It is scientifically proven that people who have lost weight can't eat as much as someone of their same weight who never lost weight. One of the many reasons why permanent weight loss is so difficult.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do 120 minutes of cardio a day. I do an hour on my arc trainer in the morning and an hour at 8pm during my shows. I sweat through my shirts. I adjust the incline and resistance during to replicate hills and different trails. It says I burn around 700 calories. NO WAY IN HELL IS THAT ACCURATE. I do not have an extra 1400 calories to play with at all. I probably have about an extra 800-900. This is enough to keep me my highschool weight. However I still count calories and let myself have about 2900 a day. I eat considerably more than any 42 yr old (slim) woman I know so I do think you can use exercise as a pass assuming its enough exercise.

2 hours of cardio per day? Ok - seems a bit excessive.

Obsessive unhealthy and not what I would define us fit.

3500

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One cookie is around 130 calories, running one mile on average 10 minutes per mile, depending on a person, you might burn between 80-120 calories. So, a mile per cookie, walking it will take 20 minutes on average. People seem to fail understanding just how few calories are burned by a person who does moderate exercise per week. People who say they eat anything they want, but exercise and that is enough to be slim, are either on a Biggest Loser or working our 8 hours per day, or they actually do not eat that much at all. Notice how every pp here said, "I eat pretty much what I want," and then add how little they eat in reality.

Don’t underestimate the effect of being on your feet all day, or an increased level of daily activity. When I go back to the farm, where I’m moving all day and up and down the stairs, I drop 3 lbs in a week without eating less.

I definitely agree with what you posted. But, most people have sedentary lives, living on a farm is hard work, hard work that many people can't even fathom. If we could only go back to when most of population lived and worked on a farm, but we are far removed from that lifestyle for the most part. My grandma grew her own vegetables till the day she died. There is a lot of work involved in growing and then making your own food, and then preparing it yourself, imagine how fit most of population would be today if we all still did that? Even the pie she made involved picking the fruit, sometimes canning it, getting the cream from the cow... we even had wheat fields, grandpa was skinny until death too! Today, with the machines it is somewhat less work, then when you went to cut wheat with the scythe all day!

Anonymous wrote:Depends on how old I was. Until 35 I ate just about all I wanted but I tried to avoid carbs, I don't like bread and sweets. And I was active, gym, tennis, horseback riding. Now in mid 40s I eat around 1500 per day. I just watched a documentary that said person who never had extra weight, can in fact have more calories per day than person who lost a lot of weight.

What documentary?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do 120 minutes of cardio a day. I do an hour on my arc trainer in the morning and an hour at 8pm during my shows. I sweat through my shirts. I adjust the incline and resistance during to replicate hills and different trails. It says I burn around 700 calories. NO WAY IN HELL IS THAT ACCURATE. I do not have an extra 1400 calories to play with at all. I probably have about an extra 800-900. This is enough to keep me my highschool weight. However I still count calories and let myself have about 2900 a day. I eat considerably more than any 42 yr old (slim) woman I know so I do think you can use exercise as a pass assuming its enough exercise.

2 hours of cardio per day? Ok - seems a bit excessive.

IMO its no more excessive than tracking every bit you eat for your whole life. At least daily cardio like that would get your endorphins up, release toxins in your sweat, and get your heart rate up.

I eat 1300-1500 calories everyday and keep a food diary. I take one night off a week (usually Friday or Saturday) and eat and drink whatever I want and don't record those.

I don't discriminate in terms of what I eat, ie I don't try and eat "healthy". Sometimes I will inhale a Toblerone and that will be my calories for the day. I miss eating for sure but I have gotten used to eating less. I am 5'2'' and weigh 105 lbs.

Anonymous wrote:I do 120 minutes of cardio a day. I do an hour on my arc trainer in the morning and an hour at 8pm during my shows. I sweat through my shirts. I adjust the incline and resistance during to replicate hills and different trails. It says I burn around 700 calories. NO WAY IN HELL IS THAT ACCURATE. I do not have an extra 1400 calories to play with at all. I probably have about an extra 800-900. This is enough to keep me my highschool weight. However I still count calories and let myself have about 2900 a day. I eat considerably more than any 42 yr old (slim) woman I know so I do think you can use exercise as a pass assuming its enough exercise.

2 hours of cardio per day? Ok - seems a bit excessive.

Anonymous wrote:One cookie is around 130 calories, running one mile on average 10 minutes per mile, depending on a person, you might burn between 80-120 calories. So, a mile per cookie, walking it will take 20 minutes on average. People seem to fail understanding just how few calories are burned by a person who does moderate exercise per week. People who say they eat anything they want, but exercise and that is enough to be slim, are either on a Biggest Loser or working our 8 hours per day, or they actually do not eat that much at all. Notice how every pp here said, "I eat pretty much what I want," and then add how little they eat in reality.

Don’t underestimate the effect of being on your feet all day, or an increased level of daily activity. When I go back to the farm, where I’m moving all day and up and down the stairs, I drop 3 lbs in a week without eating less.

Yeah you definitely can't rely on calorie counters on machines - they tend to VASTLY overestimate. I know I'll burn about 650-700 for an hour run.

I burn next to nothing walking a mile, however - despite what the machine says.

I do 120 minutes of cardio a day. I do an hour on my arc trainer in the morning and an hour at 8pm during my shows. I sweat through my shirts. I adjust the incline and resistance during to replicate hills and different trails. It says I burn around 700 calories. NO WAY IN HELL IS THAT ACCURATE. I do not have an extra 1400 calories to play with at all. I probably have about an extra 800-900. This is enough to keep me my highschool weight. However I still count calories and let myself have about 2900 a day. I eat considerably more than any 42 yr old (slim) woman I know so I do think you can use exercise as a pass assuming its enough exercise.

Anonymous wrote:One cookie is around 130 calories, running one mile on average 10 minutes per mile, depending on a person, you might burn between 80-120 calories. So, a mile per cookie, walking it will take 20 minutes on average. People seem to fail understanding just how few calories are burned by a person who does moderate exercise per week. People who say they eat anything they want, but exercise and that is enough to be slim, are either on a Biggest Loser or working our 8 hours per day, or they actually do not eat that much at all. Notice how every pp here said, "I eat pretty much what I want," and then add how little they eat in reality.

"eat whatver I want" means different things to different people. Some people want to have a couple of cookies a day, and that fulfills them, with an otherwise balanced and active lifestyle. Some people want to eat a entire pizza and bacon and a pint of ice cream every day, and that's going to be harder to maintain with a healthy weight/frame.

I "eat whatever I want" in moderation, and I have my own interpretation of that, which is closer to the former - a little dessert or indulgence every single day. Exercise is proven to raise your resting metabolism - so you continue burning a few extra calories even when you're just sitting at a desk or on the couch. It affords me to eat an extra 500-700 calories a day, and not gain weight, which is awesome for me! It also boosts confidence and overall, helps my body frame look better than if I were just "skinny."

I do not have a magical metabolism (having been previously obese), but I am easily able to live and eat without feeling deprived, through a mindset of moderation. Different strokes for different folks.

One cookie is around 130 calories, running one mile on average 10 minutes per mile, depending on a person, you might burn between 80-120 calories. So, a mile per cookie, walking it will take 20 minutes on average. People seem to fail understanding just how few calories are burned by a person who does moderate exercise per week. People who say they eat anything they want, but exercise and that is enough to be slim, are either on a Biggest Loser or working our 8 hours per day, or they actually do not eat that much at all. Notice how every pp here said, "I eat pretty much what I want," and then add how little they eat in reality.

At least 2,000 a day, usually more. But I burn off a lot exercising - probably about 600/day including my running, other cardio, weight-lifting, yoga and walking to/from metro/work.

If I'm at a fancy restaurant, I eat a fancy meal. If I'm at a place known for pasta, I eat pasta. But I eat half and take the rest home for the next day. If I have pizza, I have 2 slices with a salad and save the rest. I like meals with some protein, some carbs and some veggies. I drink alcohol in moderation. (usually.) I can pretty much eat whatever I want, but I'm good about portion control and I tend to prefer lean meats and whole grains and non-fried things. I dislike most fried food but like rich desserts.

I also eat about 2,200 calories a day and excercise 2-3 times a week (cardio, weights, yoga, swimming) etc. I move as much as I can, so will park the car a bit farther away and walk to my destination, even if it's just a 3 minute walk, if I can.

I think some people have faster metabolisms, I know I can eat more than my sister and not gain weight, for example.
The key isn't cutting calories as much as it is to focus on non-processed foods. I have friends who put non-fat creamer in their coffee but that's packed with sugar and chemicals. If they used real cream/milk their coffee would fill them up more. They drink diet sodas all day but are then craving sugar after dinner so they eat cheesecake for dessert. They are always fighting their weight and always trying new diets. Because they're always hungry they keep binging.

The key is to eat non-processed, made-from-scratch food 98% of the time, as much of it as you want. If you make the cookies yourself at home, you will burn calories making them, you'll use better ingredients, you won't be in the mood to make them every week (like picking up a box at the grocery store) and you won't be tempted to eat the whole tray in one sitting. On nights when you haven't made dinner and your fridge is empty, *don't order in* -- that's how you bloat your calorie count for the week on a fatty Chinese meal or gigantic takeout salad. Instead, just scavenge on what you have - a bowl of cereal, crackers and cheese, peanut butter and celery. That's ok for the kids too -- I've taught them that not every meal needs to be amazing, sometimes it's ok to just stop the stomach growling and call it a day. Those pauper's meals tend to be very low in calories so that's how you make up for the bagel and bacon the next morning.

Finally, alcohol is a huge appetite stimulator. If I drink, I will always finish my portions at a restaurant and sometimes even order dessert. If I don't, I'm usually stuffed halfway through the main course. But you don't need to give up alcohol, maybe just be cognizant of that.