A balanced calorie-controlled diet along with physical activity is a healthy, gimmick-free way to lose weight. The number of calories you need to support your weight, and consequently to lose weight, depends on many individual factors. Trimming between 500 and 1,000 calories from your daily calorie burn leads to a 1 to 2 lb. weight loss per week.
Basics
Weight gain occurs when you eat more calories that you burn during the day. Calories are the energy you get from the food you eat and the beverages you drink. You expend them with basic activity, such as breathing and digesting, as well as with movement -- from brushing your teeth to jogging a mile. The more movement you perform and the larger you are, the more calories you burn daily.
Calorie Recommendations
The average adult woman needs about 2,000 calories per day, and the average adult man needs about 2,500 calories, to just maintain weight. For a woman, a diet of 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day will assist with weight loss. For an adult man, a diet of 1,500 to 1,800 calories should induce loss. If you are especially active or tall, you may be able to consume a greater number of calories and still lose weight. An online calculator can help you individualize these recommendations.
Slow and Steady
When you make drastic changes to your diet and calorie intake, weight loss may occur rather quickly. Many people lose 5 lb. or more in the first weeks of a new diet. Over time, your weight loss should level off to a rate of between 1 and 2 lb. per week. This modest rate is most sustainable for the long term and indicates you are losing mostly fat, rather than water and lean muscle mass. Losing weight too quickly can lead to dieting frustration, weakness, fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, irritability and weight regain when you go back to regular eating patterns.
Minimums
On average, a woman needs at least 1,200 calories per day to get all the nutrients necessary for health. Even 1,200 calories may be too few for some active menstruating females. Men need slightly more, at least 1,500 calories, because they tend to be larger and thus have a faster metabolism.
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