calories and exercise?

[callog]

I know you really don't have to count calories on the diet but I was wondering how many a day I should be eating and how many calories should I try to burn a day by exercise? Right now I'm eating between 1500 and 2000 is that too much for a female?

[Georgiana]

Re: calories and exercise?

From the way you phrased it, I can guess you are not hungry by eating 1500-2000 calories. Do you feel like you are eating too much? Calories do count, even on Atkins. If you eat more than you burn, you will gain weight. The reason why you don't have to count calories on Atkins is that, without cravings, you should know when you are full (not stuffed). There is also a metabolic advantage -- it takes the body more energy to break down fat than to break down carbohydrates. That being said, regardless of whether you exercise or not, your calories should be just enough for you feel full and satisfied with the amount of food/calories you're eating. This typically depends on one's height, weight, metabolism, age... so it is difficult to say if 1500-2000 calories are too much for you with or without exercise. Go by what your stomach says and you won't go wrong.

[callog]

Re: calories and exercise?

does that sound like to much? I feel just fine when I eat that amount. I am very overweight I am 5'7 and I weigh 248. So I know I was eating way more than that! But I don't want to eat to much and gain, so I've been doing 10 to 15 minutes a day on the ellliptical Thats all I can handle right now till I'm so out of breath! lol I just want to know if I am still eating to much? My carbs are no more than 20 a day and no less that 16 net carbs!

[Georgiana]

Re: calories and exercise?

Oh, now I remember... I replied to your post about the elliptical.

I feel just fine when I eat that amount.

Then you must be doing it just fine. Are you losing weight? If you are, it's excellent!

[Georgiana]

Re: calories and exercise?

To give you an idea (although, as I've said, one's caloric intake is influenced by a lot of factors)... I am 5'8", so just a little taller than you, and weigh ~160 lbs... and I eat about 1300-1400 calories per day. My BMR is around 1550.

At your height and weight, your BMR is a little below 1900 calories, so 1500-2000 calories per day is pretty much spot on.

[Chicklady]

Re: calories and exercise?

does that sound like to much? I feel just fine when I eat that amount. I am very overweight I am 5'7 and I weigh 248. So I know I was eating way more than that! But I don't want to eat to much and gain, so I've been doing 10 to 15 minutes a day on the ellliptical Thats all I can handle right now till I'm so out of breath! lol I just want to know if I am still eating to much? My carbs are no more than 20 a day and no less that 16 net carbs!

I'm also 5'7" Over the past 14 months that I've been doing this, I've averaged 1967 calories per day, with a mostly sedentary life. YMMV

[JasmineFlower]

Re: calories and exercise?

i dunno i'm now averaging 1700 calories per day. i'm pretty active and 5'10. i just focus on the fact that i'm A)satisfied after finishing a meal and B)still losing weight. i'm not gonna argue with that! if it ain't broke, don't fix it.