l mean, l KNOW that exercise is how it actually happens, l just was not sure how to phrase this question.

But for my weight range, l apparently should be ingesting 1200-1500 calories a day.And l go to the gym (currently) 3 times a week - trying to get in more but you know, there is life that l have to live. ;-)And l imagine l burn between 300-400 calories there when l go.So those extra 900-1200 more calories...how are those burned off?

l realize that everyday activities burn calories, but how many should l be *consciously* burning by exercising?Is there some kind of general average number we're all losing daily just by being awake, walking to the car, working, typing (ha), etc.?If you have to work off more calories than you take in to lose weight...even though people lose weight everyday, that seems like an awful lot.Is there a website that computes this kind of information?

It is lunch hour and I am bored and this stuff is just making me all curious.:-)Thanks for the advice!
''No sodas either – no diet sodas.''

oceangirl...LOL, as l read that l was taking a sip of my little 8 oz. diet soda.l know soda is no good, but hey, I've cut down from a 20 oz. bottle per day (plus anywhere else l went, l got soda) to an 8 oz. can a day, period, with lots and lots of water thrown in there too.

I've been eating a lot of grilled chicken and fish and have upped my veggie intake by almost 100% (still working on fruit, since I am not a big fan).

You all ROCK with the great , thank you!!
So jummy, my ''number'' total is 1440.That is what...the amount of calories l need in a day?Or is it something else entirely?

2 pounds a week is okay by me...I am not fat, but put on about 20 pounds of chunk in the last 4 years that do not need to be there (stupid desk job/Jimmy John is on the corner!).So I am not looking to lose an incredible amount OR do it unhealthily.Thanks for the info!
Wow, really PP (how is it that l STILL do not know your actual name??)?l DO need to take the ''kids'' out for a walk - how cute that you remember their names! - but I am also working out pretty hard for an hour at the gym...twice this week already and I am going again tonight.That is good advice to take...l still think l need to watch what l eat a little (you're pretty small framed, I am not so much), but l can also continue adding that good stuff to my diet.What kind of soup do you like eating?l need to find a new good one!

If u want to lose weight, look at the big picture of being healthy. Focus on cutting out all fatty, fried & fast foods. No sodas either – no diet sodas. Drink a lot of water, a good formula is half ur body weight in ounces of water a day. Make sure u get at least 5 servings of fruits & vegetables a day & eat whole grains. Try a yogurt drink with probiotics to keep ur digestive tract healthy. This helps to cut down on weight by elminating toxins that r stored in fats & fluids. An herbal colon cleansing program can help u lose stubborn fat & even inches. You should also exercise 5 days a week for 30 minutes. Do interval training & strengthening too. For details on exercise & more diet tips check out my blog at http://buzz.prevention.com/community/category/bcronin
Good luck – u can do it!!!

Okay, let is see.first of all, check ur basal (or actually, resting) metabolic rate.
http://easy-weightloss-tips.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html
This is the approx. number of calories that ur body needs to function at rest--without any activity. That is just good info. to know about yourself. It can help u decide ur eating plan & exercise plan.

Then, on this page u will find a link where u put in ur weight & the number of minutes (use 30 min. to start) & u can see how many calories u burn for a ton of different activities from working out to sitting & watching tv.
http://easy-weightloss-tips.com/burn-maximum-calories.html

l think l read somewhere that if u take ur BMR & multiply by 1.5, that would be the number of calories to maintain. To lose a pound a week, burn 500 extra a day through exercise.

Then, there is this formula too:
The following is a rule of thumb. It does not take into account ur body type, age, fitness level, lean muscle mass, etc.

If you're sedentary, multiply ur weight by 14

If you're moderately active, multiply ur weight by 17

If you're very active, multiply ur weight by 20
l hope all that helps u figure out some things.good luck!

First, figure out how many calories u need to eat in a day. A quick & dirty way to figure that is to multiply ur body weight by 11 (10 if u r a girl). Eat about that many calories (+/- 100 is ok). This number takes into account the reduced calorie intake u r aiming for. Adult guys should never drop below about 1400 calories, adult women should never drop below 1200 calories.

Do not eat much more or u do not create a deficit. Do not each much less or u enter starvation mode, & that is counter productive. Then keep working out 3 times a week. You should loose the healthy 1-2 pounds following this plan, though everyone is different & ur actual millage may vary.

The number of calories that u burn is going to depend on ur individual metabolism & the types of exercise that u do. Of course, cardiovascular exercise if the most easy way to burn those calories (treadmill, stair climber, elliptical trainer, etc). Going to the gym 3 times per week is fine. That is more than enough. l would try to fit cardio in at the end of each workout for about 30 minutes. You could try some weightlifting before the cardio to help strengthen & shape ur muscles. Feel free to change up the type of cardio that u do from workout to workout. Good luck!

http://caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

Hope this helps!

let me explain from the scratch:

To know how many calories u need or burn in a day, l suggest that u use Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR: is the amount of energy our body usually needs to function at rest. It differs from human to human & accounts for about 60 to 70 % calories burnt in a day.
The best method of estimating ur basal metabolic rate is the Harris-Benedict formula:
•Adult male: 66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
•Adult female: 655 + (4.3 x weight in lbs.) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
The BMR only represent resting energy expenditure, an adjustment must be made to reflect ur activity level. This is done by multiplying ur BMR by an activity factor (McArdle et al 1996). Note that the following activity factors also take into account the thermic effect of food
Activity Factor
CategoryDefinition
1.2SedentaryLittle or no exercise & desk job
1.375Lightly ActiveLight exercise or sports 1-3 days a week
1.55Moderately ActiveModerate exercise or sports 3-5 days a week
1.725Very ActiveHard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week4
1.9Extremely ActiveHard daily exercise or sports & physical job
.


conclusion
1 Pound Of Fat = 3500 Calories
There is approximately 3500 calories in 1 pound of fat. Meaning that for every 3500 extra calories that u consume that ur body does not burn, u will GAIN 1 pound of fat. At the same time, it also means that for every 3500 extra calories that ur body does burn, u will LOSE 1 pound of fat.
By eliminating 500 calories a day, u will lose one pound in a week. So, if ur daily caloric need is X to maintain ur weight, subtract 500 from that, & u will have the number of calories u can consume each day & still lose a pound in one week.
The Ideal Weight Loss Rate is 1-2 Pounds Lost Per Week, even though we all want to lose weight faster than that. Everyone does. l personally wish l could drop 20 pounds by next week, but l can not. Not only that, but attempting to lose weight faster than the above recommendation can actually be quite harmful to ur health. 1-2 pounds may not sound like much, but it is. In a month & u could lose 4-8 pounds & in a year, 50-100 pounds. It may not be as fast as u wish it could, but long term. it is really not that bad at all.

You know what I've found that works WONDERS for losing weight?

l am 4'12'' at 110 pounds. l usually have a +/- range of 5 pounds in any given week, depending on my water intake & menstrual cycle. This week, l am up 5 pounds because of retained water due to my stupid period.

l can not tell u how many calories l take in, l can not tell u how many carbs l burn in an hour, or how many l do not burn. l CAN tell u that since I've started drinking a gallon of water per day, & eating two pieces of fresh fruit, incorporating vegetables & soups into my diet more than every blue moon, & going for 45 minute walks, I've lost more weight than l EVER have on any diet plan.

l drink at least a 2 liter of coke every two days, l am also a cake/brownies/fudge/cookies, etc addict. l eat what l want when l want, & believe me, my metabolism is NOT super high.

My advice is to not think about what u eat in a day, & just exercise in a way that you're comfortable with. Take Saki & Bell out for a walk every day for 45 minutes, drink water like you're part fish, & occasionally do a few sit ups, jog, or stair stepping while watching TV.

l started doing this during April of this year when l wanted to look pretty in a swimsuit in FL, & l went in at 120 pounds, & came OUT at 108. l now have a stable weight of 110!

:)


ADD> Anna, its Anna! :) l am unaware of ur first name too! Eeek!

l like soups that r rich in veggies & low in sodium, like Progresso, & the occasional Chunkys Vegetable stew.