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Hello anon, Thanks for your question and doesn't it seem like we're always trying to keep our weight in check? One way to determine how many calories you should consume is to determine your metabolic rate. Several calculators are available online like this one from Shapeup.org. By entering information about your height, weight, gender and age, it will determine how many calories you burn on a daily basis to maintain your weight.

You may want to check with your doctor, however, to make sure you are receiving enough calories to stay healthy.

Empowher also has a ton of information on weight loss that you can view by clicking here.

I agree with Tina--it is important to know how many calories your body needs to sustain itself, and one of those measures are your metabolic rates: RMR and BMR (resting metabolic rate and base metabolic rates, respectively). That is the number of calories your body needs for its tissues, organs and systems to function, including digestion and even sleep! :-) You can figure this number on your own, or get a baseline at any number of facilities (along with other health measures---it's not all about the pounds, but also body fat %, lean muscle, strength, flexibility, stamina, inches lost, heart function and lung capacity).

Here are a few other informational links for you from Empowher:
-Calculate your metabolic rate
-What is right amount of calories"

More importantly than how old you are, how much do you currently weigh, what is your height, and what is your current BMI (body mass index)? Have you bee told by a doctor that you need to lose weight? What is your goal weight, and why? I would make sure your goal is reasonable and attainable (and healthy), and there are many successful ways to lose weight without starving yourself (which 1000 calories may be extremely low, depending on your caloric needs).

It is important to have a weight loss goal of 1-2 pounds per week, and no more. Maybe my story will sound familiar to you: I have been losing weight successfully for the past 3 months (my BMI was in the "overweight category", so wasn't just for vanity's sake!). I have used weight watchers online to track my caloric intake, while maintaining enough calories to feel full, satisfied and be able to fuel my energy needs to make it through the day and exercise vigorously. Honestly, it has been the exercise and portion control that has helped the most, rather than limit my calories excessively. On the days when I did eat fewer calories, I made up for it the next day because I was hungry and did not have enough energy. It has taken me 2-3 months to know how to use food for energy, and not as an emotional comfort. My weight loss is similar to many other women's stories, and nothing like you see on the Biggest Loser TV show: one week I lose 0.5, the next week lose 1.0, then the next week I gain 0.4. It is a roller coaster of ups and downs, but there is sustained weight loss that is gradual and I can maintain it indefinitely. (So far, I've lost 15 lbs in 3 months...yeah! Only 5 more to go!). Every day has become easier, but some days are disheartening when I gain some...but I've found the online "club" helpful, because tracking my weight weekly is a visual reminder that my weight loss is continuing and gradual, but I am meeting my small goals along the way to my big goal.

So...what are your weight loss goals (how much, within what time, how will you meet your short-and long-term goals)? Are you interested in joining a weight loss support group, are you open to talking with your doctor or nutritionist or personal trainer?

1000 calories does, indeed, sound very low. As Alison said, your level of activity, age, BMI, are all taken into consideration for a good weight loss/management program.

Oddly enough, we have to eat a little more to lose a little more. If you continually put your body into starvation mode, not only will you fail, but your body will want to start storing calories to survive.

What really makes a difference is what you eat. I'd be willing to wager that a huge contributing factor to Alison's success is that she's eating "real food," whole, natural, unprocessed, unrefined, unbleached and colorful foods. Exercise helps burn off fat and calories and prepare your body for healthy eating, plus increases your energy level.

I'm a marathoner, and I call myself the Slow Fat Runner. My scale reads higher than I would like, but my BMI is actually in a good range for my age (nearly 60). I already eat healthfully, and have to consume a lot of calories - good carbs, especially - to sustain my energy on long runs. So, in order to slim down more, I have to learn how to burn more fat more efficiently and before going into a carb-burning mode.

So, the moral of this story is that each person is different. Nonetheless, eating "real food" and staying active, if even just taking a 20-30 minute walk every day, will make a big difference in how you feel, aid your weight loss, and even make a difference in how you see yourself in the mirror.

:))

Dear Anon, I echo the postings above. There is no one-size-fits all kind of rule for caloric intake in a weight loss program as each of us is different. Metabolic rates are different from person to person as activity levels and even stress which is linked to weight gain thanks to the excessive release of the hormone cortisol which causes our bodies's metabolism to slow down and gain weight.

The calorie count strategy is also losing momentum with the new medical reports on healthier ways of eating. I suggest you look into the mediterranen diet or the NEW Atkins diet (it has been modified to include more fish). Do not risk your health by reducing caloric intake, make the right choices of foods (fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and plant-based proteins)and eat as much as you want!