Finding a balance between calories and physical activity to lose weight can be challenging. You need to know the calories your body must take in to maintain its current weight before you can shed those excess pounds. But body weight isn't the only factor contributing to this number -- your height, age and gender also play significant roles in caloric need.
Caloric Need
According to BMR Equations and the Harris Benedict Equation, the key to caloric need is your weight in pounds, height in inches, age and gender. For women, you can arrive at this number by taking 655 + your weight x 4.35 + your height x 4.7 - your age x 4.7. Multiply this number by 1.2 and you've got your current caloric need without exercise.
For men, you can arrive at this number by taking 66 + your weight x 6.23 + your height x 12.7 - your age x 4.7. Like women, multiply this number by 1.2 to establish your current caloric need without exercise.
Caloric Deficit
Once you've calculated your current caloric need, you'll then have to create a caloric deficit in this number if you expect to lose weight. It's estimated by the National Institutes of Health that 1 lb. of fat is equal to 3,500 calories, so a caloric deficit of that amount should cause you to drop 1 lb. of weight.
Caloric Intake
If you're a 35 year old 5-foot 4 inch woman and weigh 180 lb. you can eat roughly 1,889 calories to maintain your current weight. If you cut 500 calories from your caloric need each day, eating 1,389 calories, you can expect to lose 1 lb. every week.
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