When you are trying to lose weight, count the number of calories you eat and burn each day. You must burn more calories than you eat if you want to lose weight. When planning your meals, consider how many calories you eat, as well as what type of calories you are eating.
Types
The two types of calories you can take in are nutritious calories and empty calories. Nutritious calories are calories that contain nutrients that your body needs to function properly. Empty calories are calories that don't contain any nutrients, or a very small amount of nutrients, that your body needs to function. When you are trying to lose weight, you need to eat mostly nutritious calories so that you can get as many nutrients as possible. Empty calories, such as those in soft drinks and snack cakes, should be avoided or eaten rarely when you are trying to lose weight.
Calorie Needs
In order to function properly, your body needs a certain number of calories. A woman needs 1,200 calories minimum daily. A man needs 1,500 calories minimum daily, notes Medline Plus. However, for many women and men, more calories are necessary. A woman who is sedentary may need 1,600 calories per day if she is sedentary or 2,200 calories if she is active. A man who is sedentary may need 2,200 calories per day, or 2,600 calories per day if he is active.
Basal Metabolic Rate
In order to determine the exact number of calories you need for your body to function, you have to determine your basal metabolic rate. The formula for a woman is BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years). The formula for a man is BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years). The result you get from the BMR formula is the minimum number of calories you need to keep up your body functions. Remember to recalculate your BMR as you lose weight.
Burning Calories
In addition to keeping your calorie consumption under control when you are trying to lose weight, you also need to increase the number of calories you burn daily through exercise. At least 60 minutes of daily exercise is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine for people trying to lose weight. For example, if you weigh 200 lbs, you can burn approximately 273 calories per hour lifting weights, 728 calories per hour playing tennis or 1,229 calories an hour running at a pace of 8 miles per hour.
References
- FamilyDoctor.org: What it Takes to Lose Weight
- Medline Plus: Tips for Losing Weight
- University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics: Calories: How Many Do You Need?
- BMI Calculator.net: BMR Formula
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
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