dancerinjade

Hi everyone!
I am fairly new to the website and I am looking to get myself back to a healthier weight. Since I have been tracking my calorie intake, I have been consuming approximately 1700 calories a day, while fitday states I need to do 1780 or less to effectively restrict my calories so that I will lose about a pound a week. I also work out for an hour daily doing mostly cardio (spin and zumba). I am 5'3", weigh 156, and I want to get to 140 by the end of March. Do any of you have any input on my calorie intake or what else I can do to lower it? I appreciate all of your help!

cjohnson728

Hi, dancerinjade!

I can say that your goal is very do-able. Last year at this time I took off the same amount of weight in the same amount of time, but I can tell you that I ate nowhere near 1700 calories (though I am an inch shorter and started at a lower weight, so I didn't burn as many, either, and spinning and Zumba probably burned more than the exercises I was doing). I was at about 1200-1400 during the time I was losing.

The FitDay calculation of calories did not work for me, though it might be right for you. Instead, I used this site Calorie Calculator - Daily Caloric Needs. Check that and see if it gives you something similar to what FitDay says, just for grins. To make the FitDay one work out for me, I had to log in my sleep under Activities.

It's kind of hard to suggest how to cut out calories without knowing where your calories are currently coming from, but if you have any particular questions, we'll do our best.

Also, adding some weight training could really give you some bang for your buck in burning more calories at rest.

dancerinjade

Thank you so much! That website is extremely helpful! I am going to try to incorporate some toning into my workout. I am thinking of getting a Jillian Michaels DVD to use free weights with, as I feel slightly uncomfortable using weights at the gym with all of the macho guys

Do you have any suggestions or ideas for ways to incorporate toning into my workout that I can do at home?

Doitfit

Hi dancerinjade,

First off, it looks like you are off to a great start with your calorie intake and your goal... very attainable!

Body-weight exercises like squats, walking lunges, pushups, tricep dips are a great way to start to build muscle... and super convienient because you can do them at home with a gym!

Best of luck keep us updated on your progress!

kimmiecue

Hi Jeannette..Iam new here too..I have been using fitday for awhile but just discovered the forum tonight. I too have about the same weight as you. Shortly after Christmas I weighed in at 160 and felt horrible. I am 5'4 and am trying to get down to 130 by April 15th. I bought Tosca Reno's eat clean diet recharged book and am currently following Cooler 1 for 2 weeks. I am into my 5th day I started at 158 and this morning I weighed 154. I also bought Jillians 30 day shred DVD and am doing that as well as some elliptical and brisk walking on the treadmill. I am using fitday to keep track of my calories which I am keeping at 1200/day. I hope this all works but thought I would share with you what is working for me thus far. Beware if you do buy Jillians 30 day shred..you will not be able to walk up stairs the next day LOL..Good luck. Kim

almeeker

DH bought me the EA Active 2 for Christmas, LOVE IT, it has maybe 100 different workouts already set up, so it never gets boring. I also have the 30 Day Shred, which is good, but I enjoy the Leslie Sansone "Walk At Home" video more, can't say why really, its sort of hokey but somehow more enjoyable than the Shred and requires less coordination than DWTS Latin Cardio.

I used to feel weird working out at the gym too, but that's really just an excuse not to go. So at some point I decided that if any of the macho guys ever says anything insulting to me I'm going to counter with something like, "Someday you'll be 40-something and that's when you'll realize that a middle aged woman that hits the gym 3-4 days/week is your every living fantasy". So far not one of them has ever said anything rude to me, in fact I would go so far as to say they behave like gentlemen, "ladies first" and all that.

Kathy13118

Fitday has been fine for me to calculate my calories. But: we live in such a world that practically everything you pick up has a panel with nutritional informaiton. It's all there for you to make a 'custom food' so why not do that? Then look at the recent foods to reuse the entries if you don't want to go to your custom foods list all the time!

It's really hard to shave off calories but I can tell you that if you can cut some of the fat out - just make it 2 tbsp of mayo instead of 3, a pat of butter instead of a tablespoon: that's going to change your numbers. You'll be amazed.

Fat has 9 calories in a gram. The same GRAM (which is just a unit of weight) of protein or carbohydrates is going to be 4 calories, less than half of a gram of fat! This is the reasoning behind low-fat dieting. It doesn't have to be dramatic. Just some judicious 'pruning.'