Help!!! I don't know how many calories I should be eating!

TiffyChick

I am 5'11, female and I weigh 161 lbs. Seven years ago I weighed 130 and looked GREAT. My goal is to return t that weight (And no, I didn't look anorexic...I have small bones and when I gain weight it makes me look really pudgy as compared to someone with larger bones). I am 35 years old. I used to eat whatever, whenever. I would have dessert several times a week, soda 3-4 times a week, fast food 3-4 times a week and would eat out once or twice at places like italian restaurants (I was never health-conscious about what I ordered, either!). SO now I have cut out all soda, fast food, 80% of the sugar I was eating (which was hard but I know I have to!) and only allow myself one "cheat meal" a week. Here is what my typical menu looks like every day:

Early snack: Banana

Breakfast: Weight-control oatmeal (sugar-free); Cup of peppermint tea with stevia

Snack: Handfull of unsalted almonds or hard-boiled egg

Lunch: Spinach salad with lean chicken breast (3 oz. chicken breast), Tablespoon olive oil & tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Snack: Unsweetened greek yogurt (6 oz.) or fruit smoothie (no sugar added, just fruit and ice)

DInner: Salmon or tilapia or chicken (4-6 oz), steamed veggies (squash, broccoli, mushrooms), small salad (similar to lunch but without chicken), occasional glass of red wine (recent studies show that red wine actually boosts fat-burning)

Supplements: Nature's Source Liquid Gold and 4 oz. pure Pomegranate juice daily

My question is this: I usually ingest about 1400 calories but I still FEEL HUNGRY! Should I just live with the fact that I'm always going to feel hungry? I hate the thought that I'm going to go through life starving just to be at what I perceive to be a healthy and slender weight. : (

***I also do 25-40 minutes of cardio on a stationary bike or an elliptical 5 days a week and just started (yesterday, in fact) a weight training machine circuit just to get me going on weight training. I intent to get with a personal trainer to learn a really good routine for weights and to use free weights, as well.***

Thank you, everybody - this community is GREAT! : )

jenbehe

Hello!

I think that if you're hungry, you should up your intake. It seems that your body is telling you that it needs more fuel! Be sure to make those calories count with filling and healthy foods! (Nuts, peanut butter, fruit, veggies, etc)...


Good luck and hope that helps!

TiffyChick

Thank you so much! That's sort of what I was feeling was the right answer, but it's so hard to "go with your gut" (no pun intended) - it helps to have other people's input (especially folks with more experience in eating right) before I can make that decision to up my calorie intake. Thank you! : )