Anonymous wrote:AN HOUR on a Stairmaster? That sounds like death.

It's awesome. It's the only form of exercise where I drip sweat. I breathe so hard/deep that I swear it stretches my lungs.

AN HOUR on a Stairmaster? That sounds like death.

If you are under 5’4” and over 40 and a woman with a desk job, even with exercise 1800 calories will lead to weight gain.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know for sure you are eating 1800 calories? Is this a guess or are you actually counting calories? It’s not uncommon to underestimate calorie intake while overestimating calories burned through exercise.

I track calories via the Loseit app. I believe it to be mostly accurate because nearly all of what I eat is prepackaged and therefore measured. To clarify, my breakfast, lunch and dinner are small healthy meals but I do a lot of snacking of processed junk which accounts for most of the 1800 calories.

For example, for breakfast I eat yougurt (120 cal) and drink coffee (150 cal). The cofee has a shot of sweetener, two creams, and a pack of Splenda. Giving up my coffee how I like it is nonnegotiable. My diet/exercise routine is a series of negotiations. I’m willing to exercise to stay fit but not willing to give up sugar. The compromise has worked thus far, but wondering when it will stop since I’m in my 40’s and expecting my metabolism to slow soon.

Just fyi - nutrition labels aren't always accurate

OP, I assumed you were going to be much older. But we're the same age. I had always been in a similar situation -- ate whatever I wanted and never weighed more than 120 at 5'5".

Personally, I've noticed in the last two years that if I want to have energy and good gut health, I need to pay more attention to what I eat. The nice thing is that this doesn't mean switching to some low-cal diet. It's more that I have shifted so the base of my diet is more nutrient rich and balanced. So I'll have a beans and rice bowl with kale, BUT it's also got cheese and sour cream on top. I also do tons of bread and pasta, but I load it up with veggies and lean meats. I am a naturally light eater and will usually have one heavy meal a day and then everything else is much smaller. I try to make sure my heavy meal involves both good protein and something green. My other meals will usually be a carb plus fruit, or something dairy heavy but pretty small (like a quesadilla). I don't know what my calorie count is because I don't keep track, but I do feel that the overall quality of my food has improved and I have more energy and just feel better as a result.

I've also found a don't enjoy super processed junk food as much as I used to. Back in my 30s I'd happily eat a bowl of Doritos and a coke as a snack and feel fine. Now that makes me feel gross. I don't know if that's a physiological change, or a mental one, or both. But I've always been big on listening to my body and lately my body wants fewer snacks and less processed food, in favor of higher quality and more vegetable heavy meals. Seems to be working for me, without giving up flavor or some of the fatty add-ons I've always craved and enjoyed.

A shot of sweetener PLUS Splenda in one cup? Would you consider cutting back slowly until you adjust to less sweetness. I can't even imagine drinking something so sweet. Your taste buds really do adjust if you cut back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know for sure you are eating 1800 calories? Is this a guess or are you actually counting calories? It’s not uncommon to underestimate calorie intake while overestimating calories burned through exercise.

I track calories via the Loseit app. I believe it to be mostly accurate because nearly all of what I eat is prepackaged and therefore measured. To clarify, my breakfast, lunch and dinner are small healthy meals but I do a lot of snacking of processed junk which accounts for most of the 1800 calories.

For example, for breakfast I eat yougurt (120 cal) and drink coffee (150 cal). The cofee has a shot of sweetener, two creams, and a pack of Splenda. Giving up my coffee how I like it is nonnegotiable. My diet/exercise routine is a series of negotiations. I’m willing to exercise to stay fit but not willing to give up sugar. The compromise has worked thus far, but wondering when it will stop since I’m in my 40’s and expecting my metabolism to slow soon.

Find better sugars and eat them only with lots of fiber. Splenda is OK.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know for sure you are eating 1800 calories? Is this a guess or are you actually counting calories? It’s not uncommon to underestimate calorie intake while overestimating calories burned through exercise.

I track calories via the Loseit app. I believe it to be mostly accurate because nearly all of what I eat is prepackaged and therefore measured. To clarify, my breakfast, lunch and dinner are small healthy meals but I do a lot of snacking of processed junk which accounts for most of the 1800 calories.

For example, for breakfast I eat yougurt (120 cal) and drink coffee (150 cal). The cofee has a shot of sweetener, two creams, and a pack of Splenda. Giving up my coffee how I like it is nonnegotiable. My diet/exercise routine is a series of negotiations. I’m willing to exercise to stay fit but not willing to give up sugar. The compromise has worked thus far, but wondering when it will stop since I’m in my 40’s and expecting my metabolism to slow soon.

I was like this as others have posted before. Around 48 I noticed the change that I could no longer get away with eating and drinking whatever I wanted. I would suggest since you have time to slowly revamp your eating habits

If you’re truly limiting to 1800 calories and working out that much, I think you’ll be fine.
The issue for me is that junk doesn’t fill me up and I can’t stay within calories. But if you can, I don’t think you’ll gain weight.

Anonymous wrote:How do you know for sure you are eating 1800 calories? Is this a guess or are you actually counting calories? It’s not uncommon to underestimate calorie intake while overestimating calories burned through exercise.

I track calories via the Loseit app. I believe it to be mostly accurate because nearly all of what I eat is prepackaged and therefore measured. To clarify, my breakfast, lunch and dinner are small healthy meals but I do a lot of snacking of processed junk which accounts for most of the 1800 calories.

For example, for breakfast I eat yougurt (120 cal) and drink coffee (150 cal). The cofee has a shot of sweetener, two creams, and a pack of Splenda. Giving up my coffee how I like it is nonnegotiable. My diet/exercise routine is a series of negotiations. I’m willing to exercise to stay fit but not willing to give up sugar. The compromise has worked thus far, but wondering when it will stop since I’m in my 40’s and expecting my metabolism to slow soon.

How do you know for sure you are eating 1800 calories? Is this a guess or are you actually counting calories? It’s not uncommon to underestimate calorie intake while overestimating calories burned through exercise.

Start swapping out regular junk for healthier snacks.

What do you eat now and why? Maybe we can help.

I was like this until I hit my 50’s. I trained a lot as a competitive athlete, stayed very slim, and ate a lot of crap. I never gained weight but my cholesterol was through the roof and my skin was really bad. I revamped my diet completely and feel so much better and look so much better now. I don’t count calories or restrict at all. I just choose fruits and vegetables and unprocessed foods most of the time.

Like several posters have pointed out, you can’t outrun the fork and you can’t outrun father time.

Keep exercising regardless as it’s good for you. Then try eating junky fast food half as much as before. Once that becomes normal, cut it in half again. Repeat …

You’re not going to know unless you track what you eat for a week or two and actually take a look at the underlying content of your diet.

Nutrition isn’t a black box. You need this much protein and that much calcium and just so much iron or vitamin D, etc. Science has done the heavy lifting for you, you just need to take the trouble to compare where you should be with where you are.