Can someone please set me straight on a few weightless related issues

[ThisTimeToday]

Basal Metabolic Rate - is this what your body burns off even if u don't lift a finger?

Read that a woman's daily calorie intake should be around 2000. Surely this can't be a one-size fits all recommendation? It seems absurd ... e.g. Can a 6ft woman of heavy build need the same calories as say a 5ft woman of slim build or even the reverse?

How do you calculate the calories you need? And does anyone have a sort of 'go crazy' day when they eat anything in any quantity?

I honestly think that anyone that manages to shift any significant weight deserves a medal due to the conflict of all the diet advice out there!

Yes BMR is what you burn doing nothing. My fitness pal will calculate it for you based on your height, age and current weight - mine is 1300 kcalories (5'4" 10 stone) I think the 2000 figure is for a 'moderately active' average woman, but as you say there is a big difference between a 5 ft couch potato and a 6ft gym bunny.
To maintain my weight as a 'lightly active' person I.e. Walking around but no specific exercise it gives me 1700 calories.
If I ate 2000 cals every day I'd be putting on about half a pound a week (using the rule of thumb 1lb of fat = 3500 calories)

this total daily energy expenditure calculator lets you choose a formula to see how they compare, if you know your body fat percentage it gives quite interesting results

and I really like losertown for its endless projections of what happens if you stick to a certain daily amount, how long it takes to get back to your birth weight etc