[hatethesweatpants]

I'm 6'1" and weigh 151lbs. I shoot for 1500 on non-exercise days and 1800 on exercise days (the equivalent of a protein shake with skim milk and berries). Since some days I'm about 100-200 cals over, it evens out and I seem to maintain. The more I exercise, though, the more I tend to lose, so I have to increase my cals on an as-needed basis.

[paperclippy]

We seem to get this question every few months. Maybe a moderator could sticky this thread and then everyone's calorie counts would be in one place?

FWIW I am 5'4", 28 years old, 135lbs, I work at a desk job (literally sitting at a computer 40 hours a week), and I maintain on 1600-1800 weekdays and 1600-2400 weekends. I exercise 4-6 days a week for 30-120 minutes depending on if I'm injured or if I'm actively training for something.

Example: This week I lifted weights three times for 20 minutes each and swam once for 30 minutes. On the other hand, I'm working through two sports injuries and cardio is basically off limits except for swimming.

During the peak of my triathlon training last summer, I was running 30-45 minutes 2x/week, swimming 30-45 minutes 2x/week, biking 45-90 minutes 3x/week, and doing strength or yoga for 30 minutes 2x/week.

Obviously I was eating toward the top of my maintenance range when training, and I'm eating toward the bottom right now. To lose I have to eat 1400/day 6x/week with one day around 2000, at which point I will lose less than 0.5lb/week.

I'm also hypothyroid, although they say that since I'm medicated it doesn't make a difference.

[freelancemomma]

<<On cardio, a rule of thumb is that we expend 5-7 cals/min doing moderate intensity cardio, regardless of what the machine tells us. (Manufacturers have an incentive to overstate calories burned.) Half an hour of cardio per day will, in theory, give you 300 extra calories to play with at maintenance levels. >>

Just wanted to make some amendments to the math. If we expend 5 to 7 cals/minute doing moderate cardio (let's say 6 cals/minute), then 30 minutes of cardio will use up 30 x 6 = 180 calories, not 300. AND you have to subtract the calories you would have used anyway while being awake -- probably about 40 calories for 1/2 hour. This leaves you with only 140 extra calories to play with.

Freelance

[k8yk]

I maintain my weight at about 2400 calories a day for 1 year so far.
I work out mimimum 5 X week, 1.5 hrs each time. I weight lift mostly and a little cardio. I'm more interested in building muscle than losing fat at this point.

I'm vegetarian, mostly vegan and I do the whole foods clean eating thing (not sure if that makes a difference in how much you can eat, but maybe it does)

[fitmom]

I eat roughly 1900 cals on maintenance days and 2300 cals on training days. I've been maintaining for a few months now and it's been okay. It's sometimes tough to eat that much but if I don't, my energy levels drop especially on training days.

[lin43]

I eat approx. 2200 per day to maintain a weight of 135-137 (I'm 5 ft 3, 43 yo). I exercise 1-2 hours a day, 6 days a week.

[iluvbugstoo]

I eat around 1991 calories to maintain my weight. Sometimes I eat a little less,sometimes a little mor calories. Depends on what kind of day Im having.

[Arctic Mama]

Well I'm not at my new goal, but I am maintaining at my original goal, essentially, and have been for awhile (I go in cycles). At 160-170 pounds, 26 years old and 5'3", I can maintain or lose half a pound per week at 1900 calories and light to moderate exercise on weekdays. My upper limit of calories before I start gaining seems to be about 2100.

[vjykmr89]

At 5 months out I was only on 500 calories per day. My carbs were (and still are) to be under 45 gms. per day, and protein 65 gms per day for the first 2 years. I never counted fat grams. My surgeon has us at 300 calories by 3 months, 600 by 6 months, 900 by 9 months out and we work up to 1000-1200 by one year out and forever after that. I still stick to the 1200 calorie per day rule this far ...

[Aidanqm]

At 5'3'' and 110, and being very active, I can get away with 1,600-1,700 for maintaining...

[Bev421970]

1800-2000 calories/day. I'm female, 43, and during the winter, I don't do a lot of formal exercise, but I stand half the day cooking and cleaning my house. I work at a desk job part-time, four days/week. In warmer weather, I walk at a fast pace about 40-60 minutes/day 3-6 days/week.

[LAX826]

I am 20 years old, 5'3.5", and maintaining at 128 lbs. I eat around 2,000 calories a day and exercise at least 3x per week, a 45-minute strength training session one day, a body combat class another day, and the occasional 30-minute elliptical session.

Right now I am studying abroad in London so I am walking EVERYWHERE, which means I'm that I'm able to eat (and drink) more and not gain, thankfully.

[McMurphy]

I eat anywhere from 1500-1800 calories a day to maintain my weight, usually the lower limit because I exercise very little. I'm 5'5" and 142 lbs.

[TriciaV]

At 5' 7.5" I walk an average 4 miles a day and do strength 3 times a week. I eat 2,000 cal and am at 154 (BMI 23.7) and still losing gradually. I didn't used to think I liked fitness but it has grown on me.

[Lunula]

I eat around 1900-2000 calories per day and I exercise around 4-5 hours per week to maintain. After vacations/holidays if I see the scale go up, I drop to around 1700 calories to slowly take it back off.