Losing weight is really a balance of calories in, calories out. To slim down, you simply have to create a calorie deficit, and this is how to find your magic diet number: First, calculate how many calories you burn in a day. (Try websites like Calories Per Hour, FitDay, CalorieCount, or BMR Calculator.) My results varied, but the lowest figure I found said I burn 2,298 calories a day. If I want to lose 1 pound a week, I need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 to 5,250 calories a week. To do that, I’m cutting 600 calories a day from what I eat, or limiting myself to 1,698 calories a day.
If I want to lose 1.5 pounds a week, I need to cut or burn an extra 1,050 calories—in addition to the calorie-cutting above. This is where exercise comes in. Using an activity calculator, I discovered I burn about 270 calories on my short walks (for me, that’s a 40- to 45-minute walk). If I walk four days a week at 3.5 mph, I’m covered.
I’ve stuck to this method, and I’ve lost more than 30 pounds. It may be slow, but it’s a healthy way for me to get to my ideal body.
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Comments (14)
I would like to know how many caloris a post menopausal woman should intake each day to lose weight thank’s
Sue – it’s true, your metabolism drops as you age, so you need to either cut calories a little or boost your activity. The calorie difference isn’t much – about 75 to 100 calories a day less for every decade once you pass 40. But, that small amount can add pounds over time. (If you can find it, read “How to Lose 10 Pounds in Your 30s, 40s, and 50s” in the March 2008 issue of Health; one researcher’s advice was to cut 4 percent of your daily calories every decade. So if you maintained your weight eating 2,000 calories in your 30s, you’d want to cut 80 calories a day in your 40s.) To figure out how many calories you need to eat, you also need to consider your activity level and your current weight, and also your weight goal. Try using calculators at sites like Caloriesperhour.com, or Caloriecount.about.com.
I also use an online food diary to track my food intake. It also calculates my MER (Metabolic Energy requirement) for me, which is a bit more accurate than you BMR because it estimates your requirements when you are awake. Very interesting to see the difference between MER and BMR!
I’m doing the same thing and so far have lost 17 pounds by cutting back calories and working out 5 – 6 days a week. My biggest loss was last week of 7 pounds by increasing my cardio from 30 – 45 mins. I love it!
I should have also included in this post another very important number: My resting metabolic rate (RMR). That’s an estimate of the number of calories my body burns if I were to sit around doing nothing all day – the calories needed to breathe, pump blood, and so forth. Using the calculators at the websites I mentioned, my RMR is 1,671.
The reason it’s an important number is because I don’t want to cut my caloric intake lower than my RMR of 1,671 calories. Doing so slows my metabolism and can be a health risk.
I frequently get email or questions from women who are dieting and starving, or dieting and working out without losing weight. Again, I’m not an RD or an exercise physiologist. But many times, if women are otherwise healthy, they’re not losing weight because they’re not eating enough calories to support basic body functions.
My RMR will go down as I lose weight (not fair, I know!), and as I age. Exercising, including strength training, will help keep it higher.
I’m following the same method. Works well for me, too. Slowly, you’re right, but I’m not starving, so I don’t binge. As long as I’m going down and not up, I’m happy!
Just cutting food won’t do it, you need to get at least a little active. Your body constantly readapts itself for a loss of calorie intake. You end up losing muscle instead of fat tissue.
Think of your body as a car, with sweat as the exhaust. If you’re 200 lbs 5′6″ you’re carrying about 40-50 pounds of fuel. The only way to use that fuel is to do aerobic exercises to burn through that fuel.
You don’t have to go nuts with it, but dust off your bike or go for an hour long walk each evening or 3x/week or whatnot.
You have a potty mouth phil.
Don’t see why anyone would take weight loss advice from someone who is overweight, at least in their picture.
I applaud Shaun! Your insensitive comment, “Don’t see why anyone would take weight loss advice from someone who is overweight, at least in their picture.” illustrates your own frustrations regarding weight loss. Shaun mentioned the process was a slow, but healthy one. I agree. As a healthcare professional, diabetic, and supporter of healthy lifestyles- Shaun is spot on, you sir or madam are out of line.
Wendy
I completely disagree with the calorie in/out approach. Shaun did get it right in that if you cut too many calories your body’s metabolism will slow down. It’s really about the quality of the food we eat and not the quantity (calories). I’ve coached people in a lifestyle system for the past several years that is scientifically based and effective. It’s really about fat loss and not weight.
Maybe she’s still in the process of losing weight.
Shaun has another post, “I’m a 225-Pound Weight-Loss Editor. Get Over It.” that you may find interesting.
I would. Why? I’ve been overweight/obese since I was 8. I’ve spent time with the best of the best.. Pritikin, Duke, Green Mountain, Canyon Ranch, etc. Had a personal trainer and have worked out consistently for over 20 years. I’ve also been through two bariatric surgeries. Know what? I’m still obese. But I probably know a heck of a lot more about nutrition and exercise than you do because I’ve been researching this field for 30+ years now. Figuring out this disease, especially so I can help my kids avoid it, is one of my major goals in life. I’d probably never gotten over a BMI of 30 if I’d never dieted in the first place… but that’s another post.