great article on calorie intake

jamiesadler · October 2011

Experts generally recommend creating a deficit of 500 calories per day through a combination of eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity. Over the course of a week, this should yield a loss of about one to two pounds of fat.

If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less -- about 1,050 to 1,200 calories -- and exercise an hour a day. You can expect to lose three to five pounds in the first week (or more if you weigh over 250 pounds). You may lose even more weight initially if you limit salt and starches.

When it comes to weight loss, calories count the most. Cut back to a daily level of 7 calories per pound of your current body weight (which for a 200-pound person, for example, would be 1,400 calories), but no less than 1,050 calories, the lowest that can be done safely at home. Dietitians more typically recommend 1,200 calories as a daily minimum.

For rapid weight loss, dieters should eat mainly fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat. Experts also recommend drinking lots of water, eating plenty of protein, clearing the house of fattening foods, and keeping a food journal.