Has anyone else found this blew them away?

Well, I'm saying "hum" ... here's an interesting take on CC.  I haven't used anything like this before and am gradually getting into using all the different tools.  Now, using the BMI and all the goals, etc, apparently in order to get to my goal weight by 1 December this year I need to be eating about 1200cals a day. 

And this is where I say "OMG".  Today, I have grazed from breakfast time through until now.  I feel "full" and have had a couple of cups of coffee and don't really need to eat any more.  So, I did the food meter as an experiment and find I have eaten just under 700cals which leaves me a good 500cals for dinner.  So, I know I don't need to eat anymore this afternoon.

BUT what has blown me away is how at first I was like OMG, 1200cals?  I will STAAAAAARRRRVE, that's so little, what shall I doooooo!  But now, having quietly munched my way through the day thus far, I'm actually seeing how MUCH it is.  Which is a good thing.  I am beginning to not be afraid of eating.  Which for a former anorexic and then former bulemic or at least "fat anorexic" as I call it, is pretty huge. 

Thanks CC.  We may just achieve something yet!  Has anyone else found this new view on food?

CC will sometimes give you an intake number that is actually too low.  It bases the number off your burn number and how much weight you lose but often does not take into account your BMR

Me for example, when I started CC I was sedentary which burns 1700 cals, and to lose 1lb/wk it told me to eat 1200.  My BMR however, is 1400.  I gained 15 pounds by eating to little.

check your BMR and how much you should be eating on www.phord.com/cc/.  it takes in account the minimum you should be eating, not just your burn minus 500 cals.

Part of it is food quality.  You get a *lot* more lean meat, vegetables, low fat dairy, etc. for 1200 calories than you'd get cake, soda and chips.  You also get far more nutrition with the healthy foods.  Just make sure to include some healthy fats; they may not be low-cal, but they're absolutely necessary to your health.

Original Post by lizshuler:

CC will sometimes give you an intake number that is actually too low.  It bases the number off your burn number and how much weight you lose but often does not take into account your BMR

Me for example, when I started CC I was sedentary which burns 1700 cals, and to lose 1lb/wk it told me to eat 1200.  My BMR however, is 1400.  I gained 15 pounds by eating to little.

check your BMR and how much you should be eating on www.phord.com/cc/.  it takes in account the minimum you should be eating, not just your burn minus 500 cals.

so is your BMR what you absolutely do not want to go below, calorie wise?

I checked out that site link above and found that it recommends about 1496 (1500 for argument's sake) cals per day.  Which is a bit more realistic.  I had already said to hubby earlier that I would aim for around 1500 cals a day as being more attainable and stick-to-able so that's interesting.  I'd go with the BMR calculator on that site as I think 1200cals is just too ridiculously small an amount for me to be able to sustain long term.  Plus I am going to be moving into a far more active on-my-feet and busy all day (and night as it is shiftwork) job soon too, so don't want to cut myself short and end up exhausted and a wreck in my first month.

Original Post by musicalfishmich:

so is your BMR what you absolutely do not want to go below, calorie wise?

Yep.  The 1200 "magic number" was picked as it's the BMR of a teeny tiny woman (5 feet, 100 pounds, I believe) so we can relatively confidently say to anyone "less than this is too little".  Plus it's a nice round number.  But, for anyone not that tiny, BMR is a better minimum.

Also, not sure what type of riding you do, but I do hunter/jumper and wore my heart rate monitor during my lessons.  in about 1.5 hours (20 minutes tacking up, 30-40 minutes riding, 30 minutes untacking/bathing etc) I would burn anywhere from 700-1200 calories...way more than this site estimates.  I was also riding and OTTB who thought stop meant go half the time so I got quite a workout.

So make sure if you ride alot that you account for what you are burning

Original Post by susiecue:

Original Post by musicalfishmich:

so is your BMR what you absolutely do not want to go below, calorie wise?

Yep.  The 1200 "magic number" was picked as it's the BMR of a teeny tiny woman (5 feet, 100 pounds, I believe) so we can relatively confidently say to anyone "less than this is too little".  Plus it's a nice round number.  But, for anyone not that tiny, BMR is a better minimum.

using the www.phord.com/cc/ website and entering my stats [female/24 y.o./5'1"/105 lbs and very active] it gives me a BMR of 1166 and an RMR of 1399..