How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
If you're looking to lose weight you need to create a negative calorie balance, which means burning more calories than you consume. You can do this by ensuring the number of calories used during daily activity, exercise and your metabolic rate (energy expenditure) is greater than your calorie consumption from food, liquid (energy intake).
Aiming for a negative calorie balance of around 500 calories per day, will result in weight loss in the range of 1 to 2 pounds per week, a healthy sustained way to lose weight.
The question remains, how many calories should I eat? The answer is that the amount you need to consume per day to help you lose weight will vary by person depending on age, sex, height, activity level and bodyweight. Use the equations below to help determine your daily energy requirements:
MALE
| Daily Energy Requirements | |
| Step 1 | First you need to calculate your Basal Metabolic rate (BMR) BMR = 66 + (13.7 x WEIGHT (kg)) + (5 x HEIGHT (cm)) - (6.8 x AGE) E.g. 1858.8 = 66 + (13.7 x 80 kg) + (5 x 172 cm) – (6.8 x 24) |
|---|---|
| Step 2 | Multiply your BMR by 1.55, the activity factor for exercising 3-5 times per week E.g. 1858.8 x 1.55 = 2881 calories |
| Step 3 | Decrease your calories by 500 calories from the activity adjusted amount E.g. 2881 - 500 = 2381 calories |
| Step 4 | Divide calorie value into 5/6 to provide ideal calorie content for each of you 5-6 meals/snacks per day E.g. 2381 / 5 or 6= 476 or 396 calories per meal |
| Example based on male aged 24, weighing 80 Kg, measuring 172cm in height. The Harris-Benedict equation (also called the Harris-Benedict principle) is a method used to estimate an individual's basal metabolic rate (BMR) and daily calorie requirements. |
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FEMALE
| Daily Energy Requirements | |
| Step 1 | First you need to calculate your Basal Metabolic rate (BMR) BMR = 655 + (9.6 x WEIGHT (kg)) + (1.8 x HEIGHT (cm)) - (4.7 x AGE) E.g. 1416.7 = 655 + (9.6 x 62 kg) + (1.8 x 163 cm) – (4.7 x 27) |
|---|---|
| Step 2 | Multiply your BMR by 1.55, the activity factor for exercising 3-5 times per week E.g. 1416.7 x 1.55 = 2196 calories |
| Step 3 | Decrease your calories by 500 calories from the activity adjusted amount E.g. 2196 - 500 = 1696 calories |
| Step 4 | Divide calorie value into 5 to provide ideal calorie content for each of you 5 meals/snacks per day E.g. 1696 / 5 = 339 calories per meal |
| Example based on female aged 27, weighing 62 Kg, measuring 163cm in height. The Harris-Benedict equation (also called the Harris-Benedict principle) is a method used to estimate an individual’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) and daily calorie requirements. |
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