How many calories should I eat?
To know how many calories you should be getting each day, there are a couple numbers you need to be
aware of. One is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the number of calories your body uses just to
keep going. You would need this number of calories if you were lying in a coma with no activity at all.
The other number is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This number is the number of calories
you actually use in a day, taking into account your activity level.
Both of these numbers are calculated using formulas that plug in your sex, height, weight, age, and
activity level (for TDEE). There are several online calculators available that can crunch the numbers for
you. Try going to iifym.com and looking under “calculators” to find your numbers!
Now that you know your TDEE, you need to know how much to reduce your intake by in order to lose
weight. In general, to lose a pound you must burn (or not eat) 3500 calories. To lose a pound a week you
could reduce your daily intake by 500 calories. To lose half a pound a week, cut 250 calories per day.
There are a few more factors to keep in mind. First, and most importantly, avoid the impulse to speed
up weight loss by trying to cut calories by large amounts. For most people a ½ to 1 pound per week
weight loss is reasonable. If you have a very large amount of weight to lose you might be able to manage
a 2 pound per week loss, but this is often quite challenging. By creating a smaller caloric deficit and
allowing yourself a larger number of calories per day, you will be making the process easier on yourself
and increase your odds of success. Yes, it may take longer, but it’s worth it in the long run if it means
you can stick with it!
Another factor is that first number I had you calculate. Remember, the BMR is the number of calories
your body needs to keep going, no matter what. You can use this number as an absolute rock-bottom
number of calories to eat per day in order to stay healthy.
One last note is that all of these numbers aren’t perfect and won’t lead to perfectly linear weight loss.
Calories can vary in food; you may be eating somewhat more or less than you think you are. And your
body may burn more or less calories on a given day. Plus, weight loss itself is never linear, with things
like hydration and food affecting the number on the scale. But if you are careful and follow the guideline
as best you can, you should start to see a pattern emerging over the long term.