Calorie intake is very variable and what works for one person might not work for another. This is why one-size-fits-all diets don't work: They don't take into consideration your current weight, size, age or sex, and so their calorie recommendations are often way off base. As a general rule, men can eat more than women and still lose weight. This is due in part to their body composition: men have more muscle, so their metabolic rate is higher.
Minimum Intake
Experts like the American College of Sports Medicine recommend not cutting down your calorie intake too much. When your calorie intake is too low, your metabolism actually slows down and you'll have a harder time losing weight. Men should eat 1,800 calories per day as a minimum, while women need to get at least 1,200 calories. When cutting down calories or choosing a diet, make sure your daily intake stays over that number.
Calculating Maintenance Calories
To calculate how many calories you should be eating, start with your current weight. If you're a woman, multiply your weight by 10, 10.5 or 11, depending on how active you are. For example, pick 11 if you're active on a regular basis. Men should multiply their current weight by 12, 13 or 14. This will give you the amount of calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight. For example, a 150-lb. woman who exercises everyday should eat 1,650 calories to maintain her present weight.
Calorie Deficit
To lose 1 lb., you need to cut down your calorie intake by 3,500. Life Clinic recommends aiming for a loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week. This means eliminating 500 to 1,000 calories from your diet every day. Once you've calculated your maintenance calorie intake, deduct 500 from that number. For example, if you need to eat 2,000 calories, cut down to 1,500 calories and you should start losing weight. If you only have a few pounds to lose and you're already eating a diet low in calories, you might not be able to cut 500 calories or you would go under the 1,200 minimum. In that case, cut down 200 or 300 calories and aim for a slower pace of weight loss.
Other Factors
If you follow an intense exercise routine, you might be able to eat more and still lose weight. Walking or yoga won't burn many calories, but 60 minutes of playing ice hockey will burn 563 calories, the same amount as jumping rope for an hour. If you go backpacking for two hours, you could burn more than 1,000 calories.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine; Metabolism is Modifiable with the Right Lifestyle Changes; 2009
- American Heart Association: Know How Many Calories You Should Eat
- LifeClinic: Calories
- Nutristrategy: Calories Burned During Exercise, Activities, Sports and Work
- MayoClinic.com; Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories; October 2009
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