The Lounge

if you see an error or broken link you can e-mail me at ambereve77@yahoo.ca or message me in my journal :) Thanks!

UPDATED FEBRUARY 07, 2007

EDIT: Moved original post to reply #1

This is what there is so far, they are NOT done and can and will be edited at will to correct any errors, add info and all that good stuff. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take a look. We don't require a lot from you, just your soul.. umm I mean.. input. Pick a Question, click the link to the Answer, check it over. Did we miss some vital info? Spelling error? Have a handy link? Anything... just lemme know, k? Easy as an analysis pie :)


Welcome to Calorie-Count! Here you will find a wonderful resource on your journey to being a healthier you.  We have terrific free tools to help you determine what your body's needs are for losing weight in a healthy manner and lively forums filled with folks ready to help.  Some of those folks have put together this list of frequently asked questions to help you out!  Of course we don't claim to be doctors or to know everything! ;)  We've provided you with handy linkage to where our numbers/info came from so you can explore on your own and decide for yourself.  Forum discussions about some subjects are also provided in the handy linkage.  Also, please check out the Official Calorie-Count FAQs  as well as the Calorie-Count Library! If this is your first time here, please try the walkthrough :)  Don't forget to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program or changing your diet! 

Click here for a list of useful links!

Top 4 tagged posts;

1. The Calorie-Count.com Diet
2. Calories In V.S Calories Out - Proper Caloric Deficits
3. Plenty of information and useful tips!
4. Fat Loss Beyond Calories In & Calories Out

:) Click the Q for the A! :)

Q :  Can I consume less than 1200 calories a day and still lose weight in a healthy manner?


Q :   Am I doing this right? The math behind calorie counting.


Q :  What is Starvation Mode? How do I know I'm in it and how do I get out?


Q :  Teens - How much should I weigh? What is normal?


Q :  What is a good ratio of calories?


Q:   How can I increase my protein?  


Q :  How can I get more fiber in my diet?


Q : carbs, the good the bad and the ugly! i think i stole this but i dont know where from heehee


Q : cholesterol


Q :  Help! I snack at night! What can I do? 


Q :  How much sodium is too much sodium?


Q :  WATER! Why should I drink water? How much? Is there a such thing as too much? Can I log it? Why does it only get a B?


Q :  What do I do when my food isn't in the datebase? What if I only want half of a serving? The packages nutritional information doesn't match the info in the database, what do I do?


Q :  What are Goals and Rewards?   Why are people talking about them?  How do I make mine and what kind should I be setting? Are rewards even important?  Can these things really help me? 


Q : How and when should I weigh myself? And what's the deal with the lines on my weight log? (maybe done?)


Q : How do I take my measurements properly? (enough? need more?)


Q : BMI. What is it? How do I figure it out?


Q : What are eating disorders? Do I have one?


Q : What are the rules of engagement here at CC? What is netiquette? Why has my post moved? Why has the content changed?


Q : Are negative or zero calories foods real? What are they? What about my 0 calorie salad dressing?


Q : How do I figure out how many calories I burn? What is my expenditure?


Q : Diet pills, do they work? Are they safe? Can I keep the weight off using diet pills? Is it healthy?


Q : Can I lose weight without exercise?


Q : Cravings. Are they real or all in my head? Why do I get them?


Q : "I get so emotional baby.." Is this normal?

Miscellaneous How Tos

Q :  Where do I get the cool lil virtual people I keep seeing on peoples profiles?   


Q :  How do you get the pictures to pop up when you mouse over your screen name?


Q :  How do you get pictures in your profile?


Q :  Awesome ticker you say? You want one? In your profile?

Q :  What do I do when my food isn't in the datebase? What if I only want half of a serving? The packages nutritional information doesn't match the info in the database, what do I do?

A :  Click on account > food log. Option 2 (to the right) gives you a form to use if you know the calorie content for a particular food.

This option is also good for different sized servings. Simply enter the item manually and tag it for future use :)

If you don't know the calorie content, try looking online. Lots of restaurants have their nutritional information available on their websites.

If you've cooked something and want to know the calorie content of it, you can also use our recipe analyzer tool.

Since the foods in the database are predominantly American your serving size and calorie content are likely to have slight differences if you are from outside of the US. While foods are constantly being added you may suggest one here. Until it's added you can add the items manually.

Sometimes even the information on the package just does not match what's in the database. If it is an obvious error drop a detailed e-mail to the sites founder, Erik at erik@calorie-count.com. If it is off by only a few grams/calories you may choose to enter the information manually. Products and recipes change all the time therefore nutritional information will change as well.


Handy Linkage:
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/account /flog.php
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/account /flog.php?nav=a ddmanual&process=submit
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/help.ph p?id=12
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/help.ph p?id=13

Q : What are Goals and Rewards?   Why are people talking about them?  How do I make mine and what kind should I be setting? Are rewards even important?  Can these things really help me?

A : Goals can be fun things to set and achieve, rewards can also be great fun! Really, goals and rewards are just a tool to help you make your Hopes and Dreams come true; especially to be a healthier You!!! 

Start with fun, easy to do Goals that are realistic!  Something you can actually do; that you will do!  They will be your daily, weekly, perhaps monthly plan of action to get the results you want :)  Like drink 8 glasses of water each day to stay hydrated and ease cravings or cut back 500 cals a day to lose a pound a week :) 

And when you achieve your goal, take a moment to acknowledge that you met your goal!  Celebrate!  Reward yourself!  Do something fun or pamper yourself.  Keep a permanent list of your goals someplace and make a happy note every time you meet one of your goals!



Handy Linkage:
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1749 6.html http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1531 4.html
http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/wei ghtlossgoals.ht m http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/ WT00018 http://www.ehow.com/how_4724_set-weight-loss. html
http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/setgoals.h tm

Q : How and when should I weigh myself? And what's the deal with the lines on my weight log?

A : Our weight fluctuates all day long, sometimes as many as 10 pounds or more depending on the time of day and how much we've consumed. If you don't think you can handle seeing your weight going up and down, weighing once a week is a good choice for you. First thing in the morning is typically when your weight is at it's lowest. Try to always keep your routine the same when you weigh for the most accurate results wether you weigh in the morning or evening, shoes on or shoes off :)

"The blue line represents your actual daily weight, and the green line is a moving average trendline." ~ calorie-count.com

Since you don't actually lose and gain 2, 3 or more pounds of fat every day the green trendline will help you to see where your actual weight is despite water weight fluctuations. Your weight may bounce around day to day but the green trend line will let you knw if you're gaining or losing.

Handy Linkage:
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/help.ph p?id=7
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/help.ph p?id=6
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1640 0.html
http://www.physicsdiet.com/WhenShouldIWeighMy self.aspx

Q : How do I take my measurements properly?

A : To take your measurements, try out these handy sites :

http://www.joyshoppe.com/howtomeasure.htm
http://www.clearwaterknits.com/knitcontour/me asurements.html

Taking measurements is an important step on your weight loss journey. Although hopping on the scale is the easiest and most logical way to determine weight loss it is not the best way to determine progress. Your weight can fluctuate over the course of a day 10 pounds or more. Sometimes your body is changing shape without losing weight. You could be gaining muscle while losing weight and therefore the scale will stay the same. Taking your measurements once a month will help you recognize your weight loss. Click here for a weight loss progress chart. Snapping a few pictures once in a while doesn't hurt either! :)

Make a list of the areas you'd like to measure, look at the charts on the websites to make sure you're doing it correctly. Don't forget to add the date and keep it in a safe place for compasison at a future date!

According to about.com this is how to measure to track weightloss... (is that completely stealing or considered fair play, and if its from mommy to this site would it even be strealing or playing with the same toys?)

Waist
Measure your waist without holding the tape too tightly (or too loosely). As a rough guide, your waist is the narrowest part of your trunk, or approximately 1 inch above your belly button.

Hips
Measure the hips around the fullest part of your buttocks with your heels together.

Thighs
Measure the upper thighs, just below where the buttocks merge into the back thigh.

Chest
Measure around the fullest part of chest

Handy Linkage:
http://exercise.about.com/cs/fitnesstools/l/b lprogresschart. htm
http://nutritiondata.com/dieting-weight-loss. html
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/tools.h tm#circumf

Q : BMI. What is it? How do I figure it out?

A : BMI stands for Body Mass Index which is a ratio between height and weight. It is a mathmatical formula that correlates with body fat.

We have a handy tool to help you determine your BMI.

If your BMI is over 25 the greater risk you have of developing health problems. While it is good to know your BMI it does not always accurately predict when weight could lead to health problems because it does not show the difference between fat and muscle. Also, according to this government website "BMI also may not accurately reflect body fatness in people who are very short (under 5 feet) and in older people, who tend to lose muscle mass as they age. And it may not be the best predictor of weight-related health problems among some racial and ethnic groups such as African American and Hispanic/Latino American women. But for most people, BMI is a reliable way to tell if your weight is putting your health at risk."

Click here, here, or here for the math behind BMI.

Handy Linkage:
http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/beyond/articles /Medicine/BMI.h tml
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/bmi.php
http://www.slshealth.com/residential/behavior al_info/bodymas sindex.asp
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/tools.h tm#bodymassinde x
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/923520512.h tml

Q : Where do I get the cool lil virtual people I keep seeing on peoples profiles?  

A:  www.mvm.com

(add how to get it as a default profile pic)

Q :  How do you get the pictures to pop up when you mouse over your screen name?

A : To get the pictures to pop up you'll need to upload a picture if you haven't already done so and set it as 'default' :)

community > pictures > upload

Chose a picture to upload from your computer and be sure to click/check the Default Profile Picture box directly below.

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/communi ty/userpics.php

Q :  How do you get pictures in your profile?

A :  First you'll need a space on the web to host your images. www.photobucket.com or www.flickr. are both free sites. Upload any images you'd like to use to your space and you can simply copy and paste! :)

Q :  Awesome ticker you say? You want one? In your profile?

A :  Click community > ticker. Play with it until you have it just the way you like it. Save the changes and then get the code if you'd like to display it publically in your journal. Copy everything in the box that looks like mumbo jumbo ;) and paste it into your profile!

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/communi ty/ticker.php

Linky Links

Eating Disorders: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9961 .html

EDs: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/8672 .html

Anorexia: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9165 .html

Anorexia: http://somethingfishy.org/

Anorexia: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/anorexia/DS 00606

Bulemia: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bulimia/DS0 0607

Binge Eating Disorder: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/2791 .html

Binge Eating Disorder: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/6584 .html

Binge Eating Disorder: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/binge-eatin g-disorder/DS00 608

Success stories are great motivators: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1160 9.html

Members motivational statements to new members: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/page /3/13761.html#7 2

About sugar: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9722 .html

How much have we lost: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1312 .html

Really great thread with lots of different info: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1120 5.html 

Storing fresh produce: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/8708 .html

Articles regarding how little bites of food add up:

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/200 3/Jul/23/il/il0 1a.html

http://www.dietdetective.com/diet-weight-loss /its-the-little -things-that-count.html

Check out page 4:

http://ohp.nasa.gov/disciplines/hpromo/campai gns/2005/tbites /tinybites_male.pdf

Aarticles relating to sleep and diet here: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9744 .html 

Starvation Mode: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9416 .html

31 ways to increase your metabolism: http://www.officialoverweightnomore.com/31dai lystepstolosewe ight.html 

Bootcamp workout: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/6428 .html

A list of "negative calorie" foods: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/22.h tml

Link to more links about super foods and members favourite health sites: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/page /3/13761.html#7 1

Forum discussion about obesity and gastric bypass: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/2341 .html

okay, y'all can look now.

We don't require a lot from you, just your soul er.. I mean.. input. Pick a Question, click the link to the Answer, check it over. Did we miss some vital info? Spelling error? Have a handy link? Anything... just lemme know, k? Easy as an alalysis pie :)

EDIT: and of course any repeated questions we've missed :)

any suggestions, any suggestions at all....

Bravo, Garnet!

*bows* now help me out! Just 5 minutes of your time.. one lil question reviewed and edited/fixed... :) C'mon!!

Already reading. Want to post someone on another thread here.

But, one little suggestion.

For the 1200/1500 calories post, explain where the number comes from, how it's a guideline based on some concept of a typical person. How people who are heavier or taller may need more calories than 1200 or 1500 :)

Just my suggestion

a good one, I knew that one needed something more. I'm literally making notes, keep going! :)

Also, note.. this site doesn't calculate BMR (Basal Metabolism Rate), how many calories you spend sitting on your bum, it calculates AMR, which is BMR + an assumption of how many calories are spent moving around. It's your BMR times a factor, depending on your activity level.
I don't know if you want to discuss how to determine what your activity level is, but I'd mention that.

*continues to read*

For this question, do you want to mention the Recipe Analyzer as well?  Such as "If you've cooked something and want to know the calorie content of it, you can also use our recipe analyzer tool".

Here, perhaps explain what the trend actually is? I see that question alot

how about a q/a about losing weight with or without exercise?  very often we see posts that say "I hate exercise.  Can I lose without it?"

A: Yes but....  Gov't organization recommends 60 min of activity a day, not necessarily exercise/cardio....10000 steps a day, 15000 to lose weight, etc....

List of easy things to do to add movement each day:  parking farther away, take the stairs, get some hand weights (either commercial or just cans of food or old soda/milk jugs with water or sand in them), wall pushups, etc...

(yeah not very complete but you get the idea)

YAY *claps hands together* Actualy input, woo hoo!! *is so happy*

Good one Drea!

*copies/pastes to word doc.*

Maybe an ED faq, "What are eating disorders? Do I have one?"

A: Anorexia is... (cite), Bulemia is... (cite), Binge eating or compulsive overeating is.... (cite).  Other variations of these may be classified as disorders that are called NOS (not otherwise specified).  Some variations are considered disordered eating, which means they dont rise to the level of a disorder but are considered pathological.
'
If you think you are suffering from an ED, it is important you seek medical treatment.  A doctor is the only one qualified to diagnose you or treat you.  Your doctor may recommend, for certain types of disordered eating, that you do not use this site.  Please follow your doctors orders and good luck on your healthy lifestyle!