I shall begin by saying that I am probably the most picky eater you will ever find.
I'm insanely picky about what I eat because I suspect my body is 22 but my mind still wants to be 5.

I have tried to find the most nutritious foods that are acceptable to me and tend to eat the same thing most days. I run 3 miles 6 days a week and am very much wanting to get these last pounds off, but my weight loss has not stalled since I changed what I was eating, and that is not my concern.

My problem is that I do not eat more than 1,000 calories a day.
There seems to be a lot of strong feeling aimed towards eating less that 1200 calories a day (though why that number is majestic, I do not know) so these past two weeks I have forced myself to eat at least 1200. I am not happy doing that anymore. I find it almost disordered that I have to literally force myself to eat more than I actually want to.
(Because I am picky I can not add oil to things or eat more nuts. I like the foods I eat and do not want to change things.)

I gained weight eating bizarrely- but not in mass quantities.
I would eat a bag of M&M's all day or something like that.

So- should I force myself to eat more if I just don't want to and feel fine?
I feel enormously healthy eating the 1,000. Way better than other times when I've eaten more calories than that. I'm guessing that since the options I do choose to eat are so full of nutrients my body just may not need more calories...
But I am no expert on things like this so any advice would be appreciated!
Sorry this is so long and loopy, I'm working the night shift tonight.

Bottom line is that I'm stubborn and I do not want to eat more- could this hurt me in the longterm?

1000 calories is not a lot, and even if they are very nutrient dense calories, you may not be getting all the calories you need. If you continue to eat 1000 calories per day, you will likely begin losing again. You're probably in a stall as your metabolism has slowed, and your body is trying to hold on to what it can.
I'm curious; how long have you been eating this amount? Also, do you exercise?
IMO, eating this few calories will be very difficult to sustain in the long run. If you exercise, at your height, I just don't think it's healthy. I hope you're supplementing with a good daily multi-vitamin at the least. Have you ever tried tracking your nutrients at fitday.com? It would be interesting to see just where you are in the RDA levels.
Congrats on your loss, and good luck for your continued success

I meant, you may not be getting all the essential nutrients you need

<steps into flame-protectant suit>

Personally *I* feel that if you are comfortable and satisfied on 1,000cal/day, that is what you should eat. If you were only eating 1,000cal/day because you were so paranoid that if you ate more you'd gain weight or something, that would be excessive restriction and disordered. But if your body is satiated at that number, and you are eating nutritious foods, then I think it's acceptable.

My comfort number is 1100 (I generally keep that on the "DL" because of the backlash over the 1200cal/day issue). I am in maintenance, but I indulge most weekends. So I build up my deficit during the week and splurge a bit during the weekend. Maybe not the healthiest way, I probably won't win any awards for "exemplary maintainer behavior," but I feel satisfied, happy, 100% thrilled to stay on my plan, and I am achieving my goal of not gaining or losing weight. So during the week I eat right around 1100cal of nutritious whole foods. That's the perfect amount that keeps me full throughout the day. Any more than that, one of two things happens. 1) I start eating more and it snowballs into out of control munching WAY past any true hunger or 2) I feel angry and frustrated and annoyed than I am eating more than I want to (I think this is what you're feeling?). I have actually become a more picky eater. If I can't eat what I want, what I feel comfortable eating, then I feel mad (and it feels like a very childish inner tantrum). Just as an example, we went to a ball game last weekend and were at the stadium the whole day, from 8am-10pm. They checked purses and made you take out any snacks or drinks. I was hungry and finally gave in to a cheeseburger. Sure, it was yummy, but I was mad that it was my only option.

If you have energy, are making a strong effort to eat a balanced diet, and aren't being extremely restricting...I think you should eat what you're comfortable with.

@losinlish:

Thank you for your reply-
I am not stalled. My weightloss, as I said, is exactly the same as before.
I jog 3 miles most days.
Losing weight is not so much my issue as being comfortable is.
In my body I'd actually be okay staying at this weight, I think I look awesome ;-)

Thank you for the Fitday suggestion, I should go check that out.

I don't know what your financial or insurance situation is but would it be feasible to see a dietitian? That might help you out or ease your fears.

Wow, I must not have had my coffee before I read your post - I seem to have been mingling your info with another post I looked at!
If you feel healthy, and continue to lose - keep doing it. Watch yourself if you get feeling light-headed, though - with too few calories you could have episodes of low blood sugar (especially during or after runs).
I'm so happy that you look awesome ! I guess your body will tell you what you need, and if you look and feel terrific, then you probably have it figured out .

kaala, I am curious , what foods do you eat ?

Kaala I'm not sure if you're goiing to look back at this post but for the past year and a half my daily calorie intake has been between 1000 and 1200 calories. I excercise two hours a day 6 times a week and so far I have had no problems. You're doing fine. Everyones body is different in its requirements. You're happy and confortable at where you're at don't let anyone tell you differently.

Althought I do agree with mkendrick you do need to keep your calorie in-take on the 'down low.' People get really judgy when they find out my calorie in-take.

Thank you to everyone who took time to reply with input!
I regularly eat most fruits and veggies, cottage cheese, eggs, the little "twig" like Fiber One cereal, and large amounts of salsa (I admit I'm strange! I think salsa should be it's own food group). Usually fish at dinner time.

I sat down this morning and thought about it....
I came to the conclusion that if I feel okay, this is probably fine for my body.
Also we change all the time and with the seasons! Maybe this is just my lower-ish calorie season.
Regardless, I always appreciate lovely 3fc peoples' helpful thoughts :-)

I also eat under or around 1000 to lose weight, because I am middle-aged and very inactive (live in a truck). To maintain my weight, those calories may change.

I don't worry about what others consider the right amount of calories, nor do I use calorie calculators. I listen to my body and what it needs. If you feel well, your general checks ups at the doctors are fine, then what you are eating should be fine. NEVER EAT MORE THAN YOU NEED is my mantra.

Can't figure out how to delete my original post, or I would...

No, it doesn't mean that. Running, exercise, activities, breathing - doesn't negate the number of calories that you've consumed. You consume what you consume, you burn what you burn. You've ingested so and so number of calories, including all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients in there and you can't negate that by the amount of exercise you do. The nutrients remain.

As far as being healthy, 1200 calories is an AVERAGE, an AVERAGE of what *most* people not only can survive on, but thrive on. That would mean some people do fine on 1200 calories, some 1000 and others require 1400 or higher.

As far as *ruining your metabolism*, well it can't really be ruined. It does indeed change of the course of a lifetime, but that's okay. The rate at which we burn calories is supposed to change. Will your metabolism slow down as you get thinner - it sure will. When I was super morbidly obese, you bet my metabolism was burning up those calories faster. Should I have stayed super morbidly obese to keep my metabolism up? I don't think sooooo.

If you are energetic, have good doctor visits, feel fabulous, then you have found the right caloric intake number for yourself. And that's what matters. Not what's right for this one or that one, but for yourself.

For the life of me I can't figure out why people get so freaked out by eating 1200 healthy calories or below. If it doesn't work for you - then don't do it. If it does - than go for it. If you find down the road, it's no longer working for you, then be open to change.

I'm pretty darn sure that I'm getting in more healthy, nutritious calories on 1200 calories (& yes I've gone lower) then the *average* American does on double and triple that.

My hair has never been thicker or shinier. My nails grow so fast that I can't keep up with it. I haven't had as much as a sniffle since I started eating this way over 4 years ago and Lord knows I've been exposed to a slew of yucky viruses including swine flu, horrible stomach viruses, dreadful colds and strep throat. I have more energy and stamina now then when I was a normal weight teenager. My doctors visits are impeccable. Perfect cholesterol, sugar levels, blood pressure. My doctor tells me that taking a multi-vitamin for me is totally unnecessary.

This is something we all have to figure out for ourselves.

I apologize if I came off all scream-y and stuff, but this is a topic that I feel there is a lot of misinformation on.

I guess since I thrive on lesser calories I understand it perfectly. Perhaps if I was one who didn't, I wouldn't understand it. Maybe.

ETA: just had to add in something else. I believe that when we were created it was with the intention that we not only thrive, but survive on very few calories. VERY few. BAck in the day, we were constantly on the move - no transportation, no indoor plumbing, refrigeration, etc. AND food was SCARCE. So for our protection, to guard us in times of famine, that's how we were made. Thing is, it's kinda back-fired with all the darn frankenfoods out on the market and the always feast, not famine.