How much should I be eating?

[Ligand]

I'm here obviously because I want to lose weight. I think i've been going about it wrong though. Some sites say I should eat little below my BMR to lose weight. Others say I should eat more. Some say I should do 1,200 a day. I don't know HOW much is the right amount. And I'm frustrated. I don't want to eat too little and end up screwing up my metabolism..but I don't want to eat too much and get no results.

Rambling aside, I'm 5'6, around 147 pounds. I'm female smile and awesome.

I jog/ do some sort of cardio nearly everyday but weekends. D: I should do more strength training but it hurts lol.

How many calories a day should I aim for?  

[Testicular Diabeetus]

And the lurker posts! XD

Well I just eat what I want.
I eat really healthy stuff, then i have a treat every few days.
Calorie counting is boring. =/ And it didn't work for me.

As long as you are eating right then you really have nothing to worry about.

I've lost almost twenty pounds so far.
I don't count calories I just eat lots of whole grain, veggies, fruit, and I drink tons of water. I also eat a lot of weight watchers, and Healthy Choice stuff.

I've noticed that it isn't about calories because your body needs the food for fuel, why limit something your body needs. If you are hungry then eat.
As long as you are eating properly a few extra hundred calories really wont matter.

 

[Iconised Ghost]

There are lots of calculators online that can give you a broad (extremely broad) range of calories that you might want to eat between. Lots of people say that 1200 is about as low as you generally want to go. The thing is that everyone is different so what one person eats might be too much or too little for you. I have read that a good start to your weight loss might be looking at what you are eating now and reducing by 500 cals. But its really just trial and error until you find what works for you smile Sorry!