What is the deal??!

hi .
the burn on 1kg fat you need to "spend" 7000kcal. so i don't think you can become an anorexian that quick.
another thing is that it is important to know from which source did your cal came from.
with any protein you eat ,25% of it's cal value are lost in the digestion process (due to the fact it contains nitrogen).
another important factor here is your basal metabolic rate. some people has higher metabolic rate (when resting) then other people. so you may have a low BMR and that means that when rested you are not burning that much cal.
there are so many factors ,so i think that exact counting of cal can not explain every thing about gaining or loosin weight.
you have to know aprox.. how much cal did you take tpday and how much you spent ,just so you will to which side the wind is blowing. i think that only after some period (2 weeks) when comparing your diet with your training you can understand your metabolism and just how much food is good for you (for keeping, gaining or loosing weight).

yes, I have advice about counting calories.  DON'T DO IT!   It will only make you crazy, as evidenced by your post    While the basic rule of "calories in - calories out = weight loss" is probably true, the chances of being accurate in counting intake and expenditure is slim to none.  Then there is the individual metabolism, the great unknown in the equation.  so anyhow, that's my reason for not counting anymore, ever.

And there are good and bad calories as well (duh!). Don't be misled thinking that minimal caloric intake will help you lose more quickly. You need energy to replenish your body and to rebuild muscle tissue after exercise, or else your body will tear down other muscle tissue for replacement to the affected areas. Eat at least 5 small meals per day, equally spaced, with a good balance of carbs and protein. Snack on fruits and things instead of junk carbohydrates with simple sugars in them that only serve to raise your insulin levels and actually make you feel more hungry. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change.

Max

I agree with Max, smaller meal spaced thought the day will help kick up your metabolism. Faster metabolism means more calories used up. Just takes time, good luck.

Michael

Do your own research before considering the following;
If we consistantly eat a low cal. nutrition plan or body gets used to it. If we take one day a week and overfeed, we tell our body we are not starving. After a day of overfeeding (by a few hundred good calories, not chips and candybars) we resume our low cal. routine it might kick in a fire to burn a few extra stubborn pounds. If I can come up with the references of where I read this I'll post the source.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I am calm now (whew) concerning my eating status. I'm resolved to simply eat my fill when I'm hungry of the most nutritious foods possible. No junk for me!
~Dorian