How Much Protein, How Many Carbs?

 I am two pounds above my upper range and I've decided to try to lose 5 pounds.  

How many grams of protein should I shoot for each day? 
 
How many grams of carbs should  I limit myself to?  Can I have 30 grams?  

How much water would you recommend daily? 

Do you all count calories?  or just protein and carbs?

Thanks
K

The general rule is 600-800 calories and less than 40 grams carbs when losing.   Minimum of 64 oz. water.   
I count all calories... (But I personally don't include any vitamins in these numbers...)  
I use My Fitness Pal for all my loging.  
Go far it - you can do it!

 What about protein?  Do you track it? and do you have a goal to reach each day to lose?

My goal is at least 60 grams protein, but I am in maintenance and usually around 100-125 grams a day.    I always feel better and have more energy and stamina with more than the minimum of protein.  

Oh, yeah, exercising daily is a MUST for me!   When losing, I ALWAYS walked 2 miles and rode my bike for 3 miles daily.    Now, I sometimes take Sunday off, sometimes not.   But, I find since it is summer I am getting in quite a bit more than just walking and biking daily.   I love to mow the yard and garden!   The more active I can be, the better!

I am lucky enough that I only had to log for my first 4 months. I instead plan my week out as the geek that I am and have a game plan for every meal, snack, and drink through that time. If I know I have an event coming I mentally calculate myself an allowance and stick to it. Even though I know my calorie intake on a weekly and daily basis I still am though working on the correct mix for me to maintain as I am new to it myself. I can tell you, when I know I need to lose a few lbs I do exactly as posted above. 800 calories, 40 carbs, and I run..I have quite litterally run my butt off. Again, being the geek I am I have every gadget under the sun to gauge and help maximize my running. I recently got a withings scale to help with that process and it is a nice edition to see my fitness data along side my physical data daily. You just have to find what works best for you. Lastly, go back and read. The post above mine for weight loss that plan cannot be beat from anything I've tried and it will kill those 5 lbs.

Edit: forgot about protein, I get at least 80g a day via shakes, bars, and meat (generally chicken breast)

I think this far out you can't really follow the early-out rules. I know I just can't make myself eat 600-800 calories only at this point. I could early out because I had not one bit of hunger but now I have hunger and it rebells at that few calories.

I also think we have to be very, very careful not to get back into the cycle of yo-yo dieting. Before WLS when I dieted, I'd gain it all back and I'd then gain another 10 pounds and I'm not convined this won't happen to me post-op if I start major dieting again... i.e, if I severely restrict my calories in an effort to have quick weight loss.

What I do instead is:

-track my food so I'm at least not eating more than I burn but preferably get a 200 calorie a day deficit

-cut out indulgences for a while -- no dessert, lower calorie items when I have a choice (like no-fat cottage cheese isntead of reduced fat and unsweetened soy milk instead of the full-sugar stuff), no empty calories such as alcohol

-cut out sugar and processed carbs - because these lead me unto temptation so to speak and cause more bad food choices

My main goal is to be in control of my weight and not to feel like my weight is climbing up and up and up with no end in sight. So first I want to stop gaining. Then I think about losing. But slowly. Very, very slowly. So as not to trigger the famine effect.

In general, I try to have at least 100 g of protein a day minimum. Where my carbs are depends on my total calories. When I was training for Ironmans and eating 2000 calories a day, I kept them under 200 g a day on average. These days I am for 125 g a day or less. That's with eating around 1500 calories a day. If I were eating 1200 calories a day, I'd go for 100 g or less. But that's to mainain. For losing, I don't have a set goal just "as few as possible".

 This makes more sense for me.   I know I can not be comfortable with 600 to 800 calories.  When my blood sugar gets low I feel very low too.  

I will try what you suggested and see if I can stop the slow creep upward.  No crash diet here for sure.  

I will cut out all treats to include alcohol and stick with the basics for a week and hope to get a handle on the situation.  Then look at losing.  

Thanks!  

Keep the suggestions coming if anyone else has anything to add.

 Marie, how are you calculating that 200 calorie a day deficit?  I'm eating 1000-1200 calories a day and burning 400-500 a day.  How the heck m I coming up with that deficit?  Color me confused.  Teach me please.   I know that if I up my calories to 1400 for a day, I will be up at least a pound in the morning.

Edited to add that my online calculator says my BMR is 1286 calories and body fat is 25.6%.

I doubt your BRM is 1286 if you are gaining at 1400. I've never found  the online calculators to be accurate for anyone who has been morbidly obese and now isn't. Plus, you have thyroid issues which will slow your metabolism as well.

Also you have to be burning more than 400-500 calories a day! Do you mean "in exercise"? Your brain will burn more than that.

I have a BodyMedia FIT so  when I am tracking my food and wearing it, I can tell within about 50-100 calories a day what my deficit is. If the BodyMedia FIT says I have a 200-250 calorie a day deficit, then I lose.

 Yeah, the 400-500 is just in exercise.  Thanks for the comments Marie.  You're my go to when it comes to exercise research!