Ok i have done the whole low cal thing in the past and YES it worked but i've packed the wieght back on now im 5'8 187 and am bottom heavy if that matters but the only excer i do is walking im walking everywhere to work to the store if i can walk there i will ( i own a suburban & Gas is too much LOL ) now my question to anyone that can help is how many calories do i start with to lose wieght i've heard SOOOO many different numbers but how do you know which number to chose I hope this make's since and ANY help would be much appreciated

This website was suggested in an earlier thread today. It sounds pretty fair.
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/calcalcs.html

This question has been asked about 5 times a week for eons.

Everyone here pretty much knows my opinion, and that is the fact that all of the online calculators are "guestimates". The only way to know what calorie level will work for you, is to pick a starting point of about 1800 calories a day, do it for a week, and weigh in and see what happens. If you lose 1/2-2 pounds, then this is the level for you-if not, then go down about 100 calories a day and try that for a week. Trial and error is how you find the right calorie level for you.

Good info thanks and sorry i've only been on a week and still looking at all the post so i didnt relize that it was asked before my bad

Oh Honey, we never get tired of giving advice And I especially love new calorie counters!
Anything any of us say is a guesstimate at best. Unless you have a good idea how many calories you were eating????

right now no i dont know i know im watching what i eat but im gonna check out the calorie couter today
and thanks

Well, I am a restarter, too. I lost 50 pounds last year and regained 30. I am having trouble getting back to what I know I should do. I have been on many different kinds of diets, but in the end I think counting calories is the most reliable, I also log everything, helps to keep me honest. I did pretty good yesterday and so far today, I hope I have turned the corner.

Just to throw in another point of view: I eat "regular maintenance" for my ideal weight (avg. 2000 cals per day), then use exercise to create my weight loss. Then, when I get to my goal weight, I plan to adjust my exercise for maintenance. I just feel that, for me, this is the safest way to ensure that I won't re-gain the weight once I've lost it all. I'm eating now exactly how I'm going to be eating for the rest of my life. (And probably exercising pretty close as well.)

I went and visited with a licensed dietician. I am about your size (5'7" and between 180-183) and bottom heavy as well. She suggested 1600cal/day if I wasn't nursing, but I am, so I'm doing 2000. However, she said when he weans I need to move it down to 1600.

Thanks bargo and sleepyme all the info i can get is helping and bargo yep thats me too i have tried everything again but i think we know what trully works......LOL cal counting