I've been using the LoseIt! iPhone app to record all of what I eat during the day and what exercise I do and it has been great so far. I have noticed that as I have been losing more weight, the amount of calories I'm supposed to be eating seems shockingly low - like 1000-1100. I'm trying to keep it around 1200 because I feel like most of the time I'm trying to shovel food in after work to get up to my calorie limit because I am bad at finding time to snack during the day (healthy, of course, and I'm getting better).

I've tried comparing the numbers that the app is giving me to some websites and it's an incredible difference - a thousand calories almost. I don't think I could eat that much more!

Opinions - keeping at 1200 sound good? Should I try to eat more? What's a reliable way to find out how much I should be eating?

Thanks in advance

o1000-1100 is too little, especially for your listed height of 5.7 and weight of 159. 1200 is the ballpark figure for the lowest calories suggested by most sources for a female, and more if you are a teen. Anyhow, try this site and see what you come up with: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

With your height and current weight, I'd be aiming for 1500 a day. I know it sounds high but it really isn't. I am 5'6 and weight 143 and I aim for 1400 a day to lose weight (and it works).. I can't eat less than that or I stall out on weight loss. Plus, as you lose weight you decrease your calorie intake. If you start at 1200, where are you going to go as you lose weight since 1200 is the MINIMUM any woman should ever eat daily.

I use LoseIt as well (and I love it, btw). That number pretty much assumes you don't exercise at all. Also, you may want to change your weight loss rate. I'm guessing you have it set to losing 2 lbs. a week but if you move it to a slower rate such as 1 or 1.5 lbs. per week, you'll get to eat more and if you workout, you'll possibly lose faster than that rate. The 1200 number is just an estimate and everyone is different. I would say that you should find a way of eating that you can continue for the rest of your life. Maintenance is very similar to weight loss with only a few more calories thrown in there. It's incredible, but that's how it is for me.

You can't get a straight answer, because there isn't one. There really is a wide discrepancy between what one person will lose weight on, and what another person will - even if they seem to have nearly identical ages, heights, activity levels, and eating habits.

You find out what you need, based on experimenting. That's it.

You may find (as I did) that you can eat more calories, be less hungry, generally feel better, have more energy and lose more weight on a particular lifestyle/calorie level than on another (for me, that optimal diet so far, seems to be lower-carb paleo).

You can guess and try, and then guess and try something else, but really trial and error is pretty much what you're left with.

i too struggled with how much i'm supposed to be eating....am very full on about 1,100 but i know i'm not eating enough so have a yogurt or somthing at the end of the day to push the numbers up. Its hard if your following the paleo diet as well because everything is soooo healthy and low calorie !!!

If you find 1200 a good count for you then stick with it. However, because 1200 is the bare minimum you really should eat, I would give yourself a range say 1200-1500 (or more). There may be a day here or there where you're just HUNGRY and having that range (or just giving yourself permission for higher days) will allow you to up your calories every now and then.

Throwing yourself a higher day now and then can be good for you.

That said, you can eat more and lose weight. If I eat 1600-1800 calories I lose weight and I'm a 5'3" 116 pound very active person.

Yes this. I had a couple of days where I ate ~80-90% Paleo and I had trouble getting to 1200, let alone the calories I needed for maintenance.

Even now, when I'm eating maybe 60%-70% Paleo, I still can't eat enough!

Every one is giving good advice. I second what lucky said. Lover your weights per week and up the calories.

I go 1200-1500. It seems like everyone is giving similar advise. I think your body will really tell you what it needs as well. I tend to eat about 600 through the day and save 600 for night when Im mentally weakest...haha..

I agree with the 1500 per day suggestion. I'm 5 ft 3, 43 yo, and I lost approx. 6-8 lbs. a month at 1400 per day (and 1-2 hours of exercise, 5-6 days a week).

Ah thanks everyone. 1200-1500 sounds reasonable. I'm sure there are days I'll be hungry enough to eat 1500 . And yes, LoseIt does add in more calories when I exercise, but still. It seemed too low and I was correct - thanks again to all of you!