Analysis says I should only have 1200 cals per day?

I am a 37 year old female - 5'4' and now 185 lbs.   The analysis says I should limit myself to 1200 calories per day.  This seems kind of low doesn't it?

How active are you?  I am 4'10" and 185 lbs and calorie count set my limit at 1500.  Per the advice of a personal trainer friend, I like to set the base for the day at 1200 and then "earn" the calories above that with exercise.  (Ex. if I burn 300 calories in exercise I have "earned" my recommended 1500.)

Good luck figuring out what's works for you -- but I do think that 1200 is definately not accurate for you.

If you input a later goal date the number of calories needed will rise.  If you let the CC tools set the goal date then it will choose the quickest safe level, which may be too low.

The way I arrived at my weight loss calories was by using the burn meter.  I noted the amount I was expected to burn in a day at the sedentary level from my home page burn meter.  Then I added the calories of my activities to arrive at my total burn.  Then I deducted 500 calories from that and got 1350 a day to lose 1 pound a week.  Since then I've slowed my weight loss and only deduct 250 to lose 1/2 pound a week (health reasons)

The best way to increase the amount you can eat is to exercise more.

Make sure you've set your activity level to at least 'light'.... A reasonably active person - even if they don't do formal exercise - will qualify. And I agree with clairelaine about resetting the target date. Aim for about 1 - 1.5lbs a week. If you're aiming for 140lbs, for example, set the target date for 8 months' time.

I'm totally confused to.  I'm 48, 5'3" and weigh 146.  My goal is 135.  My analysis came back at 1200 calories a day as well.  I felt hungry eating 1200 a day.  I'm following the south beach diet.  I would typically eat between 1500 and 1800 a day and felt quilty as hell.  I met with a trainer at my gym and we started talking about nutrition and he told me an average to go by would be 15 x your goal weight which for me would be 15 x 135 = 2025.  That seems kind of high to me.  Anyone else have any suggestions?

I found a good website which is helpful and actually supported the trainers advice provided your working out and also supported CC advice if your not.  It calculates what your caloric intake should be after prompting you through a few questions. 

http://nutrition.about.com/od/changeyourdiet/ a/calguide.htm

I had not seen that one before.  It is really nice :)

It does seem to agree with my own experience regarding how many calories I eat to lose. 

Exercise makes a huge difference.  Even a half hour each day greatly improves health, helps one at more (yum) and feel really good.

I agree, exercising 1/2 hour a day in order to eat some more is my idea of heaven.  That sounds pretty pathetic dosen't it.  Jeez, what has my life come to!!! 

Personally I would say have at least 1300 if you don't do any exercise like me. I weighed about 175 when I started near Xmas and it recommended 1600 but when I checked again after losing a good amount of weight it advised 1300 which my body has now gotten used to with careful planning of meals and I tend to lose about 1 pound a week. I only have 4 pounds left to lose now :)

Original Post by phyllisjd:

I found a good website which is helpful and actually supported the trainers advice provided your working out and also supported CC advice if your not.  It calculates what your caloric intake should be after prompting you through a few questions. 

http://nutrition.about.com/od/changeyourdiet/ a/calguide.htm

That gave me such a higher calorie goal than the tool on this site...

It told me to eat 1800+ calories to lose...
This site says 1200. I think I'm probably somewhere in between the two.

omg i have the same problem kinda

im 5'7 and used to be 150 (ive lost 4.5 lbs YAY) but calorie counter reccomends i eat 2400 calories a day. thats like more than the average man should eat!

i try to aim for 1500 a day b/c i want to get down to 135 by September

Is that correct, 1500 a day, will that get me to my goal (i also excersise running/walking at least 1.5 miles 6 times a week)