farahb7

Droping 69 lbs since December? good for you!!!!
my calorie intake was so low before, but now using fitday, i have been trying to keep my calorie count over 1000, reduce carbs and increase protein. will see tomorrow how well my body has responded.

almeeker

Actually I've only lost 63 pounds since Christmas Day, I lost 6 before Thanksgiving (actually 16, but gained back 10 between Thanksgiving and Christmas). My workout varies, but most days I work out at home, and I go full out out on the elliptical for an hour; at my weight that's approximately 700-800 calories. I hit a plateau earlier this month so I increased my workout to include 15-20 minutes of warm-up/stretching + hand weights to help break thru, which worked pretty well (when I'm motivated enough to do it). So on Sunday I bought "Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred" which I've used all this week for the warm-up and it's been really good (except my legs are on fire). Fitday puts the 30-Day Shred workout at roughly 200 calories. I get up to the gym 1-2 times/week, and that's where I do more serious weight lifting and core strengthening. My gym happens to have all kinds of equipment, but I go solo, so my workout is all about the Nautilus equipment not free weights. I can do 9-12 blocks on most of the equipment now, and I do 3 sets of 10 on maybe 12-15 different machines. I also do abs at the gym, they have a really sturdy inverted ab bench that I like and they have one of those elevated frames (looks like a tall chair with a back and arm rests, but no seat). At my weight that workout comes out to maybe 800-900 on fitday.com and it takes approximately 60-70 minutes.

One of the reasons I keep having to increase my workout is that the calories you burn are based on your weight. As I've dropped down the scale I have to increase the duration/energy/enthusiasm of my workout in order to keep the calories I've burned at about the same level. But I'm okay with that, it's actually part of my "losing it" strategy.

RunbikeSki

Ya know, I think the orginators of the 1000 calorie statement were just smaller than we are today. So I am betting that for them, the 1000 calorie program was both do-able and appropriate. Not the case for most of us modern women

I remember hearing a similar thing about 1000 cals from my mom, so I suspect she got it from her mom. My mom was fairly small at 5'3". Her mom, and my dad's mom were both tiny, just about 5' and fairly small boned. If you look at the stats for many of the hollywood idols from the 30s 40s and 50s they too were small. Not the tall skinny things we see in fashion and much of TV today, but less than 5'4" with small, fine bone structure. Katharine Hepburn was concidered very tall in her day - she was 5' 7.5"

Funny how these things move through the generations.

farahb7

very intense exercise!!! i truly admire you! as i said before, i do have to train myself mentally so i can start a exercise routine and stick with it! so far, i do maybe 30 minutes of exercising and climbing 4 floor of stairs and think that i have exercised so much
i hope i still lose weight since i have been watching my food intake, now i'm kinda worried about my weighing in for tomorrow!

farahb7

i'm one of the small tiny people too, i'm only 5', so i guess being on 1000 calories might be my way out too. but the thing is, it's very important what the source of that 1000 calorie is, if it's carb, weight lose is still going to be a challenge like it has been for me.

CindyCRNA

That's correct. At 57, are you on hormone replacement? That can bind thyroid and slow you down. I post on another forum and got this women (49 I think) on 3 grains of generic Armour and she feels great and has lost 23 pounds. 700 calories means there's an internal problem. I don't care if you are 57.

amyweeks

i jsut found this website, and i love it. I am very heavy, and have only lost 20 lbs to date. I want to thank all of your comments, as they are a big help to me in my weight loss. I was wondering how many calories to intake and still be safe. Thanks for your answers.

canadianbacon99

1000 calories a day while doing yoga, weights, and cardio? That must make for a miserable life. Seriously.

I can't see why someone would struggle like this. What's next, dropping down to 800 calories, maybe doubling the cardio?

You could be eating way more food, keeping your carbs low, eating more healthy proteins and fat, being FULL, workout half as much, and still lose weight.

Check out the Paleo Diet or the Primal Blueprint. You will amaze yourself!

almeeker

I'm pocket sized too, 5'-2" (when I round up) I'm also small boned, at least according to my knee doc. On 1,000 calories a day I would be more like a rabid badger than a human. But everyone is different. Personally I would rather put in a really intense workout, and eat a higher percentage of proteins, just so I can eat more. My plan is to get down to a healthy weight in a healthy way, and then to maintain it for life. Knocking my calories down to 1,000/day would probably put me in conservation mode, thereby making it doubly hard to lose the weight and then I would eventually go wildly off plan and gain back everything and then some. I might consider going down to 1,000 for a day or two to break a really tough plateau, but it's not a long term lifestyle option for me. Although I applaud the effort to try it and wish you luck.

farahb7

i thought i was eating even less than 1000 cal/day, but using the food journal, i'm usually about 1100 to 1200/day. which is not bad. the sad thing is, i was starving myself, and then i thought since i had so little food, i can have a few dates and cookies for snack!
but i have learned better, and i am doing better, much better actually! i have lost 3lbs for the last week, since i have been eating smarter, and i am so happy about it too!