Do you use mfp's recommendations?

[Peckarolloveragain]

1200 is starvation for me

1875 is my estimated tdee that I worked out online

Within that range what would be good weight loss target calories?

I'm thinking maybe 1550?

I stick to 1200 but I have 4 DC's, one is only 3 months and another is 2 so I barely have time to eat

That sounds about right but make sure you eat back your exercise calories.

To lose 1lb per week you should aim to be averaging a deficit of 300kcal per day so your suggestion is about right.

For me mfp suggests 1200 (for the sedentary job I have) but luckily the added exercise I do gives me room for a bit more otherwise I think I'd start chewing the table!

Depends how tall you are, how much you exercise and your current weight. I'm only 5ft and would put weight on if I have any more than 1500 calories a day. If I want to lose weight, 1200 is the right number for me

I have 1400 but do at least 200 calories of exercise a day. I have 6m old twins so 'exercise' is easy! It's rare I come in massively under the 1400 though.

It tells me 1250 and that would leave me hungry, but then I always make sure I get some exercise every day so I can eat more. I use the Endomondo app on my phone to log when I walk or cycle anywhere, and that automatically adds the calories I've burned to my daily MFP total so I can eat more. If I'm desperate for a bag of crisps or something then I just go out for a long enough walk to burn off enough calories to be able to eat one!

I've also learned to eat tonnes and tonnes of vegetables so I feel full and can snack all day as I'm a real grazer.

1200 sounds extreme but is very achievable, and a realistic figure for weight loss. I did it for a year and lost over a stone for my wedding. Obviously there will be days when you slip up but in the main it does work

Anything less is fine. 1600 is fine. You'd lose slower, but hey. Slow is good.

My burn's around 1700, I eat around 1400-1500 but if I hit 1600 it's no big thing as I'm still under. I think being relaxed about it's the best way.