What it all boils down to is only trial and error can determine how much you should eat in order to maintain or lose weight. It all depends on your activity level and personal metabolism. You have to start at a calorie level and activity level you are comfortable with and watch the scale, if it isn't at or moving towards the point you want it to, you have to adjust your calorie intake and activity level. There is no magic number that will work for everyone.

Just my two cents to add to everyone elses. (maybe when your done you will have a quarter) Why would anyone think you need to eat more to loose? Bottom line the less you eat the more you loose. I was 270 when I started I kept my calaries (for awhile under 1000) the weight came off very quickly. I need to get back on track now, but I am down to about 225, and a size 18. (I never thought I would see that again) My 24's were getting small. Just take it one day at a time and watch everything you put in your mouth, it is the small stuff like salt and salad dressing that mess us up, Mayo on a sandwich etc.
Kat

I keep my calories at about 1000 to 1200 maximum. Some think thats too low but I am steadily losing weight. At 41 and 5'3" this is about the highest I can go without gaining. It seems to be working for me.

Actually Kat,

there is a quite a bit of research that going too low can ultimately lower your metabolism, so after a few weeks you might lose about the same amount of weight at 1000 calories than you do at 1250, or even 1500. It's obvious that if you can lose 2 lbs a week on 1500 calories or the same 2 lbs for 1000, 1500 calories would be better, not only because it is more to eat, but as you can get more nutrients in the diet.

This is part of the reason doctors recommend losing no more that 1% of your body weight per week, or 1/2 to 1 lb per week. This is the healthiest rate, studies show the most likely to not be regained, and is less likely to lower your metabolism.

I did know that going too low on the calories can mess with your metabolism.
It's good to know that some of you have been able to lose even on 2000 calories. I guess it really is different for everybody though, so I should probably do some experimenting for the next week or two. It just makes me nervous even thinking about upping the calories. I have this irrational fear of re-gaining even the little that I had lost so far.
Thanks again for all the support.

There is another issue with starting your weight loss with such a low caloric intake - when you reach the eventual plateau, you will have a lot fewer options than individuals losing weight initially on a higher calorie diet. If you're eating 1000 calories at 270 lbs, start to seriously plateau at 200 lbs, what can you cut and still meet the body's minimal nutritional requirements?

I used to this like this. I used to think, if I can lose weight by cutting some calories, I can lose more weight, faster by cutting more calories. I used to restrict very, very heavily and yeah, I lost a lot of weight. I could never keep it off. I started at 140 lbs in high school and after 20 years of yo yo (restrict/binge) I ended up nearly 200 lbs at age 35. Restriction and dieting made me fat, I would restrict, lose weight, quit dieting (for one reason or another) gain back weight quickly and gain more weight on top of it. Every time.

This time, I really went into it thinking about long term weight loss. I knew I could LOSE weight, but that wasn't enough for me, I wanted to lose weight and keep the weight off. I didn't want to be at my goal weight for a day or a week, I wanted to live at my goal weight for my life.

It just makes sense (to me) that since eating is not only pleasurable and vital for proper nutrition, to start caloric intake as high as possible and then slowly lower calories to find the "sweet spot" - a place where you can still lose weight (a nice, reasonable 1-2 lbs a week average) while still feeling satisfied and getting all the nutrition you need.

Hi,

I think that though Sluggersmom has had success, for most people, losing weight and keeping it off has a lot to do with developing an eating plan that you can stick with. Like Sluggersmom said, she's now getting back on track. It's hard to stay at less than 1000 calories for months and months, and though some can do it, you need to find what works for you. Otherwise, the moment something stressful happens, and your willpower weakens, the scale might just start going the other way and you end up doing the yo-yo dance.

FWIW I disagree with that statement and so does my doctor. She advised me strongly not to go under 1800 calories and said I would lose just as much as if I went a lot lower since very low calories would slow my metabolism. I've been doing it her way for 5 months and so far it is working AND I eat better than ever before and enjoy my food.