Calorie King Peeps

[TexanCzexican]

I signed up with Calorie King and have been tracking my food over the past couple of days. My overall goal is weightloss (about 30 pounds). I have previously lost 30 pounds with South Beach, but still have the 30 more to lose. I've been rather frustrated that I've been gaining the past few weeks even though I've eaten South Beach friendly.

The CK program says I should be eating about 1330 calories a day. I was rather shocked to realize that my eating has been way under that!

Take today's plan for instance:
B: Slice of Ezekiel Bread w/ 1 tbs Almond Butter: 181 cals
L (coworker goodbye party at mexican restaurant): Tortilla Soup and "Cabo Salad"-mixed greens with fruit & honey lime dressing with added grilled shrimp: 400 cals
D: Vietnamese Pork Rolls (South Beach Diet Cookbook) 2 rolls: 220
S: Banana and Peach: 103

Grand total of 904 calories. I'm trying to figure where I can add another 400 calories....well, obviously at the Mexican food place, but those aren't really healthy calories, now are they??

Any advice or suggestions?

[indigoiis]

You definitely need to be eating more than that, unless you are really short.

Basically, here is how you calculate what you need:

Get your BMR here (this is the daily MAINTENANCE calories you would need, JUST TO SURVIVE. Without exercize or anything.)

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Then plug it into the Harris-Benedict equation to get your daily needs: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-ca...dict-equation/

So say you are moderately active, and have a bmr of 1417 (to get this I used a woman who is 5'6, 146 lbs, 39 years old.)

Multiply that times 1.55 to get your DAILY CALORIC NEED: 2,196.

As you can see, that is WAY OVER what the BMR is, because it assumes you exercize moderately 3-4 times a week.

If you are biking more than 3-4 times a week, your caloric needs will be even higher. This is just to maintain your weight.

To LOSE weight, take that number, the final number after calculating your exercize in, and multiply that times 10-15% (15% being the maximum you should cut.) Then reduce calories by that amount every day. You will begin to see weight loss, provided you maintain the level of exercize you initially start with, or increase it.

You don't need a special diet. A combination of reduced calories plus exercize will result in weight loss.

A pound of fat is 3500 calories. If you reduce by 250 cals a day, and burn 250 cals a day (easy to do and more with a moderately hasty bike ride of about 12-15 miles) then you will lose a pound a week. It doesn't matter what you eat. You could eat potato chips all day (but would you want to?) as long as you keep your calories at whatever number is calculated for your height and weight. You obviously have to re-calculate as you lose weight.

Take it slowly, and it will stay off. If you do a severely restricted diet, you might lose a whole bunch of weight in the beginning, but you will soon plateau and become discouraged. A pound to two pounds a week is the healthy way to go.

An easier but less accurate way to calculate: Take your weight, multiply x 15. That is your present maintenance. Reduce by 10-15%.

So, unless you are sedentary and short, I would not reduce my calories less than 1500-1600 per day. Got to fuel the muscle, you know?

I lost 18 lbs since March 1st simply by doing the above, and upping my exercize.

Indy

[indigoiis]

Oh, also, if you are used to eating only 900 calories a day, it is going to take time to up your calories. My suggestion would be to eat 6-8 times a day, making sure that each little mini-meal is about 250-350 calories. MAKE SURE TO EAT BREAKFAST. Protein should be the #1 item to get into you, especially in the morning, followed by carbs. Lastly, make sure your fat intake is from healthy good for ya fats.

Mini meal ideas:

Toast with peanut butter (1 slice whole wheat w/ 1 tbsp natural pb), banana or 1/2 grapefruit, coffee or tea with milk, or soymilk

8 oz yogurt, handful almonds

Carrot sticks with 1/2 cup cottage cheese, wasa crispbread

Apple with peanut butter or almond butter

Sliced pita with tahini (sesame butter) or slices of cheese, a handful of grapes

.5 cup Raisins (A lot of calories here.)

1.5 cups whole wheat pasta with olive oil, fresh tomato and mozzerella, and 1 slice whole wheat bakery bread, and a lettuce leaf salad (more a meal than mini-meal)

2 scoops Ice cream (high in cals, makes you feel good.)

Chocolate milk

Enjoy!

And remember... EAT TO FUEL.

Indy

[Zen]

Also keep in mind that it becomes harder to lose weight as you progress.

Lets say a 200 lb person and a 100 lb person are both riding 30 miles@17mph.

The 200lb person is burning more calories/working at a higher intensity because they are moving more weight.

The Calorie King program is only an estimate. It doesn't take into account your height, BFI, or as Indigo said BMR.
Eat!

[TexanCzexican]

Thanks for your help--

Define really short, I'm only 5 feet....well, doc's office says I'm really 4 feet 11 and 3/4's but they let me get away with say 5 feet My weight is around 162, and I know I'm a large build, again, confirmed by a doctor when he took measurements.

My mom is 4 feet 9 and we are currently trying to find her a hybrid bike to her liking.

Anywho, thanks for the mini meal suggestions, I need to work on that.

[indigoiis]

Okay, well, using the above links with your info:

Your bmr (I used an age of 35, not knowing yours, but that's a good average age to use) = 1472.5

Your daily maintenance needs with moderate cycling (3-4 times a week)

= 2,282.37 calories per day.

To reduce weight for losing about a pound a week or a little more:

reduce by: 342 calories a day.

= 1,940.37 calories per day, or stagger it. You could do, for example:

Sunday: 2100 cals (have your ice cream that day)
Monday: 1300 cals, short ride
Tuesday: 1500 cals, longer ride
Wednesday: 1300 cals, rest
Thursday: 2000 cals, long ride and a beer
Friday: 1500 cals, rest
Saturday: 2300 cals, long ride, and a few beers or other "out" drinks or desserts. Treat day.

That averages to about 1700 cals a day, and you won't be depriving yourself.

You'll see. It really works.

It does make sense to make those 12000 cals a week "healthy". You'll feel it when you ride.

Try upping your calories for a week.

[indigoiis]

More good mini-meals:

Brown rice with black beans, parmesan cheese, and green pepper (add a little hot sauce.) Side of brocolli

Two eggs, scrambled, whole wheat toast with jam, orange.

Homemade pizza with veggies & cheese - 2 slices

Deli turkey sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce & tomato, 1 slice provolone, pickle

Sweet potato (cooked any way you like), steamed mustard or other greens

Whole grain bagel with neufchatel or cream cheese

Salmon or tuna with whole wheat pasta or on toast with melted provolone


I'm getting hungry.