It seems accurate assuming you have a healthy functioning metabolism, which all those calculators assume.
If you're metabolism is slow, for whatever reason, you might gain weight on the number the calculator spits out to you.
The only real way to tell is dive in and see how your body responds.
If you've been eating significantly less calories and not losing or gaining weight, chances are a) your calculation of intake was off or b) your metabolism is a bit slower than it should be.
My guess if you were eating more than you estimated before considering the fact that you didn't have a food scale or anything.
And like I said above, if you're just going to try 'winging it' at first, you don't really need to worry about calories all that much. Simply focus on eating balanced meals with controled portions. Healthy food choices are less calorically dense so by making these better choices, chances are your calories will be controlled automatically.
No particularly. I don't like rigidity. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell what's healthy and what's not. As I said above, stick as best you can to whole, natural foods and eat a balance of protein, fats and carbs.
The list of foods I provided above applies.
I'm not picky on the brand of fish oil. Some of the cheaper ones tend to give people fish burps which you obviously don't want. I honestly don't even remember the brand I'm using at the moment, but I picked them up at the local drug store.
I prefer to use 1000 mg pills with 180g of EPA and 120g of DHA.
In terms of fat loss, cardio simply acts as a buffer. It adds to your deficit. So if you wanted to have a 500 calorie deficit per day, most people find pleasure out establishing that deficit using energy expenditure from cardio and energy reduction from food consumption.
This way they don't have to cut the whole 500 calories from their diet, leaving them hungry.
It's really a matter of preference though. Obviously cardio has many other health benefits beyond fat loss and should be done. I say at a minimum of 3 times per week and more if need be.
Weights I would do only 2-3 times per week. The weights serve as a muscle maintainer... meaning, they give your body the reason to hold onto the 'good stuff' when you diet the fat off.
Again, thanks a million. It's great to have someone to shoot these kind of questions at and to receive answers that I believe are accurate. (If I were to ask any of the guys at work these types of questions I'd get an array of different answers...most of which would sadly be inaccurate)
Most average joes only know what they learned through trial and error and reading magazines. Not that I'm not an average joe too.... I'm just a fitness professional.
HOT HOT HOT! I need to fine me an East Coaster--the WORST accent for a man, IMO, is an El Eh "Valley" accent, UUUUGGGHHHH 
