I Still Don't Understand

So I still don't understand how to figure out my maintenence calories?

I am currently 145 lbs (well, last time I weighed-in but I weigh-in again on Saturday) and my goal weight is 110 lbs.

So I have 35 lbs to lose and I'm eating 1400 calories a day in order to reach it by ~November 20. Also, I exercise often and dance, but I never up my intake based on how much exercise I get. I kind of think that 1400 is my budget regardless of how much exercise I do - so if I did no exercise I would be able to eat that and still lose (of course more slowely.) If I do exercise, it's just an added bonus. So I still have a long way to go, but when I find it's time to maintain, how am I supposed to figure out how many cals I should be getting? And do you start maintenence as soon as you hit your goal? I would think that personally I would feel more steady if I did it maybe a week after hitting my goal, and even then going up only inincrements.

And on that note, am I right in my way of counting the cals? I mean, eating 1400 no matter how much exercise I get. I am at 'moderate activity' levels.

Sorry for the long questions, but I need help!! :)

It's a good idea, when losing weight, to rehearse maintenance from time to time.  The typical, reasonably active adult female can maintain on 1900-2100 cals a day.  If you're losing on 1400 then you're pretty typical and you're probably running with a 700 or so calorie deficit on average.... this puts you in a much better place than crash dieters!!!!

35lbs will take a long time to lose at the rate of 1 - 1.5lbs a week...  So every three or four weeks or so, have a day where you get your 1900-2100 cals.  This does a few important things.   First is that you get a little boost to your energy & nutrition levels and this can stop your body getting too used to living on reduced calories... keeps weight-loss moving.  Second is that you get to see what a maintenance amount of food looks like.  Third, you'll have the confidence that eating a little more doesn't result in a big gain on the scale.

When you reach your eventual weight you can then increase to 1900-2100 on a steady basis.   If you keep losing, increase it a little more.  If you start gaining, eat a little less.  It becomes a balancing act.