Weight loss comes down to simple mathematics: Calories in minus calories out equals weight loss. But determining the number of calories you can eat in a day and still lose weight isn't so simple. Knowing the number you need to shoot for on a daily basis can help you reach your weight loss goals and avoid stepping on the scale each morning and seeing the numbers go up instead of down.
Recommended Calorie Intake
There is no one set amount of calories each person should get on a daily basis, because no two people have the same body or participate in the same amount of physical activity. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has developed a set of recommendations for the amount of nutrients you should get every day. Those recommendations are based on a diet of between 2,000 and 2,500 calories daily.
Calorie Calculator
Another way to determine the number of calories you can eat every day and still lose weight is by using a calorie calculator, such as the one found at the Mayo Clinic website. This type of calculator uses your height, weight, age and average physical activity level to determine the number of calories you need in order to maintain your current weight. For example, according to Mayo Clinic, a 29-year old male weighing 190 lbs. who participates in light physical activity on a weekly basis needs about 2,600 calories a day in order to maintain the same weight.
Calorie Deficit
Using your recommended calorie intake, you can then come up with the maximum number of calories you could eat every day and still lose weight. Since it takes a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose 1 lb., according to MedlinePlus, eating 2,100 calories per day would give you a 500-calorie deficit per day, leading to a 1 lb. weight loss per week.
Exercise and Weight Loss
One way to eat more calories and still lose weight is through regular exercise. For example, if your daily calorie need is 2,500 calories, and you burn 250 calories every day, that creates a calorie deficit that will help you lose weight. Thus, you can eat the same number of calories needed to maintain your weight but still lose weight in the long run.
Considerations
Calorie needs vary widely, and the calorie calculator is only intended as a general tool for guiding your calorie decisions. Furthermore, the farther along you get in your weight loss, the fewer calories you will need on a daily basis in order to maintain your weight. Re-entering your numbers in the calorie calculator will help keep your target number of calories as accurate as possible to aid in your weight loss goals.
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