[Minty Fresh]

Okay, color me confused here

Every reputable calculator I use online tells me that for my 2 pounds of weight loss per week, I should eat just shy of 1900 calories a day. I just got off the phone with my doctor's nurse and was told no less than 1800 calories a day. That just seems extremely excessive for some reason. I've been eating about 1550 calories a day for a couple of weeks now, and I've been losing about 2 pounds per week.

However, am I "starving" my body by not eating enough calories a day then? I'm not physically starving, and I am exercising about 4 to 5 days a week.

Is there a real physical harm by not eating the amount of calories a day that everyone recommends?

(cross-posted in the calorie counters forum)

[Robin41]

If you're not starving and you're losing two pounds a week, then I wouldn't worry about what anybody else says. Every body is different so I think it doesn't make a lot of sense to give people a flat number of calories and expect it to work for everybody. Two pounds a week is very healthy; if you're comfortable with it then I wouldn't question it.

[rockinrobin]

Those calculators are highly, highly inaccurate. We are all individuals and calculators can't possibly know or take into account all the different things that are needed to know the "right" answer. It really is trial and error. It sounds like you are doing just fine and have figured out what works for you. I wouldn't change a thing - for now. As you get lighter, you may have to adjust those calories down and up the exercise to continue losing weight, since the less you weigh, the less calories you require.