Newbie, would love some help!

[BeaBeas]

I've been doing low carb for a couple of weeks but struggling as I find it too restrictive. I have started doing exercise 3 times a week which burns off about 600 cals a time and I'm finding I haven't got enough energy to sustain it with low carb eating.

I'd like to try calorie counting. I have mfp which I will use to log, but I have some questions if anyone would be kind enough to help?

What do you tend to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? What do you eat for snacks or as a small treat? I am trying to avoid white bread, potatoes and pasta as they don't agree with me but I will eat sweet potatoes, brown rice and wholemeal bread/pittas etc if I feel the need to. I also have a massive sweet tooth!!

How many calories should I start on? I was thinking either 1700 or 1800 or is that too high? I have around 4 stones to lose.

Would love to hear from some experienced calorie counters if possible

 

[josephsmummy]

Hi,
I tend to stick to a weekly average of 9800 a week. This means 1400 a day but some days I eat more and other days less. I also eat my calories I earn through exercise.

Breakfast tends to be fruit ( never really had breakfast)
Lunch has been a lot of soups recently as I got a soup maker for Christmas. I've had this week tomato soup, mushroom soup, roasted red pepper and tomato soup, vegetable soup and butternut squash soup.

Tea last night was chicken provencal with asparagus. I also do a lot of carrot and swede mash with chicken or quorn.

Snacks are fruit, babybel sometimes, yogurt, a treat of a bag crisps such as quavers or. French fries as they are under 100 cals or a small bag of chocolate buttons.

Hope that helps x

 

[faye cheshire]

There is a good scientific way of doing it or I think a site that does it for you. You calculate your resting metabolic rate then deduct 500 calories a day for a l lb per week weight loss and 750 cals for 1.5 lb per week weight loss. only if your bmi is a certain number do they recommend you deducting 1000 cals per day.

If you cant find the link let me know and I will look in my cal counting book for you. You need your height in meters and your weight in lbs

Good luck

Faye C x

 

[blubex]

hi,

I aim for 1200 calories a day.

breakfast is porridge, soup for lunch and then something more for dinner.

For snacks I'll have fruit or a cereal bar.

cadbury highlight's are good if you fancy a treat. .. Only 38 calories

 

[BeaBeas]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. Just done my first cc friendly shop today

1700 seems quite high now! Not sure how I'd manage on 1200!! Should I reduce to 1500/1600 to start off with then see if I can get lower?

I'll look for the site where you can calculate. Thank you.

 

[blubex]

I used my fitness pal and set it at losing 2lbs per week to get mine, I struggle to eat 1200 unless I've been snacking a lot!

Probably see how you get on at 1700 and if you feel you can cut back further then do. ... Don't make it too restrictive at the start it could just put you off x