How many cals/day when you're dieting quick, as you say?
Depends on how long I plan to cut and where I start at, but I'll start out hitting it hard then slowly add in some carbs and play around with my cardio depending on how I look.
1st two weeks: 1800-2100 cals (a few on the low end and a few on the higher end)
250-275 protein
125-175 carbs
30 fat
(30 minutes of cardio everyday)
After that, I'll lose a ton of water weight and drop a few real pounds. Then I add some carbs in and keep them around 225-250 with protein and fats roughly the same. Calories will range between 2200 and 2500 usually.
Did this for 6 weeks in october through the end of november and dropped around 20lbs (few pounds of bloat for sure). I know it's kind of a backwards way of dieting to hit the gas hard and slowly ease up, but it works very well for me.
When I start dieting my body is ready for a break from carbs (never cut them completely out, but lower them to 125-150 and around 50 on off days) so I don't get too big of a craving for them. I like the consistent cardio to start out too because by the end of those two weeks, I look way better and two can handle and digest carbs so much better.
After the first two weeks I'm pretty flat and starting to feel the drain. Then I add in more carbs and tinker with the cardio and my muscles fill out again and have a lot more energy.
Not ideal by any means but it's worked very well for me going this route.