To maintain a 196 pound weight, and given that at my age I burn calories at a slower rate than 10 years ago even though I walk 2 miles a day, I have to stay at under 1700 cal daily. I was once able to exceed that mark frequently and not gain weight, but that is no longer the case. Banquet and celebration eating as a lifestyle is over for me.
On the positive side, the mindfulness and sense of agency required to stick to this regimen is its own reward. At times I feel more comfortable inside my own skin than I ever have at any time previously.