Anonymous wrote:I am short so have to eat pretty low to lose, like 1400 a day and I generally exercise hard to give myself more like 1600 to eat overall. But I can maintain without counting for a long time. I diet again when I go 2-3 lbs above my ideal weight and that helps it from getting out of hand. Only time I was near overweight was post baby number two and I was right on the BMI overweight line. Lost it by her first bday but it was hard. I keep my ideal weight around 112-114 at 5 foot 2 because I am muscular and like my curves. I think having a reasonable ideal weight also makes it easier to maintain. When I was much younger I dieted waaay down and got into some pretty disordered habits. Don’t want to go there again.

I am 5'2" 112 and I eat about 3000 a day to maintain.

Anonymous wrote:8:51 - you can have a good metabolism and still gain weight. I have always had a good metabolism, but gained weight during the time when I was working full-time and doing a part-time grad program. There just wasn't much time for exercise or enough sleep.

A lot of people might remain thin if they are always working at it. But a lot of people - even those with good metabolism - will gain weight if they are too busy (or tired or unmotivated) to work at it. Those people will probably have to eat less down the road than people who never had excess weight to begin with.

Everyone has a good metabolism. If you have a FAST metabolism and your sister has a SLOW metabolism and you both sit all day at a job and never exercise your sister will get much fatter than you will. Also, the fatter you become the more your metabolism works. The slimmer you get the slower your metabolism becomes. To keep a 300lb body maintained takes MUCH more calories than to keep at 120 body maintained. Also your metabolism slows down as you age because the body repairs itself at a much much slower rate. Ever notice how much slower you are to heal as you get older? It is all related.

As a matter of fact, people with slow metabolisms are much more efficient than people with fast metabolisms. A slow metabolism is a genetic advantage, so technically speaking the slow metabolism is really the "good" metabolism.

I am short so have to eat pretty low to lose, like 1400 a day and I generally exercise hard to give myself more like 1600 to eat overall. But I can maintain without counting for a long time. I diet again when I go 2-3 lbs above my ideal weight and that helps it from getting out of hand. Only time I was near overweight was post baby number two and I was right on the BMI overweight line. Lost it by her first bday but it was hard. I keep my ideal weight around 112-114 at 5 foot 2 because I am muscular and like my curves. I think having a reasonable ideal weight also makes it easier to maintain. When I was much younger I dieted waaay down and got into some pretty disordered habits. Don’t want to go there again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 50 lbs to lose and am finally on a program that works (with a doctor.)
But at 1500 calories a day, I am so surprised that people eat like this every day for their entire lives. 2 glasses of wine or one dessert and you have eaten so many of your calories already!!
If you are a normal weight, moderately fit person, do you eat 1500 a day?
What do you do at a big fancy restaurant meal or some other special event?
Do you never eat pancakes or a bagel? Or a big bowl of pasta at a delicious Italian restaurant?
I need to reset my entire approach to portions, etc.
I'm not that hungry on the 1500 cause it's high protein. I'm just wondering how it's sustainable.

To address each of your questions -

I eat more than 1500 calories a day - probably closer to 2000 or even 2200

I eat what I want at restaurants and other special events. However, I compensate for that in the days surrounding that event - it's not an everyday thing.

I love pancakes and bagels, but don't eat them often. Yes, absolutely pasta at Italian restaurants.

It's sustainable because it's a change in your overall mindset and way of thinking about food.

BTW, I'm a registered dietitian so if you have any specific questions, I'm happy to try to help. Kudos for taking the first steps!

Similar to this mostly. I ate about 1550 calories to lose about 15 lbs over a 8 month period. Since then, I have increased calories to around 1900, and on days when I do strenuous exercise more than that.

I don’t usually have more than a glass of wine, I am just a light drinker, so for me that’s not an issue. I love bagels with butter and cheese and do eat those. Second the part on sustainability because it’s a change in lifestyle. Exercise is a big part of that change for me. For a big event / meal, I enjoy myself and eat it! I may limit the starter bread basket and may be eat only half the dessert, but otherwise, if the food is really good, I enjoy it. I may have a lighter breakfast / lunch same day. I am not big on pancakes, I do love chips and ice cream and pizza and I do eat them. What did I eat today?

- 2 slices of a large pizza with added tomato and jamon and coffe with milk
- banana
- lunch : 2 slices pizza again, salad (tomatoes, onions)
- ice cream
- tea with baguette and pepper jack cheese

Today was not typical, usually have more vegetables / fruits and meat but we had leftover pizza and I was really craving it. Calories wise, I don’t think I reached 1800 today, so could still have an apple or something else. Sustainability wise, days like these make overall change more sustainable for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:500

Really? That is insane.

Maybe this person forgot the 1 (1500) or 2 (2500), lol

8:51 - you can have a good metabolism and still gain weight. I have always had a good metabolism, but gained weight during the time when I was working full-time and doing a part-time grad program. There just wasn't much time for exercise or enough sleep.

A lot of people might remain thin if they are always working at it. But a lot of people - even those with good metabolism - will gain weight if they are too busy (or tired or unmotivated) to work at it. Those people will probably have to eat less down the road than people who never had excess weight to begin with.

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.

Well, yea, duh. It's called a fast metabolism. If you are/were overweight, your metabolism is most likely slower than someone who is thin. I know this as a thin person who has a fast metabolism. It is genetics.

Someone made a movie to state the obvious? Jesus, I'm in the wrong business.

Not many at all. about 1300, plus lots and lots of exercise. The absolute reality is that most women over 40 have to go to extreme measures to remain thin.

3500

You drink water first. Then, eat vegetables first, then your proteins, then fill in with carbs. And you finish it with more water. You can still eat desserts but not alot. Or say no to desserts, it's not that hard once you eliminate major sugar from your diet. . And once your teeth are brushed, you don't feel like eating again.

Anonymous wrote:500

Really? That is insane.

I do intermittent fasting, but I don't count calories. I eat minimum to no sugar and eat until I'm full during the 8-hour period in a day. Calorie restriction would be unsustainable to me.

Sometimes I go 24 hours without eating. I think that fasting has helped me control my hunger.

I have never been in the overweight category, so I don't know what it takes to lose 50 lbs. But it is a lot of weight to lose, which can happen over a year or two. Therefore, whatever it is that you are doing to lose weight has to be doable long-term.

1200 calories. It's really, really hard at times. But I lost 75 lbs and this is what it takes to maintain it--with exercise. I'm a size 8-10.

Anonymous wrote:

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?

The Weight of the Nation.

I probably eat at least 2500 calories/day, but I seem to have a very fast metabolism and thin genes. I exercise (fast walking, Barre, body sculpt with weights, etc.) about 3 times/week. I'm a little under 5'7, 117 pounds. I eat dessert every night, wine every weekend, carbs, pasta, pizza etc.