If you are trying to lose weight, the American Council on Exercise recommends the tried and true method of cutting the right number of calories, instead of going with fad diets that have short-term results. If you reduce the number of calories you take in by 500 a day, or 3,500 a week, you are likely to lose 1 lb. a week. You should aim to lose no more than 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Lose weight slowly to keep it off, instead of using quick weight-loss diets that result in regaining most or all of the weight lost.
Step 1
Weigh yourself in pounds and measure your height in inches.
Step 2
Use the following equation if you're a woman: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years).
If you are male, use this equation: 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in year). This calculates your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. BMR is the number of calories you need each day to stay at your current weight.
Step 3
Subtract 500 from the BMR number from Step 2. The total gives you your calorie intake per day to lose 1 lb. per week. To determine your calorie intake for the week, multiply this number by seven.
Tips and Warnings
- Your activity level will affect this calculation. To lose weight, you need to lower your calorie count by 500 per day. You can also increase the number of calories you burn through exercise.
- It can be dangerous and unhealthy to lose too much weight in a short amount of time. The Weight-Control Information Network notes that when people try to lose weight too quickly, they do not consume enough nutrients and they are more likely to have gallstone or heart problems. The network says that losing weight too quickly means steadily losing anything more than 3 lbs. per week.
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