Knowing how much you should weigh for your individual body type can help you decipher the amount of calories you need to take in each day. Your body mass index is a reliable way to tell whether or not your weight is healthy for your weight and height and will help you decide how many calories to consume. Once you have determined your ideal, healthy weight, you can adjust your caloric intake to maintain, gain or lose weight as needed.
Body Mass Index
Your body mass index, or BMI, is calculated by dividing the square of your height in inches by your weight multiplied by 703. So, a 190-lb. person will have a BMI of 25.76. A generally healthy BMI will fall between 18.5 and 25. Anything higher than 25 is considered overweight or obese, and anything below is considered underweight. The BMI calculation is a simple measurement and does not take into account other factors that affect weight, such as muscle to fat ratio, chest or waist measurements or bone density, but for the average person it is generally accurate.
Maintaining Current Weight
To maintain your current weight, you will need to eat as many calories as you consume daily. Depending on your activity level and age, your daily caloric needs will change. A young female, aged 19 to 30, who is moderately active will need 2,000 or 2,200 calories each day. A young, moderately active male needs between 2,600 and 2,800 calories a day. An active woman over the age of 51 still only needs 2,000 calories as caloric needs decline as the individual ages. An active man over the age of 51 needs only 2,400 calories per day to maintain his weight.
Losing Weight
To lose weight, you must lose 3,500 calories more than you consume in any given period, such as a week. Burning or reducing caloric intake by 3,500 each week will end with a weight loss of 1 lb. that week. Once you know how much you need to consume to maintain weight, adjust your diet and exercise routine so that you will have a negative caloric intake. If you reduce your caloric intake by 300 each day and exercise enough to burn an extra 200 calories a day, you will end up losing weight.
Gaining Weight
If you need to gain a pound or more, all you need to do is eat 3,500 more calories than you burn. Adjust your diet and exercise routine so that you are burning less than you consume in calories. Once you take in 3,500 extra calories, you will have gained 1 lb. It is most healthy to spread 1 to 2 lbs. of weight gain or loss over the period of a week.
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