Losing weight by eating fewer calories can be an effective strategy, but figuring out the right amount to eat can be tricky. Your calorie needs depend on factors like your age, gender, size, and activity level.
In this blog post, we provide a simple calorie calculator and share five evidence-based tips to help you reduce your calorie intake in a healthy and sustainable manner.
How do I calculate how many calories I need?
Use the calculator below to determine the number of calories you should consume daily to maintain your weight or lose weight. The calculator is based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and takes into account various factors such as genetics, medications, and lean body mass.
How many calories should you eat on average?
When you want to lose weight, it’s important to either eat fewer calories or exercise more to create a calorie deficit. Some people choose to do both, eating a little less while being more active.
However, it’s crucial to make sure you still get enough nutrients even when trying to lose weight. If you don’t, you could end up with nutritional deficiencies and changes in your metabolism that make it hard to maintain your weight in the long run.
Let’s take a closer look at how many calories you should be eating based on the recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
What are calories?
In simple terms, a calorie is a way to measure energy. We often use calories to show how much energy is in the food and drinks we consume.
If you want to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories than your body uses daily. On the other hand, if you want to gain weight, you should eat more calories than your body burns.
However, losing weight isn’t just about calories. Many other things, like medical conditions, hormones, genetics, and age, can affect weight loss.
How to reduce calorie intake
Reducing the number of calories you eat can help you lose weight, but it’s important to choose healthy foods too. Here are five tips to help you lose weight effectively.
1. Eat more protein
Protein is really important when you’re trying to lose weight. Studies show that eating more protein can help you feel full and reduce your appetite. It can also help fight cravings by making you feel fuller for longer.
Eating a high-protein diet may not only help you lose weight but also prevent you from gaining it back and help you maintain your muscle mass. To increase your protein intake, try adding more eggs, meat, poultry, tofu, nuts, seeds, or legumes to your meals.
2. Limit sugary drinks
Another change you can make is to drink less sugary beverages like sodas, fruit juices, and chocolate milk. Your brain doesn’t recognize liquid calories the same way it does solid calories, which can lead to overeating. Studies show that drinking sugary drinks is linked to weight gain and other health issues like heart disease, liver problems, and type 2 diabetes.
3. Drink more water
Drinking more water is good for your health. It can improve your brain health, help manage your weight, and lower the risk of kidney stones. Drinking water before meals may also make you feel less hungry and eat fewer calories. If you want to lose weight, drinking more water along with a healthy diet can be beneficial.
4. Exercise
Strength training exercises like lifting weights can help prevent muscle loss during long-term calorie restriction. Activities like walking, swimming, or jogging can boost weight loss and improve health. Exercise also offers many other benefits, such as an increased lifespan, more energy, better mental health, and a lower risk of disease.
5. Reduce your intake of refined carbs and ultra-processed foods
Refined carbs are grains like white bread, pasta, crackers, and white rice that have been stripped of their nutrients. They also include sugar and sweeteners.
These refined grains don’t have much fiber, which can help you feel full and eat less. Cutting back on refined carbs can help with weight loss by changing the hormones that control your hunger, like peptide YY. It’s also a good idea to steer clear of highly processed foods.
A few basic weight-loss tips
In addition to reducing the number of calories you eat, there are other things you can do to lose weight in a way that lasts a long time.
1. Be mindful of what you eat. Being aware of what you’re eating can help you reduce cravings and keep the weight off in the long run.
2. Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. They are low in calories and high in fiber, making them great for weight loss.
3. Keep healthy foods in your kitchen. It’s easier to eat well when you have healthy options available instead of processed foods.
4. Get support from friends and family. Studies show that having others to help you can make it easier to lose weight.
5. Try meal-prepping. Planning and preparing your meals in advance can help you eat healthy and save time.
Potential downsides of counting calories
Counting calories can help with weight loss, but it’s not the only thing to consider when planning your meals. It’s important to eat a balanced diet with a variety of healthy foods rather than just focusing on calories. If you choose to reduce your calorie intake, be careful not to cut back too much, as it can lead to serious health issues.
Using apps to track calories might increase the risk of developing unhealthy eating habits in some people. However, for those without this risk, reducing calories can be effective for losing weight in the short term. But be cautious, as eating too few calories can slow down your metabolism and make it harder to keep the weight off in the long run.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the number of calories you should eat per day to lose weight depends on various factors, such as your age, gender, activity level, and weight loss goals. Generally, creating a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn is key to losing weight. It’s recommended to aim for a gradual weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week, which typically involves reducing your daily calorie intake by 500–1000 calories. However, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian to determine the optimal calorie intake for your personal weight-loss journey. Remember, sustainable weight loss is about making healthy and balanced choices in both diet and exercise.