Anonymous wrote:For those of you who work out a lot, don't you find it makes you hungrier? That's my problem. I'm ok eating only 1500 calories without working out, but if I add in exercise I'm famished and end up eating back all that I burned off (and more). I actually gained 10lbs when training for a half marathon.

I don't workout a lot but when I do cardio, I can eat everything in site whereas with weight training, I'm often not hungry after I'm done.

I eat eggs or oatmeal for breakfast.

Protein-topped salad for lunch, or a sandwich made with whole grain bread and prepared at home.

One afternoon snack...usually triscuits and cheddar or a string cheese or something small like that. No more than 150 cals.

Dinner is something healthy-- Soup, chicken with brown rice/veggie, homemade pizza, etc.

I will have a glass or two of wine or beer 3-4 nights per week. I'll also have a treat of some kind 2-3 evenings a week but I don't keep anything with sugar in the house--we go out and get the treat if we want it (peppermint patty, or a cookie from the local bakery, etc).

I work out 5-6 days a week. A combo of running (3-4 miles a pop), vinyasa yoga, and HIIT.

I only count calories when I notice weight creeping up but I can lose on 1400 and maintain on much more than that (probs due to exercise).

I'm 5 foot 2, 36 years old, 113-115 pounds.

All that said, I would be careful of being certain of your ideal weight #. It depends on your body composition and frame a lot. For example, I'm very muscular so 115 on me is pretty thin (a size 0-2) but another person might weigh 120 or 105 and look basically the same despite a different number on the scale...

Anonymous wrote:I'm 5'5 and 115 pounds. 50 years old. I eat whatever I want and I eat a ton. But I work out hard every day. If I didn't work out I would be overweight. I am not willing to ever be overweight. And I love to eat. So, I have to exercise. Thankfully, I enjoy working out most of the time.

I'm also 50, 5'4" and about 110. I have no idea how many calories I consume every day, but I feel like I eat a lot, I have a daily beer or glass of wine, and I never skip dessert. I am vegetarian, so I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and have a relatively healthy diet overall, aside from the desserts and alcohol. I'm also fortunate to have inherited thin genes. I walk most places, including to work, and have relatively heavy workouts that I love (running, biking, or a team sport) 4 days/week.

Good luck, OP. I agree that your focus shouldn't be on calories but on eating an overall healthy diet and ramping up the exercise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 5'2'' and weigh 110lbs at 34 years old. I keep a food diary and aim to eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I eat what I want and never work out. I eat probably 300-400 calories of oreos everyday.

If this is true why do you keep a food diary? That seems pretty heavily involved for someone who eats "what they want" and never works out.

DP. I have counted calories for years, in order to make sure I get enough. Very low appetite, generally.

Anonymous wrote:I'm 5'2'' and weigh 110lbs at 34 years old. I keep a food diary and aim to eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I eat what I want and never work out. I eat probably 300-400 calories of oreos everyday.

If this is true why do you keep a food diary? That seems pretty heavily involved for someone who eats "what they want" and never works out.

I'm 5'2'' and weigh 110lbs at 34 years old. I keep a food diary and aim to eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I eat what I want and never work out. I eat probably 300-400 calories of oreos everyday.

For those of you who work out a lot, don't you find it makes you hungrier? That's my problem. I'm ok eating only 1500 calories without working out, but if I add in exercise I'm famished and end up eating back all that I burned off (and more). I actually gained 10lbs when training for a half marathon.

I'm 5'2", 105#.

Typical day:

Cappuccino (100 cal)
Apple (100 cal)
Half burrito (veggie)(400 cal)
1 cup rice (250 cal)
1 cup tofu (200 cal)
1 cup broccoli (50 cal)
Probably 2 T olive oil (250 cal)
2 beers (400 cal)

2 mile run (-140 cal)

Two Random Days pulled out of MyFitnessPal...

Day 1: (work from home all day)

Breakfast: 10 oz Hazelnut Coffee + 2 TBSP Dunkin Donuts Extra Extra Creamer

Lunch: Scrambled Eggs

Dinner: 2 Grilled Hamburger Patties w/ Mayo, Mustard, Pickles, Tomatoes, & Lettuce & 6 oz. Steamed Green Beans

Water: 68 oz

Day 2: (out of the home most of the day)

Breakfast: 16 oz Homemade Iced Tea (no sugar, no nothing)

Lunch: Spinach & Artichoke Dip (shared w/ 1 other person) and Chicken Tenders (ate 5 of the 6) at Woodmont Grill (ate maybe 2 of the fries and a few bites of the cole slaw)

Dinner: I was still pretty full from lunch but wanted a bite of something so I had about a few bites of homemade chicken salad.

Water: 74 oz

I'd say in a 2 week period, 13 days are like Day #1 and 1 day is like Day #2. I'm really striving to reach a point where I drink 100 oz of water a day.