Question about my calorie intake

drich1989

Hello, I'm not sure how to best word this question but I'm going to try.

If it helps here's a little about myself, I'm 24 and 5'9". I've lost 23 pounds with about 40 more to go. Unfortunately I have a sedentary desk job. I do not have a gym so my workouts consist of jogging, boxing and weight training, push-ups/sit-ups etc.

A few weeks ago I stalled pretty bad at 1600 calories/day. 1600 calories was challenging. I switched to 1450 calories and its been hard, but I'm having great success.

My concern is as I lose more, my calorie intake will have to keep decreasing. I don't want to be one of those people stuck on 1200 calories a day and barely making it. I dont think 1200 is sustainable for me long term. I know we all have different goals and bodies, but how is it some girls are at 1200 while others are at 1800 and still progressing? Does it all come down to level of intensity in workouts and maybe metabolism? Will I be stuck at 1450 calories/day for life?

Maybe I'm thinking too far ahead. I apologize if this is a dumb question or if there's something obvious I'm missing. I want to reach my goal, but I also want to live a "normal" life where I can go about not restrained by every meal.

Thank you!

bajoyba

Well, it's hard to say too much without specifics. What is your current weight, how often do you exercise, and how long were you 'stalled' before you lowered your calorie intake?

For most people, metabolism is not the issue. However, activity level does play a big part in how many calories you can consume and still lose weight. Personally, I don't like to eat less, so I'm always in favor of raising my activity level rather than lowering my calories, but it's all about what's sustainable long-term, so you have to pick a plan of action that you're comfortable sticking to.

As for the stall, I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you've stalled for 4-6 weeks or more. I've gone 2-3 weeks without losing anything, but I stuck with my calorie goal, and the weight did continue to come off. I can't see your diary, but you may also want to take a look at your logging habits. Most of the time when I'm not losing weight like I think I should, it's because I've gotten more relaxed with my logging and am not being as accurate as I could be. Once I buckle down again and am precise and accurate in keeping track of the food I eat, things typically resolve themselves.

drich1989

Thanks for the reply. I log EVERYTHING that I consume, even gum. I also have a food scale and use it religiously. I was stalled for a little over a month. My weight would not budge. I started at 230 and am now at 206.4. My work out schedule could play a part. Sometimes I work out hard 4 days a week, sometimes its only twice. I guess I'm more concerned with long term, I dont want to be stuck in this desperate "count the calories and then burn the calories!" mindset for the rest of my life. I guess it's about finding the balance.