I recently lost 50 lbs through a drastic change in my eating and workout habits (and a personal trainer). I cut out most carbs and limited myself to between 1200-1500 calories a day; I began working out regularly (6 days cardio 3 days lifting). I am burning between 800-1000 calories at the gym (Polar F6 HRM). I recently had my body fat measured and it is 32.5%. I am 5'10, female, and weigh 183. I am interested in keeping the muscle, losing the fat, and eating healthy meals that will keep me energized. I have two questions:

1. How many calories do I need a day to keep my body healthy?

2. Does anyone have any suggestions for an eating plan that will help me reduce body fat and continue to build lean muscle?

In general I eat:

Breakfast:
4 egg whites
2 turkey sausage

Snack: 1 oz nuts

Lunch:
4-6 oz lean protein
Salad (mixed greens w/ a little balsamic dressing)

Snack:
Celery
2 tbsp. Low fat ranch dip
Or
1/2 Fuji Apple
1 tbsp peanut butter

Dinner:
4-6 oz lean protein
2 cups green veggie steamed

Snack:
Tbsp natural Peanut butter

I recently started taking 1 scoop Jack3d prior to my workouts and drinking Procomplex Protein post workout to assist in recovery. I have used fat burners in the past but feel that with the right diet and exercise plan I can keep the weight under control.

I am new to posting online for advice, but it seems that there is a lot of good information on this site. I apologize for the long post. I just have a lot of questions

Yes, you are under-eating, especially for your calorie expenditure related to exercise.

Google for 'harris benedict BMR calculator' and fill it in to get your Basal Metabolic Rate. Taht's just your 'comatose' calorie needs though. You'll likely want to multiply your BMR by 1.2-1.4 depending on your lifestyle and job duties to get a more accurate estimate of your calorie needs.

for example my BMR is about 2,100 calories, but since I"m not in a coma, my additional daily needs for walking around the office, etc, takes me to something like 2,950 calories.
So if I want to get lean, I'll cut say 20% of my calories out and eat roughly 2200-2300 cals a day and shed fat.

going much under 20% of your daily needs will result in loss of muscle tissue.

What is your exercise routine?

Thanks for the information.

Monday: Bi's, tri's, and shoulders, 1.5 miles, and 1 hr spin
Wednesday: Legs, 1.5 miles, Kickboxing class
Friday: Chest, back, 1.5 miles, kickboxing or spin

Tues, Thurs, and Sat: 1.5 miles and a class that is sprint, agility, and foot work (kind of a HIIT model)

I have recently increased my daily runs to 2.5 miles because I was being lazy and not pushing myself. Once I get my milage up I will cut out the additional classes on M,W,F.

It seems like you are under eating a lot based on your physical activity level. Yes, you need to expend more calories than you intake to promote weight loss but if you are expending so much and not taking in a good amount you can succumb to overtraining and may actually hinder weight loss. By not eating enough, the body may go into a survival mode state where it will try to hold on to everything it can get and be reluctant to let go of the stores (fat stores in particular)

It's good to keep up with the cardio work, but keep up with the weight training too, its equally important. As far as the nutrition goes. It looks pretty good with the exception of the low caloric intake. Try eating more 100% whole grains such as 100% whole grain breads, rice, and pastas along with lean meats. Carbs are not bad for you, they provide you with energy for your workouts, and are NEEDED for the body.

You can take a look at my meal plan in my blog which can be found at MaximizeYourPhysiology.blogspot.com and search for the What I Eat - Edwin Ng blog. My picture and stats can be found on the left.

I just want to say thank you for all of your help. Since the posting I have revamped my eating to re-introduce carbs (100% WW Breads and grains), fruit (yes I had cut that out), and sweet potatoes (which I love). I have also started tracking my calories. Though I struggle some days to meet my caloric goal, I am feeling alot better during my workouts and in general. I have reduced my body fat by 1.3% in a week and I see the difference in the mirror. I guess my body just needed the fuel to do what I wanted it to do.

I am forever grateful and have recommended this site to several of my girlfriends who are trying to lose weight in all the wrong ways

THANKS!!!

just bumping this past the spam....