If only it were simple. Knowing how many calories you need to succeed with weight loss and ultimately maintenance matters! However, the most accurate determination of your caloric needs would require sophisticated equipment and complicated calculations. That’s why scientists developed simplified equations to provide you with an easier way to get a quick estimate.
Having an estimate of your calorie needs is good enough for most people. What you will want to do is determine two important values. The first one is your minimum safe caloric intake and the second is the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight. These figures give you an idea of your weight loss range.
Consuming enough calories to keep your metabolism running smoothly but fewer calories than your total needs for weight maintenance is what it takes to encourage your body to burn fat.
Minimum Caloric Needs: BMR and RMR
Even when you are resting, your body needs energy to keep your organs working and blood circulating. You also have energy needs for the growth and repair of body cells and tissues. The number of calories you need to provide this energy is influenced by body composition, gender, age, heredity, height, weight, thyroid, and activity level. This is what I covered in part one of this series on metabolism. (See: It Must Be My Metabolism: Metabolism Part One) The speed with which you burn calories for energy is referred to as basal metabolic rate (BMR) or resting metabolic rate (RMR).
BMR and RMR are not exactly the same.
In a laboratory setting the conditions under which BMR is measured provides the most precise and accurate determination of metabolic rate and calorie needs. The measurement of RMR does not require such strict conditions. Therefore the values for BMR and RMR will be close in value but not the same. For everyday purposes the two terms are often used interchangeably.
The easiest way to determine an estimate for your resting caloric needs is to use an online calculator. I use and recommend on the Diet and Fitness Today website Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator.
If you’d like to calculate these figures on your own you can with the Harris Benedict or Mifflin equations:
The Harris Benedict equation estimates BMR:
For women: (9.56 x w) + (1.85 x h) – (4.68 x a) + 655
For men: (13.75 x w) + (5 x h) – (6.76 x a) + 66
The Mifflin equation estimates RMR:
For women: (10 x w) + (6.25 x h) – (5 x a) – 161
For men: (10 x w) + (6.25 x h) – (5 x a) + 5
To use these equations you need to plug in the appropriate values for “w” (current weight in kg), “h” (height in cm), and “a” (age).
w = weight in kg
h = height in cm
a = age
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NOTE:
Your weight in pounds divided by 2.2 will give you your weight in kg. Multiply your height in inches by 2.54 to get your height in cm.
Keep in mind that the estimates for both BMR and RMR will be skewed (not as accurate) for anyone who has significantly more muscle mass than the average or significantly less muscle than the average.
——–
Knowing your resting metabolic calorie needs gives you a value for your minimum safe caloric intake. To keep your metabolism from slowing down make sure you provide your body with at least this many calories from the food you eat each day. As you lose weight remember to recalculate this number because it will change.
Physical Activity
The second important value you will want to determine is the total estimated calories you need to maintain your current weight. You start with the value you derived for BMR or RMR. Then you factor in the average level of physical activity with which you engage each day.
Multiply BMR or RMR by the factor that best describes your AVERAGE level of physical activity.
1.2 = Sedentary (Little or no exercise and a desk job)
1.375 = Light Activity (Light exercise or sports 1-3 days each week)
1.55 = Moderately Active (Moderate exercise or sports 3-5 days a week
1.725 = Very Active (hard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week)
1.9 = Extremely Active (Hard daily exercise or sports or a physically demanding job)
Now you have an estimate for your minimum safe caloric intake and an estimate for your total caloric needs to maintain your current weight. With these two values you can now determine your weight loss range.
Calorie needs to maintain current weight – minimum calorie needs = your weight loss range
Example:
Person A: 1800 calories (for maintaining current weight) – 1300 calories (minimum safe caloric intake) = 500 calories.
For person A reducing calorie intake by 500 calories or LESS each day would result in weight loss.
Person B: 2000 calories (for maintaining current weight) – 1200 calories (minimum safe caloric intake) = 800 calories.
For person B reducing calorie intake by 800 calories or LESS will result in weight loss.
I hope this article answers your question about how many calories per day you need to lose weight or maintain your current weight.
Can you speed up your metabolism to burn more calories? And how can physical activity positively impact your metabolism for faster weight loss? That’s what we’ll talk about in the next part of this series on Metabolism.
[Update: See Increase Your Metabolism: Part 3]
Till next time, watch those calories and eat healthy food!
{ 23 comments }
Hello,
My name is Judy. I am 33 yo., 5 foot 9.5 and weigh 280 pounds.
I would like to loose weight fairly quickly as I have been married now for 1 year and am ready to have babies! But, want to be healthy for that.
I went from 159 to 300 pounds in 2002 from a underactive thyroid.
This is now fixed, but I eat a lot! I am active though and not sloppy fat, just thick like a stuffed sausage:) Excuse the lingo.
So, what I would like to know is if I could do a 1500 calorie diet and it be healthy for me? I am very familiar with calories, so will not write it down, but do it in my head in even divided meals. I cook at home and have little stress in my life as I only work 2 days a week.
If you could email me and tell me what you think about that I would appreciate it.
I just want to get it over with and move on!
Thanks,
Judy
Hi Judy,
It would seem that your BMR is about 2000 calories a day. You might want to give that a try as a minimum intake and see how it goes. It’s good to know that you are active, you cook your own meals, and that you are not experiencing too much stress.
Good luck!
Lori
Hi, Judy:
I’m a bit baffled.
I’m 53 years old, 5’6″ tall, 198 pounds. Two weeks ago, before I started working out five days a week and cut back on my calories, I weighed 193 pounds. What gives? Am I just adding muscle that will eventually take over?
I do have a desk job, but I walk a quarter of a mile to and from my car, and I walk down 6 flights every time I go downstairs. I do 30 minutes of elliptical 5 days a week and 30 minutes of resistance training 3 days a week.
I should point out that I am post-menopausal, and I had a total hip replacement in December of 2009. I am mad about steamed and raw vegetables and do not like meat or sweets. I also drink buckets of water every day and almost never drink alcohol.
Thanks for any input…
Theresa
Hi Theresa,
I am equally baffled by your situation. Here are my thoughts.
To begin, it would seem that you are doing a LOT of things right with respect to both diet and exercise. But I don’t know everything about your situation so I will go ahead and list possibilities just to be sure.
1. Yes, you may have added some muscle weight however I would agree that an extra 5 pounds does seem like a lot. I would encourage you to take body measurements to look for improvement in size and toning when the scales do not agree with what you are doing.
2. I suspect there are several factors working together to create the weight increase. In addition to a small increase in muscle, I suspect you have had what may be a temporary increase in water weight. Body water shifts from day to day as well as during each day. We tend to weight the least in the morning before we have eaten and rehydrated ourselves. We also tend to weight more in the afternoon than the morning (more food and water). I read somewhere recently how one woman was documenting how her weight shifts several pounds within a single day both up and down. It was an interesting read.
Just drinking as little as 2 cups of water will add about 1 pound of water weight. What you eat and sometimes medications influence how much water is retained. Typically water weight will balance out over time.
Do try to weigh yourself at the same time each day. I like to use a body fat monitor and scale that also provides me with my water weight. For more information you may want to read body fat scales that I wrote before I bought mine 2 or more years ago.
3. This ties into my previous response. Do you have an accurate weight scale? I assume you have been using the one you own for a while so it may be fine. But it’s worth asking.
I would encourage you to hang in there and keep going. I bet you will see the scales come down in short time and the exercise you are doing will get you into a slimmer trimmer shape regardless of what the scales say.
Best of luck,
Lori
im 5″2 140 lbs 23 yrs not active I want to get in diet after havimg my baby a yr ago I still have alot of baby fat can u help
Hi Julia,
I’ll try to get back with you soon. I’m leaving on a trip in just a few hours. Thanks.
Lori
Hi Julia,
Thanks for your patience. You might try a 1400 to 1500 calorie diet. You could follow the 1500 calorie plan I have here on my website. (See the menu bar on top of each page.)
Here are some other thoughts.
You might list the kinds of food you eat on an average day including beverages Compared with my 1500 calorie diet plan How does your diet compare? What foods are you eating that do not contribute to a healthy diet? For example, beverages can contribute a LOT of unnecessary calories. If your food choices are o.k., then you may just need to cut back on your portion size. keep tempting foods out of sight and better out of your house or apartment. Snacks are o.k. Just keep them small and/or low calorie.
You say you’re not active but could you work in some walking? Every little bit helps. if you live in a safe place take your child with you for a stroll. It’d be good for both of you.
Best of luck,
Lori
I lost 110lbs a couplle of years ago but then quit working out due to my loss of job. I lost lean muscle mass and gain weight on 600 calories a day. Im all flabby now. I wish I could eat 1200 calories. I am now starting to get overweight again. 155. and in a size 16. How do I fix my metabolism again.
Hi Cheree,
My apologies for the delay in responding. I was traveling.
I would suggest two things that should help. First of all you need to eat more to get your metabolism back on track. You are definitely not eating enough for your metabolism and overall health. How much you need depends on your age, height and current weight. 1200 calories may not be enough.
Second, I would strongly encourage you to meet with your doctor and discuss your weight management issues with him or her. It is possible you might have hormonal or other health issues.
Take care of yourself,
Lori
Hi Lori,
I’m a 25 year old female with a height of 5ft 4inches and a weight of 57kg. I used to weigh 53kgs but over the winter (I’m in South Africa) I just piled on the kgs. I feel like this weight has landed in all the wrong places. I’m naturally quite curvy with large breasts and my hips are also quite a bit wider than my waist. all the weight has landed on these two areas, making me feel frumpy and unattractive.
I’ve had a bit of a problem with weight loss before. When I was a teenager I was obsessive about my weight and got myself down to about 43kgs, which wasn’t healthy. I still have these obsessive tendencies and I’d really like to lose the 4kgs with out becoming too critical of my own body or crazy about my eating habits.
It’s almost summer here so I’d like to get in shape fast. I’ve been looking into healthier foods and my boyfriend says he’ll go for daily walks with me. Do you have any other tips?
Secondly, looking at meal plans and such, is it ever ok to eat brown rice with dinner? and if so, how often can one do this? I ask because I find the idea of just having salad or veggies quite bland, and as I cook for my guy and I, I think he’s going to be quite a sad panda if I feed him those!
Hi Jenny,
Glad to see you are being sensible about your weight loss goal. A loss of 4 kg would seem reasonable given your age and height.
Yes, eating brown rice for dinner would be fine. It is important to find meals to suit your boyfriend too when you eat together and that can get tricky. I know. I’m married. What you need to do is pay close attention to your total carbohydrate intake. It seems to me that most people who like carbs often overeat more in this area than either protein or healthy fats. (This is a world wide problem!)
A diet of mostly salads and veggies is good IF it includes enough protein, healthy fats, and healthy carbs (whole grains are by far the best). Also variety helps to keep most people interested and satisfied with a diet. At the same time the more variety there is the more most people will unconsciously eat. So try to find a balance between the two.
Whatever exercise you can get is good. Do track calories at least for a little while. It’s so easy to overeat after exercise.
Wishing you the very best,
Lori
hey lori,
5’3 an am 13 yrs old. i want to know what my minimum calorie intake should be. i know you need to lose 3500 extra calories for a lb. i want to know how many calories my body loses without extra exercise. my activity level i would say is moderate ( i think), because i walk a lot take the train and exercise for 20-40 min extra per day on the elliptical. i wanna know how much to exercise in order to lose about 40 lbs in a year. is this too much or too little? thanks 
i am 160 lbs
Hi Nohelya,
You are still growing so your needs will differ from an adult woman. I specialize in weight loss for women so I must ask that you talk with your doctor about weight management.
I believe you should have at minimum 1600-1800 calories to meet the additional nutritional needs you have while still growing. This is not a recommendation but rather a suggestion you might talk with your doctor about.
Otherwise, I would suggest you do your very best to eat a healthy diet with lots of lean or low calorie protein foods such as lean meat, poultry (white breast meat, fish, eggs, and beans (such as black beans or navy beans or chickpeas). If you can eat dairy, low fat cottage cheese and low fat plain yogurt are also good choices. In addition to these you will want to eat lots of non-starchy veggies and a little fruit. Some whole grains such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice are also good choices. Otherwise strictly limit your intake of white bread, white potatoes, white rice, any foods with added sugars, and refined carbohydrates (such as cookies, crackers, cakes, pies, candy, etc.).
If you improve your diet you’ll see that you begin to eat just the right amount of food without hardly needing to keep track of calories. You will lose weight without having to do an excessive amount of exercise.
Do check with your doctor and I wish you the best,
Lori
Hi!
I am 18 years old, 180 lbs, and about 5’7”. May smallest weight was 150 and I was quite lean then. I want to loose weight rather quickly for college. I am really muscular and that is where I believe most of the weight comes from, I have a large bone structure also, I want to loose weight and some muscle mass also. But I don’t know how many calories to consume daily. I do ~an hour of cardio 6 days a week. I do spin classes and run
I need some help!
- shannon
Hi Shannon,
If you will be starting college in the fall of 2012 (end of August or beginning of September?) then you have enough time to lose weight in a healthy manner. Choosing a healthy diet is always best so you will be far less likely to put the weight back on.
Let’s say you set a goal to lose 3-5 pounds a month. That’s very doable and fits in the often heard recommendation for a slow and steady weight loss of no more than 1-2 pounds a week. In actuality you will find that you lose at a faster rate per week in the beginning but that rate will slow down considerably as you near your target weight.
Please don’t go with a caloric intake of less than 1500 calories a day. To start out I would prefer you had at least 1600-1700 calories with all the cardio and running you do! The weight will come off. But as important as the calories is WHAT you eat. Make sure you get plenty of protein from healthy food. That means lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans (legumes such as black beans or kidney beans), and a little nuts and seeds. Low fat dairy or dairy alternatives are also good such as low fat cottage cheese and plain yogurt especially greek yogurt (high protein). Add to this mix LOTS of non-starchy veggies (with the exception of beans.) Limit white bread, white potatoes, white rice, and corn. Round out your diet with some fruit and whole grain breads and cereals. Do this and you will have lots of protein and dietary fiber along with plenty of vitamins and minerals.
One exception would be if you choose to not to include any milk, cottage cheese, or yogurt (or alternatives). In that case you will likely need a calcium and Vit. D supplement. Keep your doctor informed about your diet choices.
On the days of especially heavy exercise eat more. It’s o.k. and will keep you on track! Give this a try. It works. Oh yes, one more thing. Allow yourself one or two cheat meals a week just never go overboard and stuff yourself. Eat what you want but slowly and mindfully (enjoy) and then STOP when you are full.
Best of luck,
Lori
P.S. My goal weight is about 130
- Shannon
Hello!
I’m 18, 5’8″, and 177 pounds (39 inch bust-31 inch waist-42 inch hips, to give you a better idea of my size). I would like to be between 160-165 by springtime. I’ve already lost about 10 pounds in the past 2 months, eating 1400-1600 calories a day.
I’m an athlete (I’m a collegiate rower), and I run/cycle/swim regularly in addition to my team workouts. So, usually 1-2 hours of exercise a day, 6 days a week.
I try to eat healthily (lots of veggies & fruits, eating when I’m hungry & stopping when I’m satisfied), but I love carbs (bread, cookies, etc.)!
My questions are: What should I be eating as an athlete, how much do you think I should be eating, and how do I continue to lose weight without losing muscle mass? Especially as a rower, I need to retain the muscle I have to stay competitive.
Thanks!
Hi Carolyn,
First of all it’s good to see you have had success so far in losing weight at a realistic pace. Good for you! Also, you get a LOT of exercise. Wow!
I’m glad you chose to go no lower than 1400-1600 calories a day. Even so, that caloric intake is on the low side given how active you are even for a weight loss diet. So your question about retaining muscle is a very good one.
Your basal metabolic rate seems to be about 1650 at your current weight. Plus you are doing all of the exercise. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, I would suggest that you take a close look at how much protein you are getting in your diet and whether or not you are getting enough calories. As a athlete you do have a greater need for protein for muscle growth and/or repair than the average person. The average woman might need in the range of 50-60 grams of protein.
You need more protein but there’s no formula that I am aware of to suggest just how much. The current recommended macronutrient breakdown is to have 10-35% protein, 20-35% fat, and 45-65% carbohydrates. Take a look at the kinds of protein foods you are eating now. I would encourage you to include a good source of protein with each meal and even a small amount with each snack. By doing this you will be more likely to get all the protein you need, which in turn will help protect your muscles from being burned for calories while you are on a weight loss diet and it will serve to lessen your desire for excessive carbs especially the high sugar and refined carbohydrates such as cookies and white bread.
Look to lean meat, skinless poultry, fish, eggs, beans (black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc.), low fat cottage cheese, low fat plain yogurt, nuts, and seeds for high protein foods. Continue to eat plenty of veggies and some fruit. There’s no need to eliminate the carbs because they are a great source of energy for all the exercise you do but I would suggest you choose whole grains as often as possible. By balancing this all out with a reasonable calorie intake, you can excel as an athlete, have the energy you need, and continue to lose weight.
If your weight loss slows or stops, I believe you should increase your caloric intake for a while till you begin to see weight loss again. If you are getting plenty of protein from whole foods and continue with the exercise you should reach your goal without any problem.
Best of luck,
Lori
(Remember to keep your doctor informed about your diet. Although I am a Nutritionist my tips are only suggestions and not professional advice.)
Thank you so much for the suggestions!
Hi Lori,
I just found your website and it is fantastic! I want to lose 25 pounds and go from 158 to 133 (I’m 5’5 1/2 inches tall) and I have a large frame. I have tried a number of diets and lost a few pounds but I’ve had a hard time dropping below 145. Recently I tried the 17 day diet and got down to 147, only to put back on the weight and an additional 8 pounds, bringing me to my current 158! So frustrating. I spoke with my doctor who suggested I try a 1200 calorie diet–I have tried it and found it nearly impossible to stick to–I feel hungry all the time. I want to start the new year with a plan in mind–do you think I should try 1200 calories, but maybe snack a bit more and have smaller meals? I want to have a plan I can stick with but still see results. Also, do you think “cheat meals” are okay? Some diets advocate having a free meal or two each week–what are your thoughts on this? Finally, with the exception of the occasional dessert, I have a very good diet–for me (with the exception of some of my weekend meals) I need to watch my portions more so than the types of food I’m eating. I feel like I’m finally starting to make sense of things where my diet is concerned, but I would really love any insight you could offer so I could get a running start going into 2012. Thanks so much!!
Hi Karen,
Thanks for the vote of approval!
I’ve read what you shared about the 17 Day Diet Plan with great interest. If you are willing, I would like very much to hear why you feel the diet did not work for you. It would help me give you better suggestions.
Hunger when on a low calorie diet is probably the single most important reason why it fails. There are a couple of things you can do to avoid this problem. The first is making sure you are getting enough calories in the first place. That’s why I wrote this article. Secondly, what you eat matters a LOT! It’s important for you to get plenty of protein from foods such as lean meat, skinless poultry, fish, eggs, beans (legumes), and/or low fat dairy or dairy alternatives. A little nuts and seeds are also fine. In addition, you want to get plenty of fiber and healthy antioxidants from non-starchy vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. By doing this you give your body the nutrients it needs (enough protein for weight loss along with healthy fats and carbs) as well as plenty of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals to keep you feeling full and satisfied even when eating less.
Refined carbohydrates and added sugars in food keep you wanting more and more. It’s a never ending cycle.
But all of this won’t work if you don’t have enough calories to begin with. I don’t have your age so it’s hard to say for sure but I can say that you would be far better off with a 1400-1500 calorie diet at minimum. Spread your calories out over the day. Portion size matters. Small snacks are fine. And yes, cheat meals are o.k. as long as you are not the kind of person who lets it get out of hand. My recommendation is to eat what you want but eat slowly and mindfully. That way you will maximize your enjoyment and you can stop when you are just beginning to feel full.
Wishing you the best,
Lori
Dear Lori, I am 5’8 and 130 pounds at the age of 23. I was 137 pounds in August and my goal is to reach 120-125 ideally by February (beach vacation) as I have always been lean until the summer when I believe alcohol had negative effects on my body (and possibly metabolism?) I started exercising and eating healthier but then began to research basal metabolic rate, etc. in early October and became under the impression that I needed to be eating 500 calories UNDER my basal metabolic rate (which is 1500… So I have been eating between 900-1200 calories a day depending if I exercised or not). Since this “realization” (which i now realize was false), I have lost no weight whatsoever. I only realized one week ago that this was completely incorrect and I should have been eating about 1500 calories a day (right?). Have I completely ruined my metabolism? Since the realization one week ago, I have been eating 1500 calories a day, which I have found accurately corresponds to me “eating when hungry” — does the fact that I am still readily hungry when 500 additional calories have been introduced mean there is still hope for my metabolism?
Also, I wanted to ask you– what are the benefits of negative calorie foods? Should those be considered in calorie counts?
Thanks,
Haley
Hi Haley,
It’s good to know you’ve found more accurate information about basal metabolism and have increased your caloric intake to 1500 calories. Wise decision!
I wouldn’t worry too much. I don’t believe you have ruined your metabolism. Although I cannot say for sure my understanding is that a slowed metabolic rate tends to bounce back quickly when the conditions are right (enough calories). There may be exceptions to that but again, I think you will be fine. True hunger signals are good.
There’s actually no such thing as negative calorie foods no matter how much people might want to believe otherwise. However, having said that, choose “healthy” “so-called” negative foods such as certain veggies like celery and you can eat a lot without any problem. Low cal veggies can be a good source of water, dietary fiber, and other important nutrients, which help you to fill up and feel more satisfied on less (fewer calories). In that sense, I wouldn’t be too concerned about the calorie count for these foods.
Hope this helps,
Lori
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