One pound equals 3500 calories; so, to lose 1 pound the body must burn 3500 calories. In addition, according to researchers at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, the minimum safe caloric intake for women is 1200 and 1500 calories for men. Read on to learn how to lose a pound a day and achieve your weight loss goals.
Reducing Caloric Intake to Burn a Pound a Day
Step 1
Measure your current weight.
Step 2
Multiply your current weight by 15. This is the total number of calories you can consume per day to maintain your current weight.
Step 3
Subtract 3500 from the total number of calories you calculated in Step 2. If the number is below 1200 for women or 1500 for men, then you must add more on to Section 2.
Burning Calories to Lose a Pound a Day
Step 1
Determine how many calories you need to burn after calculating your basic maintenance level and subtracting 3500 from that number, then subtract 1200 for women and 1500 for men. Use the Calorie Counter function on Livestrong's The Daily Plate for customized information about your calorie needs.
Step 2
Plan how to burn the net-loss calories you need to burn to lose 1 pound in a day. Use a physical activity calculator such as The Daily Plate on Livestrong.
Step 3
Create a schedule for exercise, and include variety. Figure out how those calories you need to burn will be spent to burn off 1 pound in a day.
Measuring Calories In and Calories Out to Lose a Pound a Day
Step 1
Calculate the amount of calories you will eat per day, making sure the minimum is 1200 for women and 1500 for men.
Step 2
Use a software tool to track calorie intake and calorie burning, such as The Daily Plate tool on Livestrong.
Step 3
Record every bit of food consumed. Measure appropriate portion sizes using measuring spoons, cups, and a food scale, and eat only those portions.
Step 4
Track calories consumed and calories burned with a software program, such as The Daily Plate. Record all physical activity.
Step 5
Drink more than 64 ounces of water per day, and an added 8 ounces for every hour of exercise.
Step 6
Reduce your sodium intake to under 1500 mg per day.
Tips and Warnings
- Sodium can make the body retain water; so, in some cases, more than 1 pound per day can be lost if sodium intake is reduced, as the body lets go of retained water.
- Never start an extremely intense exercise regiment without consulting a doctor first. The calories you do consume need to be of high quality, with lean meats, complex carbohydrates, and lots of fruits and vegetable.
Things You'll Need
- Body scale
- Food scale
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- The Daily Plate software
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