It really does depend on your weight and height, and how active you are in your day-to-day life. I aim for 1600, though I go between 1400 - 1800. Usually I find less is too restictive. This so far has allowed me to lose weight slowly and comfortably, but not without exercising.
It really does depend on your weight and height, and how active you are in your day-to-day life.
totally agreed. i think it also depends on how your individual body works and the types of foods that you're eating - i have plenty of energy eating a pretty seriously low calorie diet, but i don't eat 'empty' calories and have a natural slow metabolism/small appetite. my husband, on the other hand, would keel over on less than 2,000 calories a day, and he is naturally a little underweight!
I aim for 1500 calories.
But the last few days I have eaten 1600-1700 calories so I'm going to try to stick to 1200-1300 until monday to compensate before my weigh in.
I am getting close to maintenance so I have upped my calories. I am at 2000 and I run 6-7 times a week and have started crosstraining as well. I do not eat back calories.
1400-1500, but I worked down to that--I started at 2200 or so (I had a lot to lose). Cutting down slowly made all the difference in the world this time--I didn't have to go through a crazy week of adaptation. My calories are entirely lean meat, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and skim milk.
IMHO, calories counting is all about trial and error. Start with any amount--1800 is fine--and see what happens. If after a week or two you aren't losing much, eat less. If you are losing too fast, eat more. The good thing about this method is that even if you are inaccurate in your recording (which many people are if they are not very, very careful about measuring), it's ok as long as you are inaccurate consistently. You establish a baseline and adjust.
It depends on how active I am. If it's a day where I'm at home the whole time looking after my daughter, then 1500. If I'm running errands for a big chunk of the day, 1600-1700. If I hit the gym it's 1700-1800.
You really have to play with your own cals. I was struggling for a week or so after I started working out. I stayed in my range eaching 1300-1500 cals and drinking TONS of water but wasn't loosing anything. I fell off plan by eating a cheeseburger and fries and went about 200cals over my target... and I woke up in the next morning and had LOST over 1llb. That was my clue that I just wasn't eating enough.
I definitely caution against low cal dieting. Many studies show that low cal dieting can severely slow down your metabolism.