Health & Fitness
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If you count calories, please tell me...

1) what's your daily calorie target? (I know this depends on lots of things, but I'm wondering about whether people with lower targets tend to add in exercise or if that's something more moderate (ie, higher daily totals) calorie counters do)

2) do you add in workout calories or is your daily target already based on activity level?

and 3) how does it work for you? do you like it (as a weight loss/control method)?

Thank you!

I'm experimenting to figure out what works best for me and I'm curious about what works for others. Specifically, I can't decide whether or not to add in exercise calories, or to calculate for them in the daily target. Thanks!

2012 Races: Mar 24: Great Human Race 5K. April 28: 5K for Fitness

Re: If you count calories, please tell me...

  • I don't track much anymore b/c I'm maintaining, but when I was, I ate between 1700-1800 cals a day.  That was based on my activity level.

    It worked great for me, it helped me to lose over 20lbs.  Is it a drag sometimes?  Sure, but the effort paid off, at least for me.

  • I am currently 5'1" and 160lbs and I aim for about 1500 or so calories per day. Days that I exercise I try to eat back half of the calories that I burn in addition to that above number. I previously lost a good deal of weight at the rate of about 2lbs per week, but ultimately put 35lbs of the 100lbs that I had lost back on. I'm down 10lbs as of now with about 35lbs to go (I was previously within 10lbs of my goal when I gained weight back) and am aiming for about 1-1.5lbs per week this time hoping that the slower weight loss (and less stressful life) will make my weight loss more sustainable over the long haul.
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  • Right now my calorie goal is around 1720.  I'm 5'6" and 135 lb and that's my maintenance goal.  I am to NET that.

    In all honesty, I usually eat closer to 2000 calories a day (except Saturday free days), but I work out 6 days a week.

    I've been maintaining between 130 and 135 with that goal for about 2 years now.  I got that number by getting my sedentary BMR.  I aim for food - exercise to = sedentary.  No idea if that was a logical equation on my part, but it seems to have gotten me where I needed to be.

  • imagefeinicstine:

    Right now my calorie goal is around 1720.  I'm 5'6" and 135 lb and that's my maintenance goal.  I am to NET that.

    This is my goal weight. Right now I'm between 1300-1500 NET. So obviously days I exercise I eat 2000+ calories depending on the type and intensity of the workout. Once I reach maintenance I'll probably follow numbers similar to pp.

    Now that said, I think the real value (for me) of calorie tracking is it makes me much more aware of the mindless 'just a nibble' snacking I do and the nutritional value of what I eat.

  • 1) I'm 5'5", and 145 pounds. My goal is to lose an additional 10 pounds (I'm down 35 in the last few years). My daily calorie target is 1500 calories.

    2) I do not add in extra calories for my workouts, as I sometimes go over my calorie goal (special events, date nights, etc) & figure it all balances out. I am training for a half marathon & workout 5-6 days/week.

    3) It's worked very well for me, although these last 10 pounds have been very stubborn. I've only lost 5 pounds since the first of the year, but I knew it would be slow at the end.

  • Im 5'2" and 191 lbs. I use myfitnesspal.com to track calories and it allows me 1200 daily. My goal is to lose 41lbs from this point. That was calculated with a "sedentary lifestyle"

    I add my calories back after workouts.

    I think its working just great. Im down 19lbs since the first of the year. It was definitely a difficult transition and I went MANY days being hungry at the end of my calories, but Ive since found out better options and realized I can eat wayyy more in a day if I eat whole foods, fruits veggies and lean meats rather than lean cuisines and hundred calorie packs etc. 

    I think counting calories is on the same level as weight watchers and that works for many people too. 

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  • imageMarchMom06:

    1) I'm 5'5", and 145 pounds. My goal is to lose an additional 10 pounds (I'm down 35 in the last few years). My daily calorie target is 1500 calories.

    Whoa, that's almost identical to me. I'm 5'5", 145 lbs, wanna lose 10, and down 55 lbs in the last few years. My calories are usually 1500-1600 on non-run days, 1800 on run days.

    Running buddies are forevah.

    image

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  • epphdepphd member

    I do it periodically to get back on track. For the last two weeks I've been aiming for between 1600-1900 calories per day, with more on the weekend when I don't really track but at least try to be mindful.  I do not eat back calories unless I am very hungry. I run between 15-20 miles per week.

    It works well as a weight loss tool and is close to the right amount for me.  However, despite calculating my BMR to devise a range, I do find that I just require slightly more food to stay satiated and to still perform well while running. 

    After this last two weeks I'm now just trying to incorporate my "reminders" in to portion sizes, better choices, etc.

    ETA: I'm just shy of 5'8 and 140 pounds.  Lost 5 pounds in the last two weeks and am not really aiming to lose more - at least not quickly.

     

    image
    image

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  • My goal is to lose 1.5 lbs  a week. I use the My Fitness Pal app and my target calorie count is 1500 a day. If I work out then I usually consume those  calories too. The system is set up for you to eat your workouts... or what have you. I run for food Stick out tongue

     

     

  • I aim to eat about 1450 a day. I do eat back my exercise calories. It has been working very well. I started this at 155 lbs on Dec. 28th and now weigh 140.2! I am 5'3" so that can give you some perspective. I average about 10-15 miles a week running or walking.

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  • Wow, thanks everyone! I'm going to up my daily calories (have been trying and failing to eat 1200, think I might do better with 1500) and experiment with eating and not eating calories.

    This was really helpful. Thanks for the info!

    2012 Races: Mar 24: Great Human Race 5K. April 28: 5K for Fitness
  • 1. 1300

    2. No eat-back--I figure my activity level into BMR

    3. See ticker (since May 2011).

  • 1) what's your daily calorie target? 1590, according to MyFitnessPal. I weigh a good bit over 250 lbs and I'm 5'10" (for reference).

    2) do you add in workout calories or is your daily target already based on activity level? Yes. If I workout, I definitely eat more.

    and 3) how does it work for you? do you like it (as a weight loss/control method)? Love it! I'm losing weight at a good pace (have been at it since the new year) and I love that I can eat pretty much whatever I want (no restrictions).

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