calorie intake confusion

Hello everybody. This site is telling me that i should be eating about 2500 calories a day...and if i ever did that then i would be HUGE.

 I am 19 years old, 5'8'', and i weigh around 160. ( i will know for sure this weekend. I have no scale at college :[  )

I know from past experience with dieting that if i eat above 1500 then i will not lose. I will either maintain or gain. I have been cursed with a slow metabolism from my mother.

How many calories should i really be eating? 2500 seems sooo high to me, but many people say that anything below 1500 is too low given my age and level of exercise.

thanks! Kim

being 19 > curse.

The only way a girl like you can get 2500 is if you expend a lot of energy everyday (exercise). If you do, then your metabolism is high regardless of heredity matters. Anyways, maybe you input the data wrong. Maybe you have the male button clicked instead of the female or you overestimated your activity level since you say 1500 cal/day is what you need to maintained weight.