ah I think I get it now.
Well if don;t know what 1500 healthy calories look likke, there are tons of spots online that show menu plans for that purpose. It may help you get started. Many of us also ;post our menus for each day
Have you chosen a plan in particular? I am enjoying SBD right now but any plan that does not eliminate whole food groups should be liveable . Perhaps calorie counting or WW may be more your cup of tea. Then go to the apprpriate spot on 3FC and we have menus posted!!

OMG Lori, how I would love to be able to eat that quantity and maintain 108 lbs! But it makes me wonder why she was on a WLS to begin with? I mean, what was she eating as an overweight person? 6000/day?

I believe I am the person in question, so.... To answer, I've never been overweight, but I did choose to lose some weight, and coming here helps me keep it off. I lost almost the same amount once before and did not keep it off. That time, I did it on my own and did not visit forums and read about maintenance and such—which I have done this time around. And this time I have been much more successful.

I know it may seem strange to people who are in the process of losing much more weight, but this site helps people like me, too. Even 500 calories over maintenance is a pound a week, four pounds a month. So it wouldn't take much for me to regain the weight I lost if I wasn't vigilant. I could easily eat another 500 calories a day if I let myself.

Also...dunno, but as someone who also eats a fair bit more than most on here...some of us who maintain on a high calorie load (although I dream of 3000!) dont necessarily lose by dropping just a little off.

For awhile I was maintaining on 2700 (no longer...sigh) but to lose even 1/4 lb a week I would have to go to 1800 - now that math doesnt work, but it was me.

And not a slam on anyone, but I seriously cant wrap my head around 1500 calories being a lot of food. And I eat good healthy food.

I've been in the boat before where I can't possibly finish my calories for the day cause, gosh darn it, its just too much food to eat!! How on earth did I reach that conclusion? I mean I gained a ton of weight, not by eating less than diet amounts of calories, but by going WAY over the normal calorie limits and by eating the wrong kinds of food.
Its a challange for me to find balance. Sometimes I am way under, others I am way over. lol
My calorie level is set for 1,400. They base it on your BMR and usually the bigger you are, and how many pounds you want to lose per week, will mean more calories to eat. The smaller you get, the lower the calories get until you hit the maintaining area of your diet.

I believe that's due to the fact that dieting (eating at a calorie deficit) inherently depresses the metabolic rate. Any level of calorie restriction at all will cause a 10% or perhaps greater drop in metabolism.

Thank you everyone. I'm going to start working on a meal plan, first step is to find out what 1500 calories of healthy food looks like and then convince myself that I can eat that volume of food and not gain weight. Then I'm going to take it slow and try to overcome the mental issues I have with food. Thank you so much for all the advice and understanding. I really appreciate it all and it was more helpful that you could possibly know.

And Shmead, thank you, I have this posted on my refrigerator now - "Food is not heroin." :-) That really struck a chord with me.