To lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn. Some people believe that they are overweight because they have a slow metabolism, but that is rarely the case. Most people who want to lose weight can do so easily by determining the correct number of calories to eat while dieting. A restrictive diet actually slows weight loss for many people because it is difficult to remain in compliance. For best results, determine how many calories you can eat for your size and weight goal, and make adjustments from there.
Determine Your BMR
The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories that your body burns when you are not doing anything. Your BMR is determined by a variety of factors, including your age, how much lean muscle you have, whether you are male or female, and your size, both height and weight. Your BMR decreases slightly as you age. When people talk about having a slow metabolism, this is the number that they are talking about. There are a variety of online calculators available to help determine your BMR.
Calculate Your Calorie Burn
BMR only determines how many calories you burn at complete rest. Even the most sedentary person works some activity into his day, including walking to and from the car, walking up steps or standing all day at a job. Determine the average number of calories you burn with activity by looking up the calorie burn on a fitness website (see Resources).
Do the Math
Weight loss is a numbers game. You need to eat fewer calories than you burn. Add your BMR to the number you get for activity calories during the day. The total is the amount of calories you should eat each day in order to maintain your weight. To lose weight, you will need to adjust this number.
To lose 1 lb., you have to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume. Over the course of 1 week, this is 500 calories a day. You can do this a number of ways. You can increase the amount of calories that you burn through exercise, decrease the amount of calories you take in from food, or do a combination of both.
Keep a Food Diary
It is impossible to keep track of your calorie requirements--the amount that you have already eaten and how many calories you can have for the remainder of the day without keeping track. You can use a paper journal or an online log, but it is important to keep track of everything that you eat. If, after 2 weeks, you don't see the weight loss results you expected, look over your food log, carefully measure your portions, and slightly adjust your calorie count.
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