Wow, this is the type of post I was looking for.  Reading people who just started dieting at 136 lbs to lose only 10 lbs makes me feel completely out of touch with everyone.  Hubby and I just decided to do something about our weight, although he is more into the working out and just cutting back.  I started cutting back and started counting calories, but I wonder how many I used to eat.  Scares me!  So, if I can join, it'd be nice to be with others that understand why a whole thing of Ben and Jerry's used to make sense in one sitting!  I just started and need to buy a scale, but here's my info as of this week.

SW: 367

Goal for Jan 1: 299

Ultimate Goal : 180-200

I totally understand what you're saying, liza. I really can't relate to anyone who has never been described as morbidly obese; they just don't get why that term is so disturbing, upsetting, and depressing. Plus, they just don't have the health problems that some of us have or the challenges we face everyday. Take my advice and stick with us. I think we all share a similar frame of reference, which makes us more sensitive to what each other is going through. I've learned to stick with the folks who know what it's like to be where I am. Good luck!

Actually, I have a question.  Since the minimum for adult women and men is 1200 and 1500 respectively, does this apply to us?  Or since we are obviously larger and use more, do we need a higher minimum?  I read some of the articles and it seems that obese people burn fat while skinnier people can cause damage.  Somehow, I started with no target goal, but just cutting back, being healthy, and then started to put it in and calculate.  I found I'm anywhere from 1300-1500 (excluding the one day a week where whatever I happen to eat is fine since it's a free week).  I just started exercising today (woohoo!), but according to the machine, my 18 minutes only burned 46 calories...not completely trusting that, although it does ask for weight.  Any thoughts?

Liza ... this is something i posted in another thread a few months ago .. it may or may not help ya.. but its here for you to read in case it does =) in regards to the machine .. what kind of machine was it ? treadmill ? eliptical .. it does seem low to me as well .. Id say trying puting into the burn meter here and see what it says =)

I recently started here too, back in the beginning of March.

My Start weight was about 329lbs and Im now currently at 302.5. Im 5'9 and 27 years old.

My calorie intake is about 1700- 1900 per day .. 

Everyone will tell you something diffrent, figure out what works best for you.

 You need to fgure out your BMR ( link at the bottom) then determine your activity level. I chose sedentary then i can just input whatever activities i do on to this site. 

so as an example if you BMR is 2359.05 and you are sedentary =

2359.05 x 1.2 = 2830.86

( this is the number of calories you need to eat everyday inorder to stay at the weight you are right now)

Obviously we dont want to stay at that weight so we need to create a deficit, 1pound loss = 3500 calories, 2lbs loss = 7000cal

So inorder for you to lose 2 lbs per week you need to create a weekly deficit of 7000calories. or a deficit of 1000 calories a day. Any more than this is considered unhealthy keep in mind tho with an exercise routine and eating right, us bigger girls will probably lose more than this in the first few weeks.

My best friend is now my digital food scale that i bought for 30$. I had no idea that my portions were so out of wack ! I cant stress portion control enough. Like for example .. A PORTION of croutons .. is 7 or 8 croutons .... not 25 or 30, like i would use before.

I now weigh or measure everything, Cereal, bananas, Broccoli,PB, Pasta, onions EVERYTHING. I cant trust my self to just *eye* it ... cuz obviously i love to eat .. and i love to eat alot.

I know im not a Pro .. there are ppl on here who have lost lots of weight.. and im only starting, so we have some things in common.

Just take it one day at a time. oh and dont be afraid to have a day where you can have a free day with no counting ( in moderation ofcourse). It helps alot .. and on my last free day .. i think i was only about 300 cal over what i usually eat, I didnt want half as much junk that i used to eat.

If you want to chat, or mail whatever. add me to friends send me a line. Im on the PC alot !

I hope this helps you.

 ( this post is a copy of a post i made in another thread)

Korali

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ harris-benedict-equation/

Korali, you made me laugh.  I am really trying to figure out what exactly a portion consists of.  So I have started to use the measuring cups.  But, I don't weigh my meats.  I know how much they start with then divide them into how many servings that amount of meat should be (so, 3/4 of a lb of pork loin became 3 equal servings).  It's amazing what I thought it used to be.  And I'm experimenting with different vegetables to see what I like.  Celery is fine, but I get sick of it plain or too often.  And I started doing smoothies in the morning, so plenty of assorted fruits.  I'm definitely seeing this as a lifestyle change. 

So with the calories...according to all the tools, I should be eating about 1900 a day, although that seems more than I need most of the time.  And actually, that's my calories to maintain at my goal weight.  I'll stay with what I have now and adjust it as needed. 

I did use the exercise thing on here.  It says I should have burned 370.  It's an elliptical set at light.  I just started up and did not set it very high.  No idea why it says on 46.  Beyond me.  I'm more focused on the doing than the cals burned though.  Thanks for the help!

Ok, so I got my scale in the mail.  Hubby tried it and said it's close to what it should be, because after weighing myself, I thought it might be wrong.  I'm below 350!  347.6 to be precise.  I'm thinking that I went to the doctor's before I thought I had and maybe their scale weighs high.  But either way, I'm happy with that.  Just closer to what I need it to be.  =)