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there's no way the average American consumes almost 3800 calories a day. Here's an "average" american diet: breakfast: bagel with creamcheese = 430 calories

there's no way the average American consumes almost 3800 calories a day. Here's an "average" american diet: breakfast: bagel with creamcheese = 430 calories mid-morning latte = 225 calories lunch:6" subway cold cut sandwich = 410 calories lunch: small bag chips = 400 calories mid afternoon kit-kat = 500 calories dinner: spaghetti and meatballs = 970 calories 12 oz bottle of budweiser = 110 calories total: 3045 calories Considering that many americans are going to get the 12" sub, drink more than 1 beer and a bunch of soda, have seconds for dinner, and eat "dessert" every night, it doesn't seem that far-fetched that the average american consumes 3800 calories per day.

icey 17y ago
Your numbers seem off: Starbucks latte with nonfat milk = 168 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-starbucks-coffee-caffe-latte-i57042 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-starbucks-coffee-caff... 6" Subway Cheesesteak (It was the worst one I could find on browsing) = 360 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-subway-sandwiches-6-cheese-steak-i56054 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-subway-sandwiches-6-c... Small bag of Lays potato chips = 150 calories http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/frito-lay-lays-potato-chips-classic-flavored-small-bag-27740.htm http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/frito-lay-lays... Kit-kat bar = 210 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-hersheys-kit-kat-milk-chocolate-i126665 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-hersheys-kit-kat-milk... Fazoli's spaghetti and meatballs (Again, the worst I could find) = 720 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-fazolis-spaghetti-meatballs-i53370 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-fazolis-spaghetti-mea... If you were to add in an extra large vanilla shake from McDonald's you'd add a quick 1100 calories to your day.
- starkfist 17y ago
  I used the bruegger's bagel and medium latte from their website: http://www.brueggers.com/documents/nutrition.pdf http://www.brueggers.com/documents/nutrition.pdf Subway value was from the "Cold Cut Combo": http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/menunutrition/nutrition/pdf/nutritionvalues.pdf http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/menunutrition/nutrition/pdf... (Note that Subway's page says the cheesesteak sub you mention is 520 calories, not 360.) spaghetti and meatballs value was from here http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-italian-spaghetti-meatballs-with-tomato-sauce-regular_f-Y2lkPTE3Mzc4JmJpZD0xJmZpZD02NjA0NCZlaWQ9NTI0Nzc5NjY1JnBvcz00JnBhcj0ma2V5PXNwYWdoZXR0aQ.html http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-italian-spaghet... I did inflate the potato chips, I thought the small bag was 3oz, not 1oz. Also I thought the kit kat was per bar. 3800 calories is still only a little bit of work. Most people I know drink 2 lattes, 2 or more beers, and would consider the 6" sub the "diet" option.
  - icey 17y ago
    I suppose this comment thread is pretty illustrative of why it's so hard for people to count calories to lose weight - even though we both looked up data it was different enough that it could be significant in someone's diet. I was personally enlightened, at least.
  - WarDekar 17y ago
    Yay for anecdotal evidence! The people I know eat (for the most part) quite healthy, don't drink any soda, don't eat junk food, etc. As was mentioned by someone else, if the average American ate 3800 calories a day they would continually gain weight until they reached the equilibrium point of maintenance calories. The average height of America males is 5'10". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height The average weight of American males is 191lbs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_weight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_weight Given those numbers, and an age of 35 years, with a base metabolic rate, calorie maintenance is 1809kcal/day and 2488kcal/day for exercise 3 times/week (surely more than the "average" American) http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm The equilibrium point for 3800kcal/day and 3 times/week exercise is 400 pounds! Methinks you're still fudging the numbers.

icey 17y ago

Your numbers seem off: Starbucks latte with nonfat milk = 168 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-starbucks-coffee-caffe-latte-i57042 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-starbucks-coffee-caff... 6" Subway Cheesesteak (It was the worst one I could find on browsing) = 360 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-subway-sandwiches-6-cheese-steak-i56054 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-subway-sandwiches-6-c... Small bag of Lays potato chips = 150 calories http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/frito-lay-lays-potato-chips-classic-flavored-small-bag-27740.htm http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/frito-lay-lays... Kit-kat bar = 210 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-hersheys-kit-kat-milk-chocolate-i126665 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-hersheys-kit-kat-milk... Fazoli's spaghetti and meatballs (Again, the worst I could find) = 720 calories http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-fazolis-spaghetti-meatballs-i53370 http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-fazolis-spaghetti-mea... If you were to add in an extra large vanilla shake from McDonald's you'd add a quick 1100 calories to your day.

starkfist 17y ago
I used the bruegger's bagel and medium latte from their website: http://www.brueggers.com/documents/nutrition.pdf http://www.brueggers.com/documents/nutrition.pdf Subway value was from the "Cold Cut Combo": http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/menunutrition/nutrition/pdf/nutritionvalues.pdf http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/menunutrition/nutrition/pdf... (Note that Subway's page says the cheesesteak sub you mention is 520 calories, not 360.) spaghetti and meatballs value was from here http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-italian-spaghetti-meatballs-with-tomato-sauce-regular_f-Y2lkPTE3Mzc4JmJpZD0xJmZpZD02NjA0NCZlaWQ9NTI0Nzc5NjY1JnBvcz00JnBhcj0ma2V5PXNwYWdoZXR0aQ.html http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-italian-spaghet... I did inflate the potato chips, I thought the small bag was 3oz, not 1oz. Also I thought the kit kat was per bar. 3800 calories is still only a little bit of work. Most people I know drink 2 lattes, 2 or more beers, and would consider the 6" sub the "diet" option.
- icey 17y ago
  I suppose this comment thread is pretty illustrative of why it's so hard for people to count calories to lose weight - even though we both looked up data it was different enough that it could be significant in someone's diet. I was personally enlightened, at least.
- WarDekar 17y ago
  Yay for anecdotal evidence! The people I know eat (for the most part) quite healthy, don't drink any soda, don't eat junk food, etc. As was mentioned by someone else, if the average American ate 3800 calories a day they would continually gain weight until they reached the equilibrium point of maintenance calories. The average height of America males is 5'10". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height The average weight of American males is 191lbs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_weight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_weight Given those numbers, and an age of 35 years, with a base metabolic rate, calorie maintenance is 1809kcal/day and 2488kcal/day for exercise 3 times/week (surely more than the "average" American) http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm The equilibrium point for 3800kcal/day and 3 times/week exercise is 400 pounds! Methinks you're still fudging the numbers.