Calories tracker

Hi, i'm 29,  5'6 and I weigh 130 lbs. I would like to lose 10 lbs and I do 30 min aerobics workout 5 days a week (bike, cross trainer) and I walk also. Reading other posts you guys suggest to keep track of the food intake. My question is where can I find a book or something that tells me how many calories do I need a day and hpw many calories i take in every time I eat something? Thank you for your replies.

[peekawho]

Welcome!

Right now, your BMI is 21, which is perfect.  If you lose 10 pounds, you will be very near the "Underweight" category.  

Do you really want to lose 10 more pounds?  Or are you looking more to tone and tighten, since you are at a lean, healthy weight already?

If you are looking more to tone and firm up, you might consider adding some weight training to your routine (if you aren't already).  A few sessions with a personal trainer may help guide you to the best ways to firm and shape your body.

What is your diet like?  What do you generally eat on a given day?

[Ranaesheart]

Hi Kiki ~

Thanks for joining us here and shouting out for some information!  Peek has provided you with your current BMI and asked some valid questions; she is wonderfully supportive and has a wealth of information.  Hope you will both allow me to provide you with a little more information to help you assess where you are and where you would like to be.

Based on 29 years old, 5 ft 6 in tall, 130 lbs, female and an active lifestyle (includes at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week or 20 minutes of vigorous activity at least 3 times a week), you need to consume 2,000 calories a day to maintain your current weight.  Your ideal body weight range is 114.62 - 154.89, which is in the normal range.  The normal range for BMI is 18.5 - 24.9.  In losing an additional 10 pounds, as Peek said, you will be at the low end of the normal range.

As for recording your calorie intake, this can be a fairly simple process.  All you need to do is write down the meals and snacks you eat along with the type of food and the calorie content.  You can obtain the calorie content from the package or can look up items on sites such as http://www.calorieking.com   If you're making a recipe and the calorie content is not known, you can add up the calorie content of each item to get a conglomerate total, then divide it by the number of portions you're serving to obtain the calorie content.  When I made spaghetti sauce from scratch, I added all of the calories together.  I didn't want more than 100 calories per serving so I divided 100 calories into the conglomerate total and it told me how many servings I needed to make.  If you prepackage your servings right then and there, it helps to control the calorie content.  I write the calories on the outside of the baggie I'm storing it in or on a piece of tape that I affix to the container.

If you have any other questions regarding how many calories are burned for a particular exercise or anything else, please let us know.  We're all here to help support you in a healthy lifestyle.

It takes a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound and you should not lose more than one pound a week.

As Peek suggested, if you are wanting to tone up, we can help with some strength training ideas or there is an Exercise & Fitness Forum on MedHelp as well.  Hope to hear what you decide and please let us know how you are doing!  

((Hugs))
Ranae

[KikiMay]

Thank you everybody for your support...actually I was thinking about toning up a little bit especially around the waist. I'm almost 30 and, as all of us know, I started to change a bit and I don't like the way I look in the mirror so that's why I was thinking about losing some weight, Then when I found out that my BMI is normal and reading also your answers I thought I might like to tone up.
I really watch what I eat and I try to stay away from junk food. I cook at home almost everyday. Let me know if I need to be more specific.
Sometimes I indulge with icecream (LOL) and I drink (alcohol) moderately.
The tracker is a nice way to be aware of my situation and I'm able to manage it also.

[KikiMay]

I forgot to mention that I already do weight training (my hubby is my trainer) but not constantly.