want for dinner :lol: Seriously, I get minutes in all day and my bingo wings are getting much more toned. I am really pleased with it.

 

[Elc1112]

Might have to invest in one of those then. Thanks!

 

[Juliette40]

Juliette, thanks for that link im in the normal range for both, which is good. Im getting martied next year so an trying to lose a bit of weight for that... I get really jittery if I don't exercise. It's my form of stress relief. I figure it's much better for me that comfort eating or smoking or anything like that!

Em

Dear Em

Glad to be of help. Congrats on the marriage thing. I have just celebrated 6 years and never look back. Being married is blissful and I hope you will be as happy as we are. Jo's full of good advice. I could do with a bingo wing tone up too. Shall try it out at some point. Well done for resorting to exercise as opposed to eating. Far better for you, I'm sure. Keep up the good work.

Love
Juliette x :thumbup: