When I first started exercising and cutting back I was eating more calories and was losing 2 sometimes 3 pounds a week. Lately (well besides Turkey Day) I was eating less, between 1200-1400 calories, and the weight loss has stalled. In your opinion, at my weight of 219 I should be eating more? Or have I just hit some kind of plateau? Any suggestions?

At 219, yes, you should be eating more calories. However, everyone is different, but especially if you're exercising, at that weight, I personally don't think 1200-1400 is enough.

When I started, I was 220. And if I remember correctly, I was eating about 1800 calories a day. Then it gradually dropped because as you lose weight, you need fewer calories. I'm now down to about 1200-1300.

Good question! I have been losing as much as 6.75 pounds a week (not my first week either) but I weigh 268 and have as few as 1200 calories on many days. I am worried about stalls but don't want to gain, so I have been keeping several 1200 calorie days and mix it up with 1500, 1800 and even a 2000 calorie day!

I think mixing it up would probably help you. Alot of us vary our calorie intake. My range is between 1200 and 1700 although more often than not I'm right at 1500.

I would try boosting your calories to see what happens. I was just watching FitTV's Diet Doctor and they were testing dieters' metabolisms. One woman wasn't eating as much as the doctor suggested, and her metabolism dropped. It sounds strange, but they recommended eating more to lose weight.

It takes calories to burn calories

Thanks everyone. It's just so hard to think that I need to eat MORE to lose. I think I'm going to add something to breakfast with my shake and add another meal. Probably something high protein before I go to the gym. I do vary day by day because I have the same thing for dinner my husband has, 1200-1400 is just the range I try to stay in. Now I'm thinking 1600-1800 for a while and see what happend. Wouldn't that be something if I actually get to eat AND lose weight!

The problem with going as low as 1200 now is you have no where else to go once you body adjust. That is one of the reasons I like WW point system- they account for those of us who weigh more need more calories. At 219, under the older Winning Points (its been awhile since I attended actual meetings)- you would be at 24-29 points or about 1400-1600 calories (about 50 calories per point plus some for 'free' vegetables & high fiber foods). Even if you don't follow WW, I think their guidelines for average daily calories is pretty good. Basically, for every 25 pounds, your calorie range drops about 50-100 calories per day. They do stress not eating at the low end of your range consistently- that is just the bare minimum & you actually do better if you get closer to the high end.

Yeah, like me, for example - I fully expected to gain over the holiday weekend because I ate more food than usual. And I actually lost.

Of course, though, I can't be doing that all the time. If all those extra calories add up to 3500, I put back on a pound. I'm back to my usual routine this week.