How many calories to not gain?

[Anonymous]

Prior to several months ago, I didn't count calories and if I had to estimate, I probably ate around 2000+ calories each day. I was relatively slim (being petite my whole life, I've never quite reached 100 pounds). However my frustration with my larger calves (the appeared bigger than my thighs) caused me to diet. I started counting calories and ate between 1200-1400 daily for about four/five months or so. I lost about 6 or 7 pounds in that time. The dieting mentality brought on the fear that if I didn't keep eating under 1400 calories each day, I'd gain weight. I've upped my calorie intake to about 1500 in hopes of healthily maintaining my weight but I was wondering because I was eating less calories for a few months, if that screwed up my metabolism and will make me gain weight now?

[kataloso]

**warning... honest dude opinion**

So first off, "never quite reaching 100 lbs" is really, really petite at pretty much any age. So there's that.

Beyond that, guys like curves. Well I might not have said that quite right... GUYS LIKE CURVES.

If your calves are bigger than your thighs, that is a problem. I don't mean to be harsh here... talk to a counselor if you can. Or if a professional isn't easily available, then talk to a fitness instructor or someone like that.

Your mindset is warped and certainly no one on a site like this is going to be able to help. Good luck finding real help from a real person close to you!

[Cooliobrotoetho]

Calories are not, bad, they ate your body's fuel. Try to eat wholesome, healthy calories, and then workout. You could consume 3500 calories without it affecting you as long as you burned those calories. Make sure not to be deceived by fad diets like not eating carbs. Follow the food triangle.

[Tokana]

I don't think that you screwed up your metabolism by doing that, but age will definitely slow it down.