I've always heard this and accepted it as a hard and fast rule but now that I'm older I wonder about it. Calculators say that at my age and exercise level I should eat 1271 calories to lose one pound a week -- 721 to lose 2 pounds a week. I find the one pound a week thing very slow and frustrating, particularly if I plateau or actually gain that week.

I've always heard you must have 1200 cals per day to meet all your nutritional needs, but I'm considering trying 1000 a day. Surely, my nutritional needs as a 70 year-old sedentary woman are not the same as when I was a young active mother.

Thoughts?

Hmm. I think that a calorie intake in the 700's sounds really low. I'm 20 years younger but I don't go below 1100 more than one day in a row. I don't want my body getting used to it. I'm not a big calorie counter but I would guess normal pound a week weight loss for me is at 2200 calories a day. Can you build up some lean muscle with pilates or exercise bands? You might gain a pound or two initially but it should up your metabolism.

Thanks Treasa. I'm already doing some light weight work, but I might try going to1100 calories and see if I lose a little more than 1 pound per week.

I think you'll be okay at 1000 a day if you are truly sedentary. I eat around 1200 calories a day and I'm highly active. So far no issues... I don't count calories though, I just eat every 2 1/2 hours.

You should ask a professional though, like your doctor. I don't want to give you wrong advice.

You should probably talk to your doctor or nutritionist to be on the safe side.

I don't like to set my daily calories below the BMR of my goal weight. First off, I get too hungry, and second I don't want to train my body to exist with that low a food supply. But that's just my personal guideline.

If, due to your age and activity level, you are not burning that many calories, I do not think that it is dangerous to go to 1,000 or even 800 calories a day, provided they are very nutritious calories. That is, make sure you get your protein and micronutrients by cutting out carbs and keeping the protein and vegetables.