so my low cal diet won't work to lose 50 pounds?

You are losing weight. Probably a combination of lean muscle, fat and bone density. If you lost at a lower rate while eating a healthy number of calories, you would lose more fat and less muscle. If you did weight training at the same time, you would lose mostly fat, almost no lean muscle and no bone density. It's really up to you what "weight" you want to lose.

All this being to say: MFP isn't about trying to eat the fewest possible number of calories. It's about learning to eat at a healthy level for your body - not too much and not too little. Here are some ideas for adding healthy calories, since you say you are struggling with this:

Chicken with the skin
Steak
Cheese
Whole eggs (including deviled eggs, egg salad)
Full fat dairy (including cottage cheese, yogurt)
Fruit,
Peanut butter or other nut butters
Nuts
Avocado
Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, apples)
Brown rice
Dark chocolate
Salmon
Add Chia seeds to salads or yogurt
Olive oil
Smoothies
Granola/sports nutrition bars
Whole grains or whole grain products

Never under any circumstances eat under 1200 cals. Your metabolism will be shot and it does absolutely no good to eat that low. Another problem people can run into is if they start adding calories they feel like their getting bigger so they go on a more extreme diet. Long story short eat 1500 right now if you can't reach the 17 but never ever go under 12

wow, well good luck to you on 900 calories a day. that is not a "lifestyle change" diet and is a recipe for disaster. I've been eating 1500-1600 calories a day, well balanced, healthy foods since i started and have been consistantly losing each week. You will screw up your body on 900 calories, and a screwed up body and metabolism is not gonna be a very good fat burning machine. When your 900 calorie diet starts not working and you start feeling tired, sick, cold , hungry.... try switching to what the roadmap says, 1700 calories.

NO...just no.

I am 5"10 and weigh 146.8 lbs and eat healthy, no junk food at all!

Sure it will work.

But you'll be losing muscle along with the fat. Which means you won't be as happy with your appearance when you get to your goal weight.

And, very little calories usually means fatigue, so you're risking being tired all the time. In addition, some people experience hair loss, brittle nails, skin issues, etc. Your body isn't getting much, so the "extras" don't get the nutrients. On top of all that, you risk slowing down your metabolism. That means when you get to your goal, your maintenance calories will be lower than someone who had been eating at a more moderate deficit.

I wish folks would stop spouting off the same unsubstantiated nonsense about "starvation mode" and the human body "storing all of its fat" because it is losing it too fast. This board has to be the biggest exercise in group think on the entire Internet, which is saying a lot.

There are many problems associated with eating too little. You lack energy. You're more prone to binging. It's harder to maintain your weight loss once it's gone because you haven't developed sustainable habits. There are actual health-related risks to your body. Etc. These reasons should be sufficient to dissuade people without lying about how they will eventually stop losing weight on a low calorie diet.

They will lose weight. It will still be a combination of fat and muscle mass (the composition of those two depends upon a number of factors). They may hurt their bodies in the process, and it's probably neither necessary or healthy. But as I said, there are enough good, legitimate reasons to avoid a very low calorie diet that people should quit relying on unsubstantiated lies in these discussions.

I should be eating 1700 calories according to the 'in place of a road map' thread.

i've been eating about 900 calories a day.

my plan is to stay on 900

Really?

Think about this for a second.

You didn't get to 250 pounds because you're so darn smart about food. You don't become obese because you make good decisions about nutrition. Right?

So, you went and read a thread full of fantastic info and direction about weight loss because you're 250 pounds and want to lose weight. So what do you do? Throw all that advice and information out the window.

Really?

I weighed 251 2.5 weeks ago. I'm down to 236. I should be eating 1700 calories according to the 'in place of a road map' thread. I did all the calculators.
i've been eating about 900 calories a day. Its easy for me to do and i'm losing a lot of weight. i don't think i'm capable of eating 1700 calories. I can either eat a lot of calories (like 2600) or very little.

my plan is to stay on 900 a week until I stop losing weight and then start adding 100 calories a week back. I think ill plateau around 180 pounds and probably gain back like 10 pounds while my metabolism goes up when I add back calories

Not sure of the point of this post. Your question was/is...... so my low cal diet won't work to lose 50 pounds? I bet my life saving if you actually eat 900 cal/day and stick to it you will definitely lose 50lbs. Without a doubt! I wouldn't do it...but hey, its your body and your old enough to make your own decisions. Best of luck to ya! Wish you the best in acheiving your goals.

Enjoy your 900 calorie days while they last.
Once you lose around 10% of your weight, your body will start putting up a fight, and at 900 calories, it's going to be a slug-fest.