It is really hard to correctly calculate calories burned, and the same activity at 45 may burn a lot more calories than at 65.

Keep doing the exercise, but do it to feel better. Don't try to calculate the calories burned from running and then think you can add those to your daily meals. It doesn't seem right, but that's just the way it is for many women.

I would target 1200-1500 calories eaten daily, regardless of your activity. If you aim for low carb, and mainly go for protein, dairy and plant based, you will have more volume of food to eat and probably feel more full.

Try to avoid bread, flour, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, popcorn, chips, crackers, sauces (dressing, ketchup, tartar sauce, BBQ sauce, jam, etc) with calories and carbs, sugar, drinks with calories and fried foods.

Aim for meat & seafood that is grilled or baked, most fresh vegetables usually steamed or grilled, salads, cauliflower rice, avocado, eggs, cheese, heavy cream, berry fruits in moderation, nuts, and limited sugar-free sweets that are low carb too (different from "no sugar added").

Read all labels for everything else and decide if it falls in the 1200-1500 calories per day. You may choose to have higher carb items, it's just if you aim for the lower carb, you probably end up with more volume.

Two meals only makes it easier to stay in the calorie/carb limits.

Keep doing the exercise, but don't bother adding up the burned calories. Just do it to feel better (unless you're running long distances several times a week, then that's a different discussion).

I agree with PP there is a lot more than just calorie counting (especially as we age), but I'm not sure I'd turn to Ozempic type drugs for 10lb.

I maintained 5'6, 110-120 until I was 55. Then I started gaining weight. I switched to 2 meals only, and if we go out for lunch, I eat half of something healthy, and the other half for dinner. I don't crave sugar much luckily. So I'm eating way less now than I was just 5 years ago.

It's frustrating but I guess it's just that way it will be, as I don't want to go on Ozempic, mainly for cost & hassle qualifying. I know 3 people who have had a good experience using it though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You probably need fewer calories to begin with, so you're not really obtaining a deficit.

Fewer than 500????? Are you insane?

That does not sustain life.

Her deficit is supposedly 500, not her total calories.

Care to actually read her post?

DP but she said: For the last 7 days I worked very hard to have a calorie deficit of close to 500 per day.

But what OP isn't telling us is (1) what is her basal metabolic rate; (2) what is target calories for each day; (3) what did she eat/what were her macros

Eating 1000 calories of mac and cheese is different than 1000 calories of grilled chicken and roasted carrots and broccoli.

I can only lose weight if I keep carbs very low and eat only two healthy meals a day. Only a rare treat. Good luck OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You probably need fewer calories to begin with, so you're not really obtaining a deficit.

Fewer than 500????? Are you insane?

That does not sustain life.

Her deficit is supposedly 500, not her total calories.

Care to actually read her post?

I don’t know what the answer is, OP, but just wanted to express sympathy and also disgust at the PPs on here who consistently tell everyone that they are just overeating and that’s the problem. I have tracked and counted my calories for years and not managed to lose more than a couple of pounds, but I recently started a GLP-1 and have already lost weight, and I’m eating exactly the same - very intentionally, with perhaps even more some days as I really concentrate on getting a lot of protein. I don’t know why but I do know that I am eating the same (around 1200-1500 cals a day) and now I am losing weight and before I was not. Not saying you should be on a GLP-1, just that there is more to it than calorie counting, and I think it must be hormonal

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You probably need fewer calories to begin with, so you're not really obtaining a deficit.

Fewer than 500????? Are you insane?

That does not sustain life.

Her deficit is supposedly 500, not her total calories.

Anonymous wrote:You probably need fewer calories to begin with, so you're not really obtaining a deficit.

Fewer than 500????? Are you insane?

That does not sustain life.

You probably need fewer calories to begin with, so you're not really obtaining a deficit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calories in, calories out is bunk. Two meals a day, 8 hrs apart. No food or snacking at all. Keep carbs down and healthy fats and fiber up. You won’t feel hungry if you eat a good breakfast. I’m eating avocado toast with an omelette and some blackberries now plus tea. I won’t be hungry at all until late afternoon. I’ve easily lost 6 pounds this way in the last few weeks.

The laws of thermodynamics are laws, not suggestions. You are not a plant that can create energy from sunlight.
Its hard to measure calories in and calories out. That's the problem. And yes, your two meals a day is a way to restrict calories.
Like a PP said, there are other things that will affect weight fluctuations day to day, water being the main one.

This is of course the answer. But nobody likes this answer. It has to be some ultra complicated answer that doesn’t involve people consuming more than their energy requirements.

Not consistently over-consuming and actually tracking can be very hard. Less hard if people don’t eat junk and don’t lie to themselves. Yet here we are.

Secret eaters is a good UK show that is so over the top, but it really makes the point well anyways.

The body is not a closed system. Thermodynamics applies to closed systems.

Rounding error.

Get real fatty

Anonymous wrote:Calories in, calories out is bunk. Two meals a day, 8 hrs apart. No food or snacking at all. Keep carbs down and healthy fats and fiber up. You won’t feel hungry if you eat a good breakfast. I’m eating avocado toast with an omelette and some blackberries now plus tea. I won’t be hungry at all until late afternoon. I’ve easily lost 6 pounds this way in the last few weeks.

That is a calorie deficit if you’re having 2 meals a day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calories in, calories out is bunk. Two meals a day, 8 hrs apart. No food or snacking at all. Keep carbs down and healthy fats and fiber up. You won’t feel hungry if you eat a good breakfast. I’m eating avocado toast with an omelette and some blackberries now plus tea. I won’t be hungry at all until late afternoon. I’ve easily lost 6 pounds this way in the last few weeks.

The laws of thermodynamics are laws, not suggestions. You are not a plant that can create energy from sunlight.
Its hard to measure calories in and calories out. That's the problem. And yes, your two meals a day is a way to restrict calories.
Like a PP said, there are other things that will affect weight fluctuations day to day, water being the main one.

This is of course the answer. But nobody likes this answer. It has to be some ultra complicated answer that doesn’t involve people consuming more than their energy requirements.

Not consistently over-consuming and actually tracking can be very hard. Less hard if people don’t eat junk and don’t lie to themselves. Yet here we are.

Secret eaters is a good UK show that is so over the top, but it really makes the point well anyways.

The body is not a closed system. Thermodynamics applies to closed systems.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calories in, calories out is bunk. Two meals a day, 8 hrs apart. No food or snacking at all. Keep carbs down and healthy fats and fiber up. You won’t feel hungry if you eat a good breakfast. I’m eating avocado toast with an omelette and some blackberries now plus tea. I won’t be hungry at all until late afternoon. I’ve easily lost 6 pounds this way in the last few weeks.

Which bread do you use for your avocado toast?

She's clearly not in menopause. She eats more for breakfast than I can for breakfast and lunch.

What are you talking about? She didn’t write down any quantities of anything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calories in, calories out is bunk. Two meals a day, 8 hrs apart. No food or snacking at all. Keep carbs down and healthy fats and fiber up. You won’t feel hungry if you eat a good breakfast. I’m eating avocado toast with an omelette and some blackberries now plus tea. I won’t be hungry at all until late afternoon. I’ve easily lost 6 pounds this way in the last few weeks.

Which bread do you use for your avocado toast?

She's clearly not in menopause. She eats more for breakfast than I can for breakfast and lunch.

What do you normally eat for breakfast and lunch?

Gobymeds.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calories in, calories out is bunk. Two meals a day, 8 hrs apart. No food or snacking at all. Keep carbs down and healthy fats and fiber up. You won’t feel hungry if you eat a good breakfast. I’m eating avocado toast with an omelette and some blackberries now plus tea. I won’t be hungry at all until late afternoon. I’ve easily lost 6 pounds this way in the last few weeks.

The laws of thermodynamics are laws, not suggestions. You are not a plant that can create energy from sunlight.
Its hard to measure calories in and calories out. That's the problem. And yes, your two meals a day is a way to restrict calories.
Like a PP said, there are other things that will affect weight fluctuations day to day, water being the main one.

This is of course the answer. But nobody likes this answer. It has to be some ultra complicated answer that doesn’t involve people consuming more than their energy requirements.

Not consistently over-consuming and actually tracking can be very hard. Less hard if people don’t eat junk and don’t lie to themselves. Yet here we are.

Secret eaters is a good UK show that is so over the top, but it really makes the point well anyways.