How are we supposed to now how much calories to intake, or the amount of serving

1. 52

   Bbohall222posted 10 years ago

   How are we supposed to now how much calories to intake, or the amount of servings, how many
   
   times per day we are supposed to eat, and things of that nature??

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2. 77

   cathylynn99posted 10 years ago

   your daily calorie intake if you are not very active, should be approximately your weight in pounds times twelve. if you are of average size, you can add 100 calories for every mile you walk or run.

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3. 67

   Sushma Webberposted 10 years ago

   Calorie intake needs to be adequate or else there can be undesirable consequences. For example, an average man needs around 2000 calories if he lives a sedentary lifestyle and more calories if he is active. For females it is 1200 calories for a sedentary lifestyle and 1500 for active women. These figures are general. It is better to check out MyFitnessPal website.

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      ChristinSposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I honestly think MFP is too eager to throw out that 1200 number. I am very small 5'2 work a desk job but exercise daily. It told me1200 and I felt ill. I used other calculators and my BMR is closer to 1400 as a petite woman. I eat more & lose fas

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4. 37

   ChristinSposted 10 years ago

   I would suggest you do an accurate calculation of your BMR - base metabolic rate - this is the amount of calories you expend each day by just daily living activities (breathing, etc.) Then calculate the TDEE this your total daily energy expenditure - or the amount of calories you burn based on your daily level of activity.  (most people overestimate this by the way). 
   
   To maintain your weight you need to not eat more than your TDEE 
   To lose weight, you need to eat higher than your BMR but lower than your TDEE
   
   A calorie is a calorie - however that does NOT mean you should eat say 1400 calories worth of garbage.  If you eat healthy meals with plenty of fruits, veggies, complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fats then you'll do fine just knowing your two numbers and where you lie.  You can eat whenever you need to - whenever you are hungry.  Eat the right foods in the proper amounts. To get a true measure of how much you are eating - for at least a month weight and/or measure all your portions.  It will teach you portion control and proper size.  This is the best and only true way to get a real understanding.
   
   If you use a free site like MyFitnessPal (my favorite) they have a food journal where you log your meals for free daily.  It also has a lot of other free tools and forums where very knowledgeable people can help you.  It's a very eye opening experience for most when you start using their tools.
   
   It can also help you set goals for loss, maintenance, gaining, training whatever you are doing.  Other sites that are not as easy to navigate and cluttered with ads but have similar features are calorie-count and sparkpeople.

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5. 83

   M. T. Dremerposted 10 years ago

   Your body is your indicator. If you are hungry, then you should eat. The problem is that too much food today is designed to be addicting, while not really filling you up. For example, you could eat as many fruits, vegetables and grains as you want, without really having to worry about calories. But do the same thing with cheeseburgers and suddenly every bit of calories, cholesterol, fat, sodium, sugar and whatever chemicals might be hiding inside, are at the forefront of your mind. So, you can either limit and partition the stuff that is bad for you, or you can eat as much as you want of the right stuff.

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6. 0

   sheilamyersposted 10 years ago

   The others discussed the calories and such, so I'll address the number of times a day. For most people, they eat three meals a day and nothing else and I think that's what most nutritionists would suggest. If find yourself snacking between meals because you're feeling hungry, instead of adding calories you may not need, you can eat three smaller meals with a snack between each. For people like me who experience "sugar crashes" if we only eat three times, doctor's will suggest eating six times a day which is essentially splitting breakfast, lunch, and dinner into two meals each with the overall calorie count remaining the same as if it were the three meals.

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7. 0

   Dave36posted 10 years ago

   Get a food box & fill it with lots of salad, nuts, fish, chicken, pasta etc, & eat some when ever your hungry....Little & often is key as your body needs nutrients all day long, not just at breakfast dinner & teatime....The 3 meals a day routine is nonsense, & is simply because we have to go to work/school etc....No athlete would eat just 3 times a day, & i would suggest eating at least every 3 hours minimum throughout the entire day....My food box takes me 20 mins to do, & that's my food for an entire day done, no more cooking/washing up 3 times a day....This way your body no longer stores nutrients, as it knows it's getting some soon....3 meals a day means you body will have to store nutrients, for the massive gaps in between your 3 meals....So fill your box take it where ever you have to go, & eat when your body tells you to eat...Little & often.

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8. 82

   mikejhcaposted 10 years ago

   You are not supposed to worry so much. It can cause you to gain weight. Just pay attention to how the food makes you feel, your fat and your muscle. In my opinion counting calories just makes fat loss more difficult. If you are hungry then eat.
   
   Focus on being healthy. Do things that are good for your body. Lots of people that are trying to lose weight count calories and lots of people fail to lose weight. It seems like people that have trouble keeping the fat off are taking advice from other people that have the same problem.

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      ChristinSposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I'm sorry, but most people who are overweight "listen to their bodies" tell them the wrong thing.  I successfully lost weight and I keep it off, by counting calories. Most people benefit from that reality check. Worry doesn't cause weight gain -

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   2. 82

      mikejhcaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Stress and negative emotions cause cravings. I am sure you have heard of comfort food. Being more relaxed can help people lose weight by reducing their cravings for comfort food. When I did things to be more relaxed I stopped craving junk food.

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9. 60

   ldlarocqueposted 10 years ago

   Hi, Bbohall222.
   
   Your questions are not easy to answer since they depend on several different things so I'll try to take them one at a time.
   
   Caloric intake per day to MAINTAIN your current weight depends on your gender, height, current weight, age and activity level.  For example: I am female, 5'7", ~280, 40+ and have a light activity level so I would need about 2700 calories to maintain my current weight.  There are several Calorie Calculators online that can give you a maintenance caloric intake number.
   
   The amount of servings you should take in per day depends a lot on the above numbers as well.  You can find a 'food pyramid' just about anywhere online that will give you a general idea of how to portion your meals.  A good general guideline is 4 to 6 ounces of meat, about 1/2 cup of a starch (carbohydrate) and a 1/2 cup of both veggies and fruit at each meal.  Red meat should be limited to 2 or 3 times per week, chicken and fish making up the remainder of the meals.  Anything processed should be avoided and limit the amount of milk, butter, oil and sweet stuff.
   
   As far as the number of times per day to eat, the body works the best on 3 meals per day but 'meals' doesn't mean that you have to eat a lot.  Your metabolism needs to be maintained and that means putting calories into your body to make the cells work, the better the cells work the better your metabolism and the more fat that is burned.  So, depending on how hard you work then that will determine the size and portioning of your meal to get you through that period of time.
   
   While a day or two of fasting (drinking only water) will not hurt you, it may defeat your chances of losing weight unless you are completely changing your food intake.  If you are going from a processed foods, regular diet to a vegetarian lifestyle, a few days of total fast with only water taken in can help reset your body's metabolism if you introduce the vegetarian side slowly by moving to a juice fast for a week or so, then introducing the grains and proteins over a period of time.
   
   I hope that this has helped to answer your questions.  If not, I can always try to clarify.  Good luck!

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10. 38

    Natalie Haywoodposted 7 years ago

    Calories intake depends on lots of factors: age, gender, health etc. http://www.tipweightlossdiet.com/how-ma … y-sources/ - here's a good article that describes the details - what determines carbs intake, how many carbs do you need to lose weight, what food should you choose and other useful tips.

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