So I have just recently recommitted myself to this weightloss journey and I have been sticking to a 1250-1350 cal diet. I have been reading today and I am now unsure if I should be consuming more calories or if I should stay put. I have read posts where people suggest to start a little higher in cal so that you can eventually cut them and decrease. If I was to cut them right now, I honestly don't think I could do it!


Any suggestions?

Also, I've tried a bunch of those calculators all over the net and I am getting all different sorts of answers

Well I am currently eating 1000 to 1200 calories a day. I was eating around 2000 to 2500 calories a day. I found once I started eating less calories, I stopped craving different foods that I was eating. My suggestion is to stay with what you are doing (give it plenty of time) and see how it goes. It took me over a month to drop 10 pounds with what I am doing so try not to get discouraged.

I eat around 1500 - 1600 calories per day. I find this is easier to stick to over the long haul than when I was on 1200 - 1300 calories as I was hungry all the time . I'm losing slower, but that's ok as I'm less likely to "give up".

I keep it at 1200 but if I happen to go over by a few like 1250 or 1300 I dont fret I just try to watch what I eat better the next day. But for me im at 1200. If I happen to go lower and Im not hugry I will.

I actually try to zig zag between 1200 and 1600 to keep my body guessing. Today though has been a really different day for me and I'm only at 1080 and I'll be in bed in less than 2 hours. I've never had a day this low before.

I try and stay under 1600 calories a day but some days I'm as low as 1200. I try to mixe it up a bit also.

I like to keep it between 1200-1500 cal per day as suggested. Going below 1200 is generally not recommended. Just make sure you are making the most of your calories, getting in all those fruits and veggies and dairy servings before "extras". Good luck to you! .5-1lb/per week is a good rate but some weeks you won't see anything and then the next you'll see two so be patient and keep up the good work!

1000 is way to low its gonna kill your metabolism eventually. 1200 is minimal. depends how active you are i eat 12-18 5x a week and bout 2 on weekends

I eat anywhere from 1000 (on very busy days, only about once a week) to 1800. I average 1200.

How many calories you should eat totally depends on your weight, activity, body composition, and general metabolism. It's really hard to go by what other people do because (a) they have a different body and (b) many people cut more than they need to to safely lose.

If everything else is NORMAL -- meaning average -- given your weight your calories are more than likely OK but you could probably go up to 1500 and still lose, then cut back down a little when you get closer to goal and find it harder to lose.

funniegrrl is right, we are all different.

I'm losing on 2000/day == but then again, I weigh about 250 now -- I've been losing over 2 pounds/week, and don't really see the point of going much faster. It's hard to adjust to this speed of weight loss! I've already started to cut back some and will play it by ear as I go along.

Yes it all depends on the individual! height even matters ! lifestyle.. ie are you a house wife... cleaning. looking after kids. do you have an active job....

I am told by calorie counters for my height 5 11, and my lifestyle (housewife with 2 kids) my base calorie usage (for living and breathing) is between 3000-3500 then for each activity I do each day add more like an hour of weights add about 500.
So to maintain my weight i need 3500-4000 a day. they say if you want to lose weight take off 500-1000 off that. SO technically I should eat 2500-3000! which to me sounds too much?

I currently just stick to staying under 1800. Some days I have only been around 800! but the next day I feel like S**T. but as I am approaching my goal (only 24pounds off now) I am adding 100 cal each week, until I hit maintaince. (next week I will eat up to 1900 a day), Find an amount you can stick too easily! I usually say to myself am I feeling a little hungry at bed time, then I have had a good day! If you start getting any dizziness or headaches, you are getting too little and put it up a little, your body going into starvation mode only slows weight lose down.

I agreed that it really is varied depending on your weight, body and exercise levels.. at the moment I seem to be between 1200-1800 depending on my exercise level for the day... but I have only just started counting calories.

Have you tried using an online journal? I am using nutridiary.com

for me it depends. when i was really trying to lose weight hardcore, i was around 1200-1500 a day and very active. now that i am trying more to maintain, i just try to not exceed 1800.

i found that around 1000-1200 i did not move in weight at all...at 1600 i gaining slow but still gaining...so after playing around with it i AVERAGE (i eat different amount of cals each day...except lately) around 1400

mostly just play with it, whatever works for you...it takes some time to really figure it out