confused about my calorie intake

I just want to know how much calories i should be eating to maintain weight not gain or lose. ive had about 3 different sources say 1200, 1400 , 1800 but i dont know what one is right. Im 14, 36kg, 4ft.9. You may think im underweight but its just because im very small and petite but i did suffer from an eating disorder not long ago.  i exercise 5 days a week just by walking and playing badmington. i want enough calories so that im not hungry and im satisfyed during the day.

Hi Cupcakes,

It's good to read that you are covering from an eating disorder. Well done!

I've been googling a bit and I have found this resource, which seems very reliable. and it states about 1800 calories per day (but that is without taking activities into consideration): Nutrition Guidelines for Children

But, since you are very active it is important that you sure that you eat enough, carbs are a good source of energy for you.  I think that 1800 is a on the low side for you (because you are so active), you probably need to exceed 2100 calories , but I am not an expert and I also do not know how many calories you burn exactly with your exercise. Ideally to mantain your weight you should consume as much as you burn. Nnothing more and nothing less (obviously small variations here and there are no biggie)

CC can help you figure your needs out after you have entered your calorie intake and all your activity.

You are also still growing and recovering, so don't be surpriced if you start gaining a little weight as your body is developing into that of a woman. Don't fight it, it's part of growing up.

Make the right choices (no junk food etc) and remember to drink milk - your bones are still developing, now is the time to make them strong, for when you have stopped growing and reached adulthood, then you cannot do much more about them...

Good luck with your progress and keep up posted!

Rita

I am not going to tell you how to maintain because you are grossly underweight. 

There is no way that on so few calories you are fuelling your body with what it needs. The minimum intake for a sedentary female over 21 is 1200 calories per day. For a sedentary female under 21 or a man over 21 it is 1500 per day, and a sedentary male under 21 1800 per day. And believe it or not, that’s only the sedentary minimum. Unless you are very, very short and small, and/or if you are working out it is very likely you will need even more calories than those minimum guidelines.

As you are underweight, you need to gain weight. To do so you need to be eating at least 2500 calories sedentary - more like 3500 with your activity, but you should stop working out altogether right now - to gain steadily and keep the weight on. If you begin to work out you will need to eat more. For more info on this read here: The Aim is to Gain: Advice on Weight Gain, Whatever Your Reason

Eating too low a calorie intake, or having a deficit from your BMR greater than 1000 results in something called "survival mode", where your body holds every last thing it can get in expectance of a famine. Water, food, calories. Explained:

• Dieting & Metabolism - This article explains starvation mode and why undereating is counter productive.
• The Body Neglected - This is what happens when you undereat for an extended period of time. 
• "Obesity on 700 Calories" - A tale of starvation mode's devistating effects, and proof you don't have to be underweight to be starving.
• From Ask Mary, the segment provided by our CC nutritionist Mary Hartley: On the dangers of undereating and what it does to your body.

The physical dangers that come with undereating and being underweight are numerous. You put yourself at risk of osteoporosis, of loss of fertility if you lose your period, hair loss, electrolyte problems, a weakening of the immune system, low blood pressure, blood disorders such as anemia, heart problems, and even death. The mental woes that come alongside can be just as devestating. Depression is common in undereaters, as well as distorted perceptions and problems like Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

You are describing a disordered eating pattern as you are aware of, and you need to talk to your doctor about even if just to hear a professional opinion on top of CC.

If you want some online support try http://www.something-fishy.org, and take a look through CC's Eating Disorders Health, Resources and Info Thread. But your most immediate concern is your health - and for that that means you need to talk to your doctor. But know this: Calorie Count's mission is to promote healthy and sustainable weight management and if you are not seeking to manage your weight healthily we cannot and will not help you.

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Cupcakes; I can tell you this. I am not that much taller than you at ALL and I weigh 9 kilograms more, with a BMI of around 21. Am I a whale? NO. Far from it. I'm sorry, but I am sick and tired of people on this site using the whole "Oh I'm petite so I must be under 40 kilograms" crap. It's downright insulting and triggering. You're so young. Trying to maintain such a low weight will only cause big problems in the future. I refuse to give you a maintenance range because right now, you should honestly be eating to gain weight.