Hi, here are some formulas I had, it is suggested to track your food calories throughout one week and see where you are at, but I had already adjusted my calories three weeks ago so that wouldn't help me in my question as far as how many calories I would need to lose weight, so this was a good understanding of what I needed to do - at least a starting point.

How many calories to lose weight:

Take your goal weight and instead of using that full amount, make smaller increments to allow your body to adjust and get "enough" calories...for instance, I now weigh 228 and I want to lost 78 pounds. But my first goal is 20 pounds....228-20=200 pounds, so I would take:
200 (weight desired) and multiply times 14 (sedetary) or 17 (moderately active) or 20 (active) this will equal a total calorie baseline that I can begin with.

200 x 17 = 3400 calories, which is very close to what FT tells me I should have. I thought that this was high but found my little formula's and check around and found this was a good baseline, again, as posted. I am understanding that the reason the calories are higher is that if we "jump the gun" and try to eat less calories, figuring we will lose quicker, we sabatoge ourselves as we will lose, but it will be nearly impossible to keep it off, as I did when I nearly starved myself eating no more than 1000 calories a day and lost 35 pounds - trouble was when I increased my calories to the normal amount - I started to gain. I sent my body into horde mode. So, patience is definately a plus when losing weight and counting calories...sometimes more is better.

Here is a formula I had on a postcard forever in my purse many months ago when I wanted to lose weight. I have no thyroid and so this is geared toward people with hypothyroidism and may help others that have stubborn weight loss - stay with me here, it is a bit more complicated but read through it and it isn't so hard:

To calculate how many calories you need:

1)Divide your current weight in pounds by 2.2, in order to convert your weight to kilograms.
2)Multiply you weight in kilograms by 30. (30 is the number of calories you need per pound of body weight.)
(So, if you are 160 pounds, you divide 160 by 2.2, which equals 73 kilograms.)

3)Multiply 73 kilograms by 30, which equals 2190, which would be how many calories you theoretically need to maintain your current weight of 160.

4)Subtract 200 calories for your thyroid condition, an estimate to reflect the reduction in your metabolism and calorie requirements.

1990 calories is now the estimated calorie requirements for you as a thyroid patient to maintain a weight of 160 pounds.

To lose weight, you need to cut your calorie requirements by 5 calories per kilogram, so that means you multiply your current weight in kilograms by 25 instead of 30.

So, in our example above, if you are 160 pounds, you divide 160 by 2.2, which equals 73 kilograms.

Multiply 73 kilograms by 25, which equals 1825, which would be how many calories you theoretically need to lose about a pound every ten days, at 3500 calories per pound).

Again, subtract 200 calories to account for your thyroid condition.

1625 calories is now the estimated calorie requirements for you as a thyroid patient to lose weight at a safe rate.

Also, most of the effective weight loss programs for thyroid patients also focus on breaking up those calories into multiple "mini-meals" per day.

Some experts believe that people with hypothyroidism should eat 40% protein/25% fat/35% low glycemic carbohydrates in smaller, 250-300 meals.

Here it is broke down if you want to keep it written down as I did:

Current Weight, in Pounds _____
Divide above by 2.2 _____
Multiply result by 25 _____
Subtract 200 for "Thyroid Factor" -200
Calories Per Day for Weight Loss _____
Divide by 300 = # of 300-calorie "mini-meals" Per Day _____

At 300 calories per meal, a 175 pound hypothyroid person could expect to lose weight eating approximately six balanced mini-meals of around 300 calories each, spaced out evenly throughout the day...along with appropriate exercise, of course!


How many calories should you have in a day (no weight loss):

For sedentary people: Weight x 14 = estimated cal/day

For moderately active people: Weight x 17 = estimated cal/day

For active people: Weight x 20 = estimated cal/day


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Veda
MISERY IS OPTIONAL

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

For your first example, it is normally 10-15 calories per lb. of bodyweight for a woman, and 15-20 for a man. With the low end being for those who are more sedentary or want to lose, and the higher end for those more active or wanting to gain.

Not very scientific, but will get one started. For dieting, a good idea is to cut 10% off the figure you come up with using bodyweight and this is a decent place to start.

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If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything....

bb1fit@freetrainers.com

Hi Veda,
I understand your formula, but if I work it out like that I get about 3500 cals. I honestly couldn't eat that much! If I try I eat too much carbs, I know carbs are good for you, but not at that scale. Even taking off the 10% that bb1 is talking about I still have over 3000 cals!

My biggest problem at the moment is fats, I thought I did really well yesterday and still went over my fats by 20%. It's a tad confusing, but Im working it out slowly. At least Im winning in the water department, Im having no problems drinking well over 2L a day.
Donna

Hey bb1fit, very much simplier! But, I guess I'm more confused as FT said 3037 and the low end of your calculations would be 2280 for my weight, that is a difference of an extra meal or two..., but that is definately more in line with what I had initially thought until I found the cards that my doctor had given me from websites he thought may be helpful last year and told me to use the formula's to help me find a good starting place (above). I've been doing so much research on this and it keeps coming up that I need to have at least 2900 calories and 3400 being the highest, to lose, or I won't, and like others, I don't want to start gaining either and it seems like a lot to eat, but broke down into smaller meals it is more feasible, yet....?? I guess I just want to be sure I lose as I am working very hard. I have been very faithful to both nutrition and exercise yet the weight loss is minimal to none (don't have a scale, but clothes are fitting the same). I realize a good idea is to see what you are eating and then cut back, but I had already changed much of my eating patterns so they are healthier so they wouldn't be accurate. Sorry, I am just confused about this and your help would be greatly appreciated as I am confident in the moderators here and their advice!!

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Veda
MISERY IS OPTIONAL

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Veda, you said the other day you were eating 1750 cals per day. What are you eating now? You have to find your base metabolic rate and make adjustments. When your weight stabalizes after a week go down 250 per day in calories.

Philia said somthing in another post about everybody being different. I eat way below the FT guidelines and I have made very steady strength gains over the last year. I also work a sedentary job. Formulas are good guides but you gotta figure out whats right for you.

If you are making strength gains just gradually reduce calories. As far as your cloths not loosening up, stay the coarse. You are building muscle that is pushing the fat out. My wife and I both experienced this. Your muscle will win the battle over fat in the long run. All you have todo is win the challange and then go from there.

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Foolish consistancies are the hobgoblins of small minds.

Charlie

I am not understanding, there are too many ideas to calculate a baseline, which can mean a big difference. I don't understand "go down 250 per day in calories", till when?

I have to say this is bringing me down as I don't know where I am suppose to be with all these "choices". I am just going to up my calories to 2280. bb1fit says is within my range using his calculations and I am much more active now with weight training and cardio, then I will go from there. *big sigh* This has to be the most difficult subject to get assistance in, as like you said, everyone is different and with my thyroid condition, it certainly doesn't help, but bb1fit's comes closer to that calculation, too, so I'll just see how it goes and pray for the best. I just want to see some weight loss soon, I will be going on my 4th week. I know my muscles are definately toning up, so I am being patient thus far! Thanks Charlie.

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Veda
MISERY IS OPTIONAL

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Veda,

Don't get discouraged. All the calculations and concepts are to get you to the point that Charlie is talking about. Use any calc you want to find a starting point. Then eat that amount for a week or two. If you see a 1-2.5 lb weight reduction, then stay the course. IF you see more than 2.5 lbs come off you might consider adding some more calories in. Now if you don't change at all subtract 250 calories and give it another week. Finally if you gain over the week I would probably still only subtract between 250 cals and 500 cals and see what happens the next week or two. Remember that a pound of fat is 3500 calories. You are trying to create a 7000 calorie defecit per week. That is a thousand per day, 250-500 from diet and 500-750 from exercise. Keep it simple. :)

Daniel

Part of my problem is I need a scale, that would help as I am just "blind" without it at this point. I have always hated scales and prefer to use my clothing, but I would like to check consistantly for awhile anyway. Thanks, Daniel, I'll give it a shot. I do appreciate all of you and your helpful suggestions and support so very much!

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Veda
MISERY IS OPTIONAL

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

I hear you about the clothing. However, if you are anything like me it isn't very encouraging in the beginning, because most of my clothes where to small to begin with. I refused to go any larger, so they didn't start getting loose for sometime. It is amazing how clothes feel when they aren't digging into your flesh. :)

Daniel

Hey Veda. I hear ya about the confusion. When I look at my diet, I know I'm not eating enough. So the idea of dropping 250 a day just doesn't work for me. I'm trying to find a level of calories where my body stops thinking it's in starvation mode and just lets go of some of that fat it's been building up. This has probably been the most difficult part of all of this for me.