Ok, I'm back with one more question...how many calories a day can ya'll eat?

Most days I am struggling to get in 1000 a day but my goal that I am shooting for is 1200-1300 a day (not making it unless I eat real evil food, lol). I like where I am now weight-wise for the most part, but if I have a busy busy day or two and totally forget to eat (I still do not get hungry at all) I end up losing a couple pounds and this is not a good thing anymore I assure you plus then I get episodes of being very shaky and dizzy. So, I'm just wondering where I fall in the calorie range of the rest of you 2-yr graduates...am I close? I do wish they had something on this site like sparkpeople and fitday and such where you can track your food and see what others have eaten to give you an idea but until then, I get to ask you myself Thank you guys in advance for your help, I really appreciate it

DRINK A PROTEIN SHAKE ,my problem is I think I eat to much feels like I am grazing & I know I am so I got to get a hold on that ,my weight has not changed in about 6 months now I would still love to lose more I have been walking alot more that the weather is nice so maybe I will some day,but I am at goal but would like to be a little below it because I go up & down like 5 lbs at a time I think it is where I have a hard time in the potty department lol I know TMI ! SORRY

yes, me too, i feel like I am eating ALL the time! And then my son starts fussing because I never eat, lol! Anyway, protein shakes, I have drunk so many of them in the past two years, I cant stand them anymore plus, they actually fill me up so I eat even less... How frustrating... Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it

Hi Suzanne, Have you checked out the graduates message board? I participate in an accountability thread there. Some of us use spark people or fit day or some other site and transfer our data to this messageboard to get feedback, good or bad on what we are eating. I have found this to be helpful. You can see what others are taking in and ask for advice or helpful tips on staying on track whether trying to maintain , lose or even gain weight. I can eat a good amount over the day, not at one time though. I average about 1200-1400 cal per day and have been maintaining. Some others are eating less and others more. Check it out, all are welcome. Sher

For me it would be nice if I had this problem. I still have another 50-75 pounds to go to get to my goal.

Well, nice as it may seem, it is not the best thing in the world. However, I agree, I would rather be battling this than trying to continue losing. But there are pros and cons with both, I am no longer healthy according to the dietician...I am 25-lbs underweight as of yesterday (I have managed to lose another 5-lbs). Just means I'll have to start putting soy milk in my coffee and make them lattes, add high calorie dressings to my salad, stop eating the lower calorie foods (I hate having to do that!) and the like to "nip this in the bud" to quote Mr. Barney Fiffe! Thank you so very much for everyone's help! This is my SparkPage if anyone wants to see exactly what I eat during a day or if anyone would like to see what the site is if they do not already know http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp?id=PRETTY%5FFLUFFY

Hello Suzanne, I did check out your sparkpeople page and checked a few days of your food diary. You seem to be eating healthy. The only thing that I noticed is the amount of protien you take in. Is that the amount your dietician recommends? I was told that 80-100gms a day was better. Are you not able to tolerate dense protien like chicken, beef, pork ect? I notice that you have only a small amount of dense protien in your menus. I think that the things you mentioned like adding soy milk to your coffee, and using reg salad dsg are good ways to increase your calorie intake. You could also supplement your diet with a protien drink each day which would be a healthy way to add some calories. I use unflavored soy protien powder mixed in LF milk and mix in light and fit yogurt. Not overly filling but 140 calories with 20 grams protien. I am sure as you slowly increase your calories your weight loss will stop and stabalize or maybe even go up some and level out. Have you labs been Ok? It must be hard for you since you don't feel really hungry, but it looks like you are trying to get to the right level you need. All the best to you Sher

Thank you so much on the advice about upping my protein, I will definitely do that. Somedays I have gotten that much protein (especially when i was using the soy milk in my coffee which I stopped as I was getting upwards of 300-calories a day that way and did not think that was quite what I was supposed to be doing, lol). I will definitely put it back in and that will help the protein. What brand makes the flavorless protein powder? I have not seen it but am very intersested in trying it as the protein shakes have gotten old after 2-yrs, lol! I am not sure what my labs are like as I have no medical insurance anymore (though I will be finally getting it again in the next 2-weeks) so I have only been seeing a dietician that I pay out of my own pocket. I will get the labs checked. Thanks for taking a look at my food log, that really helps to know that I seem to be on the right track (as I don't want to have to resort to eating unhealthy just to get enough calories, that would be going backwards as far as I am concerned). Thanks again and God Bless! Suzanne

I believe the brand is genisoy and I found it in Walmart for about $9.00 a container. It says 3T is a serving with 25g protien, I only use 1.5 T to get about 13 g and then I get 30 servings. It disolves well into milk. I have used it to make protien pudding by mixing a scoop into the milk and then mixing the instant sugar free pudding mix in, ALso I have baked with it. Sher