On a health kick, wondering if Calorie intake is too low.

Inquitus · 01-09-2010 09:59PM #1

I started at 105kg 5 weeks ago.
Now 97.5Kg
Cycled in the 5 weeks 600km at an avg speed of 25kph
I am eating 2 Slices of buttered toast for breakfast, a 6" Roll with Ham+Salad for lunch, and a reasonably healthy dinner in the evenings, I had Chili Con Carne tonight with rice for instance.

From reading around the web I think I may be taking in too few Calories on a daily basis. Would I be right in thinking that? And what Calorie intake would people suggest for optimum healthy weightloss to go in conjunction with my fitness efforts?

EileenG · 02-09-2010 12:47AM

Are you losing weight very rapidly? If not, then your calories are not too low. What you are eating is not particularly low calorie food. Toast and butter, for instance can easily top 400 calories without jam or milk in your coffee etc, if you eat the thick slices designed for toasting, and spread on a decent layer of butter. Same with the roll, it's all about what you put in it, but I'd guess you won't have change from 500 calories. And dinner depends entirely on your portion size.

Inquitus · 02-09-2010 08:11AM

EileenG wrote: »

Are you losing weight very rapidly? If not, then your calories are not too low. What you are eating is not particularly low calorie food. Toast and butter, for instance can easily top 400 calories without jam or milk in your coffee etc, if you eat the thick slices designed for toasting, and spread on a decent layer of butter. Same with the roll, it's all about what you put in it, but I'd guess you won't have change from 500 calories. And dinner depends entirely on your portion size.

I am burning around 800 calories from the cycling each evening, I would imagine I am only taking in 2000 as an absolute maximum, I am fine with that as long as it's appropriate for healthy weightloss.

EileenG · 02-09-2010 04:25PM

It's impossible to judge accurately how many calories you are burning unless you are using very specialised equipment to measure it. Similarly, unless you are weighing and measuring every single thing that goes into your mouth, you are guessing about the calories you eat. Exactly what weight of butter goes onto your toast in the morning? Most people can't tell by looking if they have 10g or 15g or 20g on their toast, but it's a big difference in calories.

Go by the results. If you are not starving, and you are not losing rate at a scary rate, you are not under-eating.

tHE vAGGABOND · 03-09-2010 01:09PM

First of all, good on ya, well done

Im also on a weight loss buzz, and Im down 3 1/2 stone from where I started, and as far as Im concerned if Im not starving then Im not eating too little calories

Im focused on getting good sources of protein and other good stuff your body needs at every meal and if I do have to snack between meals using fruit or nuts and not snacking on rubbish - and therefore Im fine all the time, not desperate for food, and also loosing weight week in and week out

Dont try and live your life and run your diet according to some book saying that everyone is the same and should consume x calories - if what your doing is working and you are not day dreaming of eating more then your fine

I guess the only thing is that your doing a lot of exercise, you need to adjust things of you cut that down [or indeed start doing more!]. The maintence level in future is something worth thinking about.

On a health kick, wondering if Calorie intake is too low.

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