I was shooting for 1600, but it was too hard to stick to that. I was getting hungry in the evenings when I most wanted to NOT be hungry. So now I am shooting for under 2000. I am maintaining at my weight right now. I need to step up the exercise. And I think I want to shoot for closer to 1800 cal.
It was too hard for me to come up with 1400 calories every single day without being under or over & it was making menu planning hard so I set it up so that my calorie range is anywhere from 1300 to 1500 & I just don't stress over it, makes menu planning much easier, some days are lower some days are higher.
I tell myself 1800, but its usually closer to 1600 on average. A little mind game I play with myself. Some days I feel like I'm eating all day and other's I'm just not hungry, but I try to take each day by itself, eating according to how I feel that day.
1650 to 2400 is my calorie range, averaging out to 1800 calories per day on a weekly basis. This level is really effective for me, but it's hard, both physically and mentally. My body really tells me quite loudly when I'm not getting enough calories.
I also work out with a fair bit of intensity for 45 to 60 minutes every single day, and I get a lot of NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)...6 to 11 hours per day on my feet and active.
I zig zag my cals and they are as low as 1350 to as high as 2100 with most days falling around 1650. I exercise daily and burn probably 300-500 cals a day with exercise.