Hello,

My biggest problem is knowing how much 1800 calories is.  I am a police officer and I currently work the after noon shift(4-midnight).  I can eat well when i'm at home for breakfast and lunch, but I don't always have the opportunity to get back to the station and grab my meal.  I do sometimes have to go into a restaurant.  How can I keep up with my calorie count?  I'm a big guy(6'2, 304lbs) and I don't always want to eat.  People see my size and they think I can really pack it down, but my size comes from my past weight lifting and not my eating.  I know i'm losing weight, but it's frustrating to see the scale and only have lost a pound.  At least my clothes are fitting better I have to admit.  My wife just had lapband surgery a week ago and I want to help her with her goal of losing weight too.  I just want to make sure I stay on course and do the right things and not give in to frustration.

Robert D. Weston

Hi Robert Westin, Welcome to Alli.  May I suggest a couple of things? I,too work eve shift,  as a nurse.  My hunger peaks when the stress hits, usually at work.  Have you tried to keep a food journal?  Also, find one of the boards to chat with others. That is helpful,even tho we are mostly ladies.  I find support and advice on the 50's board. Most people make the mistake of not eating enough at first,esp. the fat.  I also try to pre-plan my meal and snack at work( LeanCuisine,or sandwiches,etc)   Good luck to you and your wife.  Her journey will be difficult at first,too.  New habits are hard to make.  May it go well.  See you on the 50's forum boards(even if you are younger,or older)  Take care, Nursecat

rwes10:

 Hello,

My biggest problem is knowing how much 1800 calories is.  I am a police officer and I currently work the after noon shift(4-midnight).  I can eat well when i'm at home for breakfast and lunch, but I don't always have the opportunity to get back to the station and grab my meal.  I do sometimes have to go into a restaurant.  How can I keep up with my calorie count?  I'm a big guy(6'2, 304lbs) and I don't always want to eat.  People see my size and they think I can really pack it down, but my size comes from my past weight lifting and not my eating.  I know i'm losing weight, but it's frustrating to see the scale and only have lost a pound.  At least my clothes are fitting better I have to admit.  My wife just had lapband surgery a week ago and I want to help her with her goal of losing weight too.  I just want to make sure I stay on course and do the right things and not give in to frustration.

Robert D. Weston

Nursecat has given you some good suggestions.  Let me mention there is a guysonalli board and one called challenging schedules.  If you drop down two options from the specialists to personal experiences you'll find these and they may be helpful.

It's great that you're doing this with you wife (though her procedure is more dramatic).  The two of you will be able to support each other to stay on track.

Keep in mind that alli is like learning any other new skill: it takes some practice.  Once you get into the swing of things it will become second nature.  Remember, you're trying to turn around years of unfocused eating.  Now the goal it to learn about distinguishing REAL hunger, and making appropriate food choices.

I hope this helps.

Pat

 Hello,

I have a question regardng sugar and sodium intake. How much should I have in 24/hr period if Iam on 1600 cal/day?

Thanks,

Dee

dcolema:

 Hello,

I have a question regardng sugar and sodium intake. How much should I have in 24/hr period if Iam on 1600 cal/day?

 

Thanks,

Dee

The US Dietary Guidelines recommend 2,300 milligrams of sodium, or less, per day.  It would be best to keep your added sugar to around 6-8 teaspoons per day.  That means items like sugar, honey, jam, jellies, high-sugar candies like jelly beans or hard candies.  There no specific recommendation for high-sugar foods - like ice cream - other than "moderation."

Hope that helps.

Pat

 Hi Pat,

Thanks for responding. I am just reading my labels before I eat foods. I'm trying to adhere to the guidelines.

You're welcome.  If you ever have a question you'd like me to answer you can start a new thread on this board.

Just put "Pat, please read" in the subject line and I'll be glad to get back to you.

Pat

I read your post and it sort of answers my earlier post. However, I still would like to know if there is a range of calories +-100 or something like that within which the muscle loss is minimum. Somedays I just don't have the appetite to eat. It is of course rare -- but I found out last few days my calorie count is getting close to 1200 but not quite there. Sometime around the 1100 zone. Is that okay or bad?

Nadaname:

I read your post and it sort of answers my earlier post. However, I still would like to know if there is a range of calories +-100 or something like that within which the muscle loss is minimum. Somedays I just don't have the appetite to eat. It is of course rare -- but I found out last few days my calorie count is getting close to 1200 but not quite there. Sometime around the 1100 zone. Is that okay or bad?

It takes a lot for muscle loss to occur: that would be severe calorie restriction for an extended time.

It's not clear what your recommended level of calories is, but if it's 1,200 and you consistently come in below 1,100 you should try to get it up.  You may not get precisely to 1,200 every day (if that's your recommended amount).  It might be 1,230 or 1186 but it should be close.  Again, it's not clear to me when you say "around 1,100."

Hope that helps.

Pat

I have a question for the dieticians and moderators:  I'm 5'8" and weigh 190.  I was in a severe car accident in which I broke both legs, leading to the weight gain.  I'm now unable to do any real weight-bearing exercise.  I got a stationary bike, and have been using it for 90 mins/week (15 minutes per day Mon-Sat), and using 4 lb arm weights 3x per week.  I have been restricting my calories to around 1200-1400/day, and my fat intake has been very low.  Most items are low fat or fat free.  I read a Jillian Michaels column in which she recommended 1200 cals a day for "quick weight loss".  That obviously has not been working out for me, as I haven't lost more than a pound in 3 weeks!  I did check the "sedentary" box when I registered with Alli, but I thought since even walking can be hard for me, I was even worse than sedentary, thus perhaps I needed less than the recommended 1800 cals/day.  Are my fat and calorie restrictions stalling my weight loss?  I also have only been taking my alli with meals that actually contain a significant amount of fat, since many of my meals are very low fat or fat free, as previously mentioned.  Can you shed any light on this for me?  More calories/fat?  Is my exercise on target in accordance with what I'm capable of?

Ignore my last posting! I hadn't read the "why you need to reach your fat grams" yet.  I get it now.  But I just want to make sure I have this straight:  You need to reach your calories to avoid sending your body into "starvation" mode where it's conserving everything.  And you need to reach your fat grams because 1. Alli blocks half and 2. they're easier to break down.  If you don't get them through fat, they're coming through protein and carbs, which are more difficult to break down, hence, they may add pounds, or just cause you to stay the same.  Am I correct on all this?

natahley:

Ignore my last posting! I hadn't read the "why you need to reach your fat grams" yet.  I get it now.  But I just want to make sure I have this straight:  You need to reach your calories to avoid sending your body into "starvation" mode where it's conserving everything.  And you need to reach your fat grams because 1. Alli blocks half and 2. they're easier to break down.  If you don't get them through fat, they're coming through protein and carbs, which are more difficult to break down, hence, they may add pounds, or just cause you to stay the same.  Am I correct on all this?

Glad you read the two postings.  I think they have great info, and can be really helpful if folks are having a challenge.  A lot of people have the belief that "less is better" when trying to lose weight.  That's not always better, and especially so with alli.

Yes, anytime calories get around 1,000 per day, or less, the body will go into starvation mode and be reluctant to give up any fat reserves.  It's also important to have adequate calories for health.

If there's not enough fat around then there's not sense to take the capsules - or spend the money! - because there's not enough for alli to work on.  It's not always a question of being "more difficult to break down"...there are some other things involved.

Suffice it to say, that over 100 research studies showed alli to help people lose 50% more weight than dieting alone.  And all the studies used the format that's provide here (and in the Starter Kit).

I hope that helps.

Pat

 I am supposed to eat 1800 calories a day...there is no way i can eat that much and feel comfortable.  I would feel gorged.  I generally eat about 1200 to 1300 calories a day.  I weigh 195# and am a little over 5'6".  I eat basically the same as before taking Alli--previously i will admit to having "cheat days" every once in a while and maybe eat a fattening dessert.  But i have been at the same amount of food for almost a year.  I have only lost 20-25 pounds in the that time frame.  i exercise a minimum of 5 days a week for at least an hour...sometimes two hours a day.  I also have a very low resting heart rate...it is about 55.  My blood pressure is about 90/60.  i do see a cardiologist--referrred by my GP because of my low heart rate, but they did not find any heart defects...just a slow heart rate.  The cardiologist specialist told me that i needed more salt in my system so i now drink a small glass of low cal. OJ in the morning to get more sodium in my system.  I love fruits and vegetables so i do get plenty of them each day...not a problem there.

any advice?  I did read your article and do understand the concept of eating enough calories, but 1800 is just way too much.  I guarantee you, i would gain weight.  i do not know if my low heart rate impacts my metabolism or not, but found if I need a lot of exercise to lose weight.  I try to walk every day for an hour and go to exercise classes/lift weights about 4 days a week.

Loverlips:

 I am supposed to eat 1800 calories a day...there is no way i can eat that much and feel comfortable.  I would feel gorged.  I generally eat about 1200 to 1300 calories a day.  I weigh 195# and am a little over 5'6".  I eat basically the same as before taking Alli--previously i will admit to having "cheat days" every once in a while and maybe eat a fattening dessert.  But i have been at the same amount of food for almost a year.  I have only lost 20-25 pounds in the that time frame.  i exercise a minimum of 5 days a week for at least an hour...sometimes two hours a day.  I also have a very low resting heart rate...it is about 55.  My blood pressure is about 90/60.  i do see a cardiologist--referrred by my GP because of my low heart rate, but they did not find any heart defects...just a slow heart rate.  The cardiologist specialist told me that i needed more salt in my system so i now drink a small glass of low cal. OJ in the morning to get more sodium in my system.  I love fruits and vegetables so i do get plenty of them each day...not a problem there.

any advice?  I did read your article and do understand the concept of eating enough calories, but 1800 is just way too much.  I guarantee you, i would gain weight.  i do not know if my low heart rate impacts my metabolism or not, but found if I need a lot of exercise to lose weight.  I try to walk every day for an hour and go to exercise classes/lift weights about 4 days a week.

It sounds to me like your weight loss may be stalled because you're eating too few calories - alli or no alli.  Exercising at the level you describe + a routine diet of 1,200 calories should produce a continuing weight loss with or without the capsules.  It sounds like you've lost about 3 pound per month before you started alli.  Again, with the calories and exercise you mention I would expect more than .75 pound per week.

So...I have a few suggestions.  First, I recommend you weigh and measure everything you eat and drink for a week to see what your actual intake really is.  It may be more, or less, but it's important to have an accurate read of what you're eating.

Likewise, write down every activity you do + the amount of time for a week.  Then see where you are.

There are several things that may be going on:

1. you may be eating more than your realize; and even 75 or a hundred calories can make a diference and hold back weight loss;
2. it may be time to boost the intensity of your exercise -- not longer, just harder to burn more calories
3. watch those "cheat days".  Again, there may have been more than you realize if you only lost 3 pounds per month

Make sure you enter your food and activity in the Nutrition and Activity Logs so you get the complete analysis for both.  You've done a great job at losing weight so far.  Twenty-five pounds is a big accomplishment; so be proud o yourself!

After a year, it's time to tweek what you're doing so your results improve.

It's best if you start your own post on this message board rather than continuing on this thread.  You're more likely to hear from other alli users -- who often have some good suggestions (as you may have see in this thread if you started at the top).

Feel free to put "Pat, please read"in the subject of the new post, if you'd like me to continue to reply.

I hope this helps.

Pat

Loverlips,Believe Pat and her good advice to measure and write down EVERYTHING.  Your exercise may just be at maintenance mode at this time.  I invite you to join our 50's message board. It is very active.  If you are much younger, you may find kindred spirits on another board.  You might consider a personal trainer of 2-3 sessions to give you directions.  I think we have access to an exercise board with experts, try that for great advice.  Good luck. Nursecat/Carol