To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than your body burns each day. The number of calories you need to cut depends on your weight loss goals and other factors such as age, sex, and activity level. Here are some ways to estimate the number of calories you need to lose weight:
-
Calorie Calculator: You can use an online calorie calculator to estimate the number of calories needed each day to maintain, lose, or gain weight. These calculators use equations to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories your body burns at rest, and then factor in your activity level to estimate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) .
-
Manual Calculation: Moderately active people can multiply their current body weight by 15 to estimate how many calories they would need each day.
-
Formulas: There are several formulas available to calculate your BMR, such as the Harris-Benedict Equation, Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, or Katch-McArdle Formula. These formulas take into account your weight, height, age, and sex to estimate your BMR.
Once you have estimated your daily calorie needs, you can determine how many calories you need to cut to achieve your weight loss goals. A good rule of thumb for healthy weight loss is a deficit of about 500 calories per day, which should result in losing about 1 pound per week. However, it is generally not advisable to lose more than 2 pounds per week as it can have negative health effects. It is also important to maintain adequate nutritional intake when reducing overall calories to avoid harmful nutritional deficiencies. Cutting out about 500 daily calories is a good range to aim for, and people should avoid losing more than 2 pounds each week. It is best to follow a balanced diet that’s rich in a variety of nutritious, whole foods instead of focusing solely on calories.
