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121806 UPDATE - I have successfully lost just over 50 lbs by making healthy decisions. I threw together this post a while back with all the little things I learned when I first started. You are more than welcome to check it out.
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/8532 .html

There is an updated version two of the idea of this post being worked on with even more information. Please stop by and contribute if have any ideas or find any information you would like to share with the community on this website.  
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1713 3.html

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In this thread, I have copied and pasted information that I have gathered. A lot of the math, lists and links. You are more than welcome to take any of this information and share it in the forums at anytime. The best way to help out new people with questions is with providing good information with references. So tag this post if you are looking for any of the information I have passed out, because here it is, all in one place. Be good to yourself and to each other. Keep fighting the good fight! Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional, nor do I play one on TV. =) Please note, that even in the medical industry you will find all sorts of contradictions out there from reliable sources! Gather as much information as you can. I recommend to each individual to make their own decisions regarding what they feel is a healthy decision for their own body. It's your body, it's your choice. This thread was created in the spirit of sharing information, there is no right or wrong answer, these are the resources and information I have found on the internet.

THIS POST WAS LOCKED BY ERIK PER MY REQUEST

The recommendation is to have a good ratio of calories, 40-50% Carbs, 25-35% protein, 20-30% fat. Under 2500 mg of sodium and over 25 grams of fiber. This information can be found once you enter information into your Food Log and using the Analysis tool from the top menu.

It is recommended to never go below 1200 calories if you are a female, because your body will go into starvation mode and it is possible that you might gain weight, besides doing serious damage to your body. (1500 calories if you are male).

Your body needs at least 1200 calories per day to survive. Here is a very rough scientific break down provided by a dietician for a  5' 2", 19 year old female weighing approximately 100 pounds, sitting around all day and doing nothing:


-The heart needs 12% of the calories (144 cals)
-The kidney needs 12% of the calories (144 cals)
-The Liver needs 23% of the calories (276 cals)
-The brain needs 23% of the calories (276 cals)
-The skeletal muscle needs 30% of the calories (360 cals)

Reference: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/3178 .html#6

What is a safe calorie deficient reduction to lose weight? It is recommended to reduce your calories by 500 per day, but never more than 1000 calorie deficit per day.  When your down to the last 5-10 lbs, you should just focus on toning. Tone. Tone. Tone. Start lifting weights, keep up the cardio. As for the number of calories, don't reduce by no more than 500 less than what you burn. It's only, if you have 20 or more lbs to loss, that you don't reduce by no more than 1000 calories less than what you burn. 3500 Calories = 1 lb. Divide that by 7 days, and you have a reduction of 500 calories per day for a week. You can safely lose 1-2 lbs per week.

With the increasing summer heat, water is important to staying hydrated and aiding in meeting weight loss goals.

A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you should drink another 8 ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. If you drink coffee or alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water. If you live in an arid climate, you should add another 2 servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can add up to quite a lot.

A calculator to help you figure out how much water you should drink:

http://www.muscletech.com/CALCULATORS/WATER/W ater_Calculator .shtml

Do you walk or run and want to know how much water to carry with you: Check out this calculator: http://walking.about.com/library/cal/ucwaterc alc.htm

Can you drink too much water? http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/hyponatremia. html

To figure out the math to determine the number of grams of Carbs, Protein and Fat you should consume, take the total number of calories you are suppose to consume.

Divide it by the precentages you are using. So for Carbs you will have a number of calories that represent a fraction of the total, same for protein and fat.

Then you take each of those number of calories, and you divide Carbs by 4 to get the total grams, Protein by 4 to get the total grams and Fat by 9 to get the total grams. For example:

The Math for a 1200 Daily Calorie Goal:

40-50% Carbs = 480-600 calories (120-150 grams) 
25-35% Protein =  300-420 calories (75-105 grams)
20-30% Fat = 240-360 calories (26-40 grams)

Aim for 25 gram or more of Fiber
Aim for 2500 mg or less of Sodium 

Aim for 1 Gallon of Water = 16 eight oz cups = 128 oz

The follwing is wonderful website and one of my most favorite resources. It's a website that provides a list of what is considered the world's most healthiest foods and then it has a link on each food item with information on all the nutritional properties and benefits:

List of The World's Healthiest Foods

http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php

Sample grocery lists can be found in my journal. You are more then welcome to look at my journal.

And I also recommend steel cut oats and organic peanut butter over and over again. Information about steel cut oats can be found here: http://www.mccanns.ie/pages/products1.html 
... and organic peanut butter actually tastes like peanuts and has no commercial fillers. You can make it yourself using a special grinding machine at your local health food store. Give it a try!!

How much sugar? Math, Information, Links and Articles!
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9722 .html

The World Health Organization?s recommends that 10% percent of your total calories come from sugars. Here is how the math breaksdown:

1200 calories, 10% = 120 calories = 30.0 g of sugar
1300 calories, 10% = 130 calories = 32.5 g of sugar
1400 calories, 10% = 140 calories = 35.0 g of sugar
1500 calories, 10% = 150 calories = 37.5 g of sugar
1600 calories, 10% = 160 calories = 40.0 g of sugar
1700 calories, 10% = 170 calories = 42.5 g of sugar
1800 calories, 10% = 180 calories = 45.0 g of sugar
1900 calories, 10% = 190 calories = 47.5 g of sugar
2000 calories, 10% = 200 calories = 50.0 g of sugar
2100 calories, 10% = 210 calories = 52.5 g of sugar
2200 calories, 10% = 220 calories = 55.0 g of sugar
2300 calories, 10% = 230 calories = 57.5 g of sugar
2400 calories, 10% = 240 calories = 60.0 g of sugar

Sample Foods High Protein:

Boiled egg whites, 1/2 cup of non-fat cottage cheese, Spinach, Brocolli, Turkey, Salmon, Tuna, Lamb, Adzuki beans, black beans, Special K Soy Protein cereal every morning, Skim Milk, Organic crunchy peanut butter, Blanched Almonds, Tofu, Broccoli, chicken breasts without the skin, salmon, tuna, quinoa.

The average adult needs about half a gram of protein per pound of healthy weight

The recent thread on protein:

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/8339 .html

How much protein do you need?

According to the recently updated Dietary Reference Intake guidelines, the recommended daily consumption of protein for adult men and women is the following: Women aged 19-70 need to consume 46g of protein per day. Men aged 19-70 need to consume 56g of protein per day. The difference is due to the fact that, in general, men's bodies have more muscle mass than those of women.

Other recommendations suggest 1g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight while some extreme sources suggest that higher intakes of 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight are desirable. Higher levels of protein intake have not been proven to be necessary and may be harmful due to increased stress on the kidneys and liver.

How much protein you need in your daily diet is determined, in large part, by your overall energy intake, as well as by your body's need for nitrogen and essential amino acids. Physical activity and exertion as well as enhanced muscular mass increase your need for protein. Requirements are also greater during childhood for growth and development, during pregnancy or when breast-feeding in order to nourish your baby, or when your body needs to recover from malnutrition or trauma or after an operation.

Because the body is continually breaking down protein from tissues, even adults who do not fall into the above categories need to include adequate protein in their diet every day. If you do not take in enough energy from your diet, your body will use protein from the muscle mass to meet its energy needs, and this can lead to muscle wasting over time.

Can you eat too much protein?

Because the body is unable to store excess protein, it is broken down and converted into sugars or fatty acids. The liver removes nitrogen from the amino acids, so that they can be burned as fuel, and the nitrogen is incorporated into urea, the substance that is excreted by the kidneys. These organs can normally cope with any extra workload but if kidney disease occurs, a decrease in protein will often be prescribed.

Excessive protein intake may also cause the body to lose calcium, which could lead to bone loss in the long-term. Foods that are high in protein (such as red meat) are often high in saturated fat, so excessive protein intake may also contribute to increased saturated fat.

Getting enough fat, but not too much in your diet.

I aim for about 1200 calories per day 20-30% Fat = 240-360 calories (26-40 grams). You need fat to bond with vegetable and fruit vitamin molecules and for you body to absorb those nutrients, it needs fat to do so. Try to get your fat content from good fats, such as olive oil, fish and nuts.

References:

http://www.nahanniriverherbs.com/186

http://dwb.unl.edu/Teacher/NSF/C10/C10Links/b luehen.ags.udel.edu/deces/fnf/fnf-19.htm

http://www.jctonic.com/include/healingcrisis/ 14enough_fat.htm

http://www.stayinginshape.com/3osfcorp/libv/h 02.shtml

PROTEIN IN GRAINS: Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Oatmeal, Rye, Wheat germ, Wheat, hard red, Wild rice

VEGETABLE PROTEIN: Artichokes, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green peas, Green pepper, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard green, Onions, Potatoes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini

PROTEIN IN FRUITS: Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe, Grape, Grapefruit, Honeydew melon, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, Tangerine, Watermelon

PROTEIN IN NUTS AND SEEDS: Almonds, Cashews, Filberts, Hemp Seeds, Peanuts, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts (black)

Here are some protein resources online:

A list of vegetables containing protein
http://www.weightlossforall.com/protein-veget able.htm

Great chart and list of recommended foods a little ways down the page:
http://www.soystache.com/plant.htm

Good article and list of recommended foods:
http://www.womens-health-fitness.com/high-pro tein-foods.html

FIBER!

Psyllium Seed Husks. A natural plant fiber.

The recommendation is it get 25 grams of fiber per day.

In this thread is a list of fruits and veggies high in fiber:

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/6315 .html

Here is the list of fruits and vegetables high in fiber:

My number one choice is fresh raspberries.

Asparagus
Beans (string, green)
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (red, white)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Corn, canned
Kale leaves
Parsnip
Peas
Beets
Potatoes
Spinach
Squash, summer
Sweet potatoes
Turnips
Zucchini
Bean sprouts   
Celery 
Cucumber
Lettuce, all varieties
Mushrooms
Onions
Red and green peppers  
Tomato
Apples
Apricot
Apricot, dried
bananas   
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Oranges   
Peaches
Pears
Pineapples
Plums
Lemon
Prunes
Raisins
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lima beans
Adzuki beans
Black beans
Navy beans
Almonds
Psyllium Husks

Source:

http://www.slrhc.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/ fibercontentchart.html  

http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtgs01.htm  

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/fiberlist.html  

Here is some math to help you figure how many calories you should consume. Remember to never go under 1200 for a female and 1500 for a male. This was posted by a frequent visitor to the forums. This information is widely available in internetland. I have slightly edited the content to not infringe on copyright. Information can not be copyrighted, only the way the information is presented. So here is a representation: 

Here is how you can figure your BMR and your caloric needs so that you can stay within 500-1000 calories of your needs. This is the most effective method of losing body fat and not losing water and muscle.


Imperial(US) BMR Formula

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )  

Metric (Canada) BMR Formula

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 9.6 x weight in kilos ) + ( 1.8 x height in cm ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

Men: BMR = 66 + ( 13.7 x weight in kilos ) + ( 5 x height in cm ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )

This will calculate what you require even if you were to sit on your butt all day or sleeping most of the day. Because this is roughly how many calories your body will burn as a living, breathing, eating, heart-beating, digesting etc.. being. This does not include your daily activities. It is really easy to not eat enough, so you need to factor in your activity levels. 

Harris Benedict Formula To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

This is the total number of calories you need in order to maintain your current weight. Now to address the caloric deficit needed to help lose body fat.

The calorie deficit should be achieved by a combination of fewer calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is simply the best for lasting fat loss.

If you want to lose fat, a useful guideline for lowering your calorie intake is to reduce your calories by at least 500, but not more than 1000 below your maintenance level. One pound of fat = 3500 calories. That is why 1-2lbs per week is the best rate of fat loss. Anything faster would mean you are probably losing muscle mass and losing water. You want to lose FAT without doing damage to your body.


For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories is clearly ridiculous and would be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1500 calories per day for men. Even these calorie levels are considered by most fitness, nutritional and exercise professionals to be quite low.

An alternative way of calculating a safe minimum calorie-intake level is by reference to your body weight or current body weight. Reducing calories by 15-20% below your daily calorie maintenance needs is a useful start.

Calculate How Fast You Are Walking

I never know how fast I am walking, so I don't know how many calories I am burning. I know how far I am going (by using the car odometer and measuring the distance), and I know the time that it takes me to walk that distance. Look what I found! (It also converts kilometers!) 

http://www.csgnetwork.com/runracepacecalc.htm l

Ok, now don't be overwhelmed. It looks complicated. But here is how to use it: In the Measure Course Distance you put in how far you go. I go 1.4 kilometers. So it would way 1.4 Numeric Quanity. Then, in the next box down, Measured Distance Designated Units, I change it from yards to kilometers. You can change it to miles. Then, Measured Time of Distance. I leave Hours at 0, and put in 18 Minutes, I don't go crazy with that seconds thing. Then I click on the calculate button. LOOK! Magic!! WA-LA! Under Calculated Results, It has Calculated Pace, mine is 2.9 Miles Per Hour. Then you can use this site or do a google search for a "walking calculator" to figure out how many calories your burn! Here is a walking calorie expenditure calculator where you can enter your exact weight:

Weather Network Walking Calorie Calculator

How many pounds do you burn per year walking Calculator

HUNGRY AT NIGHT SUGGESTIONS:


Non-food related options:

Watching television is a HUGE mistake. There are so many food related commercials and snacking in front of the television is second nature to some people.

After midnight it gets easier, because I distract myself with planning tomorrow's menu

Find someone from this site to chat with on IM

Another distraction I find, is reading through the archives on this website. Just reading everyone's challenges and successes keeps me in the right frame of mind and gives me courage.

Here are some other things to try. Housecleaning! Even if you keep a very clean and tidy house, there is always something that could use a good scrubbing.

Make something elaborate to eat for tomorrow. Like I just spent the past 2 hours making a pot of chili. Chopping veggies is very time consuming. Lots and lots of veggies.

Low calorie, Food related options:

Make a cup of hot tea, somehow hot liquids help

Slowly lick a spoon of peanut butter

Eat spinach leaves, raw and plain (1 cup of fresh spinach is 7 calories)

Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Strawberries - these are your friends. They are sweet, but full of good stuff and lots of liquid.

If all else fails, I make a pot of popcorn. I have decided to stay away from microwave popcorn and starting making my own on the stovetop using white kernels. I sprinkle just a dash of salt and I drink lots of water with it. (1 cup is 33 calories and very filling)

1 Cup of Chicken Broth, 38 Calories

1 Cup of Veggie Broth, 15 Calories

Oh, another thing I do is suck on a lemon or lime. That really helps. I don't really care for either, but if I am really craving food, I just tell my brain to shut up and stick a lime in my mouth.

Another trick that I do, is situps. Like if I want something to eat really bad, then I make a deal with myself. 20 situps for one serving according to the package of whatever it is I want or 1/4 of a cup, which ever is the smaller amount.  

I also try to space the time between my meals out more. Like I still have one small meal left for the night. I know it can be difficult and it is a delicate balance, but have patience. You can do it!

Suggestions for what to mix with tuna, salmon, chicken and turkey to put in a tortilla wrap or pita.

You can use flour tortilla, whole wheat or one of those flavored ones. You can also use whole wheat pitas or some of those ones with nuts.

Take a can of tuna, salmon, chopped chicken (canned or cooked) or turkey. This could even work with turkey lunch meat.

Add any of the following in any amount, dependent on your own tastes into a bowl. Mix and add to pita or tortilla:

lemon juice
olive oil
balsamic vinagerette
cottage cheese
diced tomatoes
chopped spinach
chopped celery
chopped pickles (sweet or dill)
shredded carrots
dried cranberries
roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
fresh green peas
sliced strawberries
fresh raspberries or blackberries
chopped cashews or walnuts or blanched almonds
pear or apple, diced
water chestnuts, chopped fine 
onion, diced
cucumber, sliced
sprouts, any variety
grapes, cut in half
mustard powder
paprika or cayenne
black pepper

This is the doctor response that I use, I usually edit it to fit specificially to the individual's question, but most of the time it has something to do with some sort of eating disorder and we have reached our capacity of good advice and the individual needs to seek professional help. Please feel free to use any of the wording here, edit it, give it your own personality... whatever you need. Basically, you want to say nicely that it is a good idea for the individual to see their doctor and that we are not experts.  

"I think that is a good question for your doctor. None of us here are professionals, and we could never possible give you an realistic opinion without knowing your history or without more data that could only be obtained through examination by a physican. It's very possible that you have done significant damage to your body that will remain with you for the rest of your life. If you are concerned about it, you should make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your unique and individual situation. They can look at your history, give you an examination, then be able to answer your questions regarding how it might have effected your body."

Are you new to the site and need some help with some of the features and tools? I recommend checking out this short instructional video.

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/screenc ast.php

Be sure to also check out the forum library.

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/library/

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The article that changed my way of thinking:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/core_march_8. htm

(Thanks goes to United2gether for providing me with the link, Saroful for mentioning that Clairelaine orginally found it and that Tracymarie had reposted it at some point)

My personal experience going from Starvation Mode to Weight Loss, and the changes I have witnessed within myself since finding this website, can be found in this thread: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/8460 .html

That's it! That's all I know! Thank you for letting me put it all in one place! I now plan to instead of spending my time, looking for certain parts of this information to copy and paste over and over again, to just send folks to one place. One stop shopping! You are more than welcome to pass out the link for this thread. And remember to TAG this thread! (upper right, at the top of the thread) =)

Thank you everyone for sharing this journey together toward developing a healthier lifestyle. Again, please use and share any of this information. Information is power and the way we help each other is by sharing the information.

If you like this idea, I suggest starting your own thread and pasting all the information you have found in one place. I would love to see some of you do that, because we all have some really great information to share! 

Please feel free to add me to your friends list or stop by my journal here on Calorie-Count. I would just like to keep this thread brief and strictly informational, so there might be future updates. If you have any suggestions or have any links to add to the above information, please consider contributing to the community project:
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1713 3.html  

or drop me an email at: ix@yahoo.com