Calculate the Calories You Need to Eat to Maintain and to Lose

How many calories do you need to maintain your current weight, depending on your activity level?

Get an estimate (and remember that no two bodies are the same, so it's a rough number):

Caloric Needs Calculator

To lose about a pound a week: cut 500 calories a day.
To lose about 2 pounds a week: cut 1000 calories a day.

Depending on if my activity is light or moderate, I need between 2600 and 2900 to sustain my bulk. To lose a couple pounds a week, I need to cut back to 1600 to 1900. That's in the general ballpark I expected, and 1600 is often recommended (anywhere from 1200 to 1600 is very usual) for gradual weight loss, an intake level of calories that leaves sufficient room for adequate nutrition from various food groups.

Unless you really wanna risk damaging your metabolism (or damaging it more), don't go under 1200 calories. You'll be skimping on nutrition and your body may think, "famine, famine!"

Remember that as you LOSE weight, you need to recalculate, to see where you need to tweak.

If you prefer: Put in the number of the weight you'd (realistically) like to be. Calculate it based on a (realistic) activity level you'd maintain for LIFE. That's the calorie count you need to STAY at that weight. If we eat at a calorie level that MAINTAINS a certain weight, we could learn how to eat the way we'd have to for maintenance, and lose as well. It's not a bad idea, but it means slower weight loss, which makes some folks nuts.

I calculated 1900 or so for my desired weight (the goal). What that means is that the generous "dieting" caloric intake is actually the "maintenance" caloric intake.

My sister (who's normal weight) maintains at between 1800 and 2000 and she exercises nearly every day. She has no thyroid disorder. So, realistically, I'd need to eat less or exercise more. I might maintain at 1700 or 1800. Either way, for the weight to go away and stay away, I can never eat OFF diet.

It's a lifetime diet, a lifetime of caloric awareness. It can't end. The vigilance can never end. The restraint can't end. The deprivation is permanent if the weight loss is to be permanent.

Hard to take truth, sometimes.

That's just how it is.

Pause and consider.

What are your key numbers?
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