[Trazey34]

I started at 2000 cals and couldn't believe i lost weight eating that high LOL but then again i was 323 pounds! By the time I was 250ish, I think I dropped to 1800, then down to about 1600 was the lowest i ever got. I knew I couldn't sustain 1500 cals without being miserable so I was happy enough with the 4 or 5 lbs. lost a MONTH -- super slow, but it stayed off that's all I care about! i wasn't in any mad rush, but i know the urge to shed quickly is important to some. My only advice is don't eat so low that you can't "LIVE" like that for more than a few weeks, it'll just backfire

[ubergirl]

I started at 1200 and stayed there....although I range between 1100 and 1350 most days and sometimes go up to 1400 to 1500.

I think I have a very slow metabolism. I lost like crazy on 1200 for the first 70 lbs or so, but have lost fairly slowly since (not at all in the last two months, but not entirely on plan during that time)

I have also experimented going down to 1000 cals, but it didn't make me lose faster, and it just seems unsustainable over time.

When I was younger, I had a MUCH faster metabolism and would have starved on 1200, but now, not so much.

[synger]

I started with a limit of 1800, and cut carbs. Lowered it to 1600. Now I'm aiming between 1200 and 1500 most days. So long as I eat enough fat for satiety and veggies, and avoid the carbs, this level works for me.