Hey!

That's great to heart that you lost 12 lbs in the first month!

Unfortunately, that's the question that I struggle with a lot too. To eat as much as Insanity tells me to eat (1740) or not... A friend of mine who is a certified trainer at National Academy of Sports Medicine had recommended to me for ~1300-1500 so I've been keeping with that. I think as long as you eat the right kinds of food (especially the ones in the "Pious" & "Happy" Tiers from Michi's Ladder), you should be able to eat the amount of calories Insanity tells you to. Also, there's a portion in the book that says how if you're not losing like you think you should be, feel free to shave off 100-150 calories a day, but NEVER below 1300.

I know that probably didn't help, but I am hoping for the best for you! For your vacation meals, might I suggest eating a great variety of the foods at smaller portions?? That way you don't have to feel SO guilty about eating all that delicious yummy foods. Everything in moderation

Best of luck!

I lost a great deal on Insanity at about your size/age eating from 1,400-1,500 calories on average a week but cycling those days (some days real low, some days way over). In second month, i added below 60% mhr fasted cardio in 3-4 times a week in mornings (real slow jog), and I did 14 hr fasts daily (most of the time) with an occasional 24hr fast thrown in (after reading benefits of intermittent fasting schedules like Lean Gains and Eat Stop Eat). I really think this made a huge difference because I maintained a 2-3 lb weight loss weekly for majority of program, with markable decreases in inches and body fat, and I have never lost weight so fast within the "average" BMI bracket. You should look it up and give it a try! Good luck and kudos to you for your fitness gains so far.