[chrissy842]

Whats the least amount of calories i should have in order to lose weight.

[Thighs Be Gone]

Most people will say 1200.

[mandalinn82]

1200 is the bare minimum of what someone should eat without medical supervision. You may want to start at 1400 or so and drop it lower only if you find you are not losing weight.

[CountingDown]

With your starting weight and height, I wouldn't go below 1500. That gives you some wiggle room if you plateau.

And - welcome, from another Michigander

[GlamourVVhore]

Let me tell you... I started at 207 lbs on 1000 calories a day and I am now at 187. I am totally content and full on 1000... but as these ladies have warned me, that is not healthy. Starting Monday.. I will up my calories to 1200-1400 to be on the safe side. But at you're height and weight... I'm guessing you should start at 1500.

[FB]

You know, I'm an eternal optimist. Seriously, the fun of weight loss (what makes it painless) is to do the complete opposite - figure out the MOST calories you can eat and still lose weight.

[ennay]

Originally Posted by FB

You know, I'm an eternal optimist. Seriously, the fun of weight loss (what makes it painless) is to do the complete opposite - figure out the MOST calories you can eat and still lose weight.

That's how I roll!

[Primm]

I'm with the other girls. I go for the maximum I can - I'm eating somewhere between 1800 and 2000 calories per day and still losing. That gives me somewhere to cut down when I stop, and it fulfills my cravings for "more food please!" It keeps my metabolism swinging along so that maintenance will be easier, and it means I can exercise more and harder because my body is being fueled with lots and lots of healthy, low-fat food.

Weight loss is hard. Don't make it any harder for yourself than it already is. Cutting back too much is setting yourself up for failure.

Like I said, I'm down 25lb in 8 months eating between 1800 and 2000 calories per day (except for Christmas, but we won't go there!)

Rather than ask what the minimum calories you can eat per day are, you should be asking what's the maximum calories I can eat per day and still lose.

Good luck, and stick around!

[Scarlet]

It also can depend on which kind of plan you're following--are you just counting calories or are you eating high protein/low carb as well? That can make a difference on what will work for your weight loss.

The mind set of how little I can get away with eating can be a dangerous one. Be healthy and make sure you are eating enough to get all your nutrients in. Make this a lifestyle change instead of a diet and you can do this for the long term. Deprive yourself of too much and you will have a harder time sticking to it.

good luck!

[Pandora123a]

If you cut too low you will slow your metabolism...and have no place to reduce when you hit a plateau. How much are you eating now? Why not try to go to 1600-1800 and add about 300 calories a day of exercise?