How Many Calories Do You Need for Fat Loss

How Many Calories Do You Need for Fat Loss
To maintain energy and a stable weight, the number of calories you eat must equal the number of calories you expend. The number of calories you expend depends on your Basal Metabolic Rate(BMR) and your activity level. Your BMR is affected by multiple factors such as: genetics, age, sex, and height (things you can’t change), and body composition (muscle and fat) and activity level (things you can change).

However if you wish to lose weight then you need to expend more calories than consumed.

The first step in designing a personal nutrition plan for yourself is to calculate how many calories you burn in a day; your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). TDEE is the total number of calories that your body expends in 24 hours, including all activities. TDEE is also known as your “maintenance level”. Knowing your maintenance level will give you a starting reference point from which to begin your diet.

There are many different formulas you can use to determine your caloric maintenance level by taking into account the factors of age, sex, height, weight, lean body mass, and activity level. Any formula that takes into account your lean body mass (LBM) will give you the most accurate determination of your energy expenditure, but even without LBM you can still get a reasonably close estimate. A fast and easy method to determine calorie needs is based on total bodyweight and activity level.

Quick Method
 
Body weight (in lb) X 11-13

Multiply by:

11 for Low Activity ( Training 2 to 3 Days Per Week )

12 for Moderate Activity ( Training 4 to 5 Days Per Week )

13 for High Activity ( Training 6 to 7 Day Per Week )

Example

184 lbs ( My Weight ) x 13 ( High Activity ) = 2392 cals per day

This will give you your calorie range.  This is a starting point and is a very easy way to estimate caloric needs, but there are obvious drawbacks to this method and you should only use this as a guide.

Once you have this value, structure your meals accordingly with regards to your proteins, carbohydrates and fats (Macronutrients) depending on your goals. Remember also to taper your calories as your day progresses as less energy is required later in the day.  Keep a very accurate food log for each day as well as this is what you will fall back on after a few weeks to make sure you continue to get results or if you are not getting the kind of results you have been looking for and need to make some adjustments.

Now after one to two weeks weigh yourself or take your fat % again.  You would like to be 1-2 ( 2 to 4 lbs. ) kilograms or percent lower than your first measurement.  If you have not changed at all decrease your calories by 200.  If after another week no change has occurred follow the same process again by reducing your calories by another 200.

If this still has not provided you with the kind of result you are looking for ( And be realistic about things )rather increase your activity in the form of cardio and weight training exercises.

Try not to ever go below 1200 calories per day.

A few final points. First of all, try not to decrease your calories and increase your exercise at the same time.  It will make it difficult to determine exactly which aspect of the modifications you made is working for you as well as making you feel drained and weak, not the kind of lifestyle you are looking for!

And then lastly. The reason we say to try the total calories you just calculated for a few weeks before you start to subtract 200 cals is because most people are already over eating. So by starting to eat the amount of calories from the calculation above, 90% of you will already be eating 300 to 600 calories less than what you are doing now. So first try that and if you are not losing weight then only do you start bringing your total calories down by another 200 for a few weeks and following the other rules mentioned above.

Article Source: http://www.sixpackfactory.com/how-many-calories-for-fat-loss

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