Whether you want to lose a few pounds, gain weight or maintain your current weight, you need to know how many calories you actually require in a day. Knowing how many calories you’re eating and counting calories is a good way to determine if you are eating too much or not enough.
What are Calories?
A calorie is simply a unit that measures energy. In this case, calories are used to measure the energy content from the foods and drinks we consume. In order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body burns each day.
How Many Calories Should You Have on Average?
The number of calories you should eat every day depends on a several factors, including:
- Age, height and gender
- Daily activity level
- Whether you want to lose, maintain or gain weight
As a general rule, you can use online charts and calculators to help you determine the number of calories you need to lose weight, gain weight or maintain your weight.
The basic daily calorie requirement for the average person is as follows:
The average woman needs about 2000 calories a day to maintain her current weight and 1500 calories a day to lose one pound a week. The average male needs 2500 calories to stay at his current weight and 2000 a day to lose one pound a week.
To lose weight, you should work with a dietitian to create a caloric intake plan that works for your body.
The following calculation gives you a daily calorie goal to help you lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
YOUR CURRENT WEIGHT X 12 = calories needed to maintain your weight
- To lose 1 pound per week: Cut 500 calories/day
- To lose 2 pounds per week: Cut 1000 calories/day
Calculating Your BMR
To be more accurate, you should check your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and your total energy expenditure, or TEE.
The BMR is calculated using different formulas for men and women.
MEN: BMR = 10 x weight (in kilograms) + 6.25 x height (in centimeters) – 5 x age (in years) + 5
WOMEN: BMR = 10 x weight (in kilograms) + 6.25 x height (in centimeters) – 5 x age (in years) – 161
Once you calculate your BMR, figure out how many extra calories you use every day, based on how active you are. That calculation is as follows:
- Sedentary (little or no exercise) = BMR x 1.2
- Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1–3 days/week) = BMR x 1.375
- Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3–5 days/week) = BMR x 1.55
- Very active (hard exercise/sports 6–7 days a week) = BMR x 1.725
- Extra active (very hard exercise/sports and physical job or 2x training) = BMR x 1.9
Many of us underestimate the number of calories we take in, often by 20 to 40 percent. It’s best to follow a portion control plan and to measure your food until you can better estimate the amount you are eating.
Use a calculator to help you determine how many calories you need to take in every day for weight loss, to gain weight or if you simply want to maintain your current weight.
