Maybe this has been asked before, if so please point me to it and lock the thread.

How important is it to know the exact number of calories consumed in a day and to know exactly where they are coming from?
I ask only because I am pretty sure the majority of the population does not have a clue how much they eat and what macros and the like they are consuming but not everyone is dangerously fat.
I also ask because I do not actively count now and have kind of hit a stumbling block. I know my breakfast is usually around 350 cal and my lunch is around 550 cal. I snack for around 800 cal all day which leaves me around 1000 for dinner- and still have a 500-1000 deficit with my exercise, this should be enough to continue losing.
I read posts on this board from people who are looking at exact numbers of calories and exact numbers of macros and having meals planned for days/weeks... Is all this necessary?
If one eats well balanced meals- nothing too crazy- and knows around what the calories are is it really necessary to know the exact number?

Honestly just wondering.

for the majority of people - the exact number isn't critical -however, at the beginning of the weight loss expedition -- it's helpful to know what range you should be in -and what range is most effective for you..

Close enough is usually good enough...

BUT... there are people -myself being one of them -who suffer from calorie amnesia -where they will forget about things they've eaten... or measure incorrectly and underestimate what hey think they're eating... planning helps me tremendously in that aspect...

there is no one size fits all measurement that you, at age xx, at height xx, and weight xx, exercisging xx minutes per day at xx intensity... you should consume xxxx calories in a day - I do not believe it's that cut and dried - every body is different and every body arrives where they are from a different place... you have to adjust...

What worked when a person was xxx weight -isn't going to be effective when tehy are at xxx weight - as the weight drops - so should the calories because the body doesn't need as many to sustain it..

That is kind of the answer I thought I would get. I know there are people here who count to the exact- but I also know there are people who do not count at all.
I do not suffer from 'calorie amnesia' luckily. I remember all I eat and the rough quantities.
I am also pretty sure if I want to really succeed at this and look really good I will need to dial it down to exacts....
But I am just trying to get to 200-210.

ok.

Just recalculated my BMR. Please- I know this is not 100% accurate but I need something to go on.
my low end is sedentary- 2650
my high end is light activity- 3036

average of these is 2843- obviously lets round up to 2850.
My goal on calories on the average day will be 2400 +/- 100

3 days a week I burn 500-700 in exercise- per the counter that may or may not be accurate.
3 days a week I burn 1000-1200- per knowledge based on the counter that may or may not be accurate.
1 day a week I do not do any formal, sustained, planned exercise.

This seem ok?- such a noob question but oh well.