How Many Calories & Carbs Do I Need To Lose Weight?

How Many Calories & Carbs Do I Need to Lose Weight?

Nov 11, 2010 | By Karen Frazier

Two popular diet plans have differing philosophies on how to lose weight. Low-carbohydrate diets suggest counting carbohydrates, while low-calorie diets suggest caloric limitation. The two diets work in different ways to bring about weight loss.

Counting Calories

To lose weight by counting calories, you need to burn more calories than you eat. You can use a basal metabolic rate calculator to determine your daily caloric needs, and then apply the Harris-Benedict equation to determine how many calories you burn during the day. To lose 1 lb. a week, you will need to eat 3,500 fewer calories than you burn, or 500 fewer calories per day than the number achieved by using the Harris-Benedict equation.

Counting Carbohydrates

Low-carbohydrate diets work by controlling your body's insulin response. When insulin is under control and your stored carbohydrate supply is depleted, your body burns fat as its primary source of fuel. Most low-carbohydrate diets, such as Atkins, suggest eating between 20 to 40 g of carbohydrates per day to bring about weight loss.

Considerations

Recent research at Temple University shows that both low-carbohydrate and calorie-restricted diets are equally effective at generating weight loss. Long-term success may arise from choosing the diet that has the foods you will most enjoy eating.