www.1howmany.com

   Health / How Many Calories Should I Eat To Lose Weight

In order to calculate how many calories¹ you should eat to lose weight, you have to find out how many calories the human body needs every day to do basic functions. The USDA carried out the research and published the following average daily calorie intakes:

• For men – 2500 calories
• For women – 2000 calories

Of course, these numbers are approximate, because the calorie count depends not only on your gender. It is also based on your body weight, age, activity level, etc. The table below will give you more exact information about the recommended number of daily calories. The data are taken from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

For a person, practicing up to half an hour of physical activity



For a person, practicing from 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity



Basal Metabolic Rate

Every day your body must consume some number of calories even if you lie on your back almost all the time. Normally, it should get at least 1200 calories. Otherwise, it will be difficult for it to perform basic functions, like pump the heart or breath, and your health may become worse.

This calorie count is known as basal metabolic rate², and it is one of the best ways to know how many calories per day you should eat to lose weight. Your BMR can be counted with the help of special calculators. They take into account your weight, height, gender, age, level of activity, etc.

How Many Calories Should You Eat to Lose Weight?

Now that you know how many calories you need per day, we will talk about what it takes to lose weight. First of all, remember the following:

• One pound of body fat is equal to about 3500 calories
• One kilogram of body fat is equal to about 7700 calories

So, if you want to lose a pound of your weight in a week, you must lower your calorie intake by approximately 500 calories a day.

You goals should be realistic. Diets, claiming that you will lose five pound in a couple of days, cannot be healthy. Most of them can help you to lose the so-called “water weight”, but it will be back the moment you drink some water. Fat loss should be no more than five pounds in a week.

All diets work by the same principle. They create calorie deficit, causing weight loss. It means that the number of calories burned is higher than the number of calories consumed.

There is one more simple way to figure out how many calories it is necessary to cut from the diet. First, count the number of calories you are eating during a day. Then multiply them by 15%. For example, 2000 calories x 15% = 300 calories. Thus, you should eat 300 fewer calories every day or burn 300 more calories doing some exercises.

If you have no difficulties with cutting 20% of calories, go ahead. Just remember that you may lose muscles instead of fat, if you cut so many calories. What is more, you may lower the metabolism or cause some other problems with your health.

Words of Advice about How to Lose Weight

Here are some pieces of advice to those who want to gain the ideal body weight.

• Physical exercises are your best friends.
• Forget about junk food.
• Your goals should be realistic.
• Eat proteins (fish, seeds, nuts).
• Give preference to boiled, roasted, broiled and poached food instead of fried one.
• Eat much fiber.
• Eat calcium, iron, vitamin A, and potassium.
• Do not make you body starve.
• Try to avoid alcohol.
• Limit sugar consumption.

Finally, you can increase your metabolic rate, if you have about four-six small meals per day.

Ask a Question

Ask any question beginning with "how many..." and get an expert answer.

Contact

Any problem will be solved when you consult our customer service.