HOW MANY CALORIES PER DAY
TO LOSE THAT FAT!

To understand how many calories per day you should consume to lose weight we have to understand that food gives us the energy (calories) to go about our daily lives. If we consume more calories than what our bodies burn up in a day we gain weight (usually fat!), if we eat the same we maintain our weight, and if we eat less calories than what our bodies use than we lose weight.

Please note that the information below refers to kcals. If at any time you need to convert to kilojoules, multiply the kcal figure by 4.18.

In order to count calories, or to establish how many calories per day we need to eat in order to get rid of fat we must:

A. Calculate the amount of calories our body uses to just stay alive. This is termed our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

B. Use your BMR to determine your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)

C. Use the TDEE to arrive at the total amount of calories you will need to consume each day to lose fat.

When we have done the above, we can then get an estimate with regard to how many calories per day you need to eat to be on your way with a healthy fat loss regime. So lets hit it shall we!...

For a quick calorie calculation of steps A & B (above), click the link below:

**Click here for the caloric needs calculator **

Then click here to learn how to use this figure to lose fat
(step C)

To find out more about how we arrive at this figure continue reading below. Please note that the caloric needs number that the above calculator arrives at will vary slightly to the result you get by following the formulas provided on this page. To skip this step and cut straight to the point click here!

TOPICS ON THIS PAGE

1. Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR)
2. Calculate your total daily energy expenditure
3. How many calories per day to burn fat?
4. Where to from here?

1. CALCULATE YOUR BMR

There are 2 methods for determining your BMR. As mentioned above, this step is needed to establish how many calories per day you need so you can lose weight:

1. The Harris-Benedict formula

Works well for most people except for those who are either extremely overweight, or have extreme musculature. If you are at either extremes please use the Katch-McArdle formula.

Step 1:
Change your weight in pounds to weight in kilograms (if you already know your weight in kg, please move to step 2)

Bodyweight in pounds (lbs) / 2.2 = Bodyweight in kilograms (kg)

Step 2:
Change your height in inches to height in centimeters (if you already know your weight in kg, please move to step 3)

Height in inches (in.) x 2.54 = Height in centimeters (cm)

Step 3:
The next step is to determine whether you are male or female! Just kidding, I hope you don’t get stuck on this step! Males and females have use different equations to determine BMR using this formula on the assumption that males have a higher percentage of lean body weight than females (more lean body weight = increased BMR). Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) by using one of the following:

Males

BMR = 66 + (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age in yrs)

Females

BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 x age in Yrs)

2. Katch-McArdle formula

Can be used when you know you lean body weight, or total body weight less your body fat. Because it takes in to account your lean body weight, it is a more accurate method.

Please keep in mind it is fine to use either method, and it is difficult to achieve exact calorie amounts required to lose fat. As you will see as you read on, you can adjust your diet and how many calories per day you consume if you are not achieving your desired results.

As mentioned above, this method is more accurate, however you must know your body weight less your fat amount (your lean body weight).

Step 1:
Change your lean body weight in pounds to lean body weight in kilograms (if you already know your lean body weight in kg, please move to step 2)

Lean bodyweight in pounds (lbs) / 2.2 = Lean Bodyweight in kilograms (kg)

Step 2:
Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):

BMR = 370 + (21.6 x lean bodyweight in kg)

2. CALCULATE YOUR TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE)

Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) uses your BMR (your calorie expenditure to just stay alive) to help determine how many calories per day your body uses. In other words, if the amount of calories you eat in a day equals your TTDE, you would maintain your weight. Because we want to lose weight, we need to eat less than the TDEE figure. This will give you the your starting point to how many calories per day you should consume to lose weight. Let’s work it out.

Match your current activity level with the appropriate equation below to calculate your TDEE:

CALCULATE HOW MANY CALORIES PER DAY YOUR BODY BURNS UP - TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE)

AMOUNT OF EXERCISE TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE)

Sedentary individual, little or no exercise, office work TDEE = BMR x 1.2

Light activity, exercise or sport 1-3 days per week TDEE = BMR x 1.375

Moderate activity, exercise or sport 3-5 days per week TDEE = BMR x 1.55

High activity, exercise or sport 6-7 days per week TDEE = BMR x 1.725

Very heavy activity, physical job, exercise or sport 2 x times each day TDEE = BMR x 1.9

3. HOW MANY CALORIES PER DAY TO BURN FAT?

Good question! If TDEE tells us how many calories per day we need to eat to maintain weight, then if we subtract from this figure we start to lose weight. So how much to we subtract then? In order to answer that, let’s walk through an example.

Assume an individual calculated their BMR to be 1700 calories. Using TDEE equations we can arrive at the figure that will determine approximately what amount of calories the individual will need to consume in order to maintain their current weight. Let’s say they are a moderately active person:

TDEE = 1700 x 1.55
TDEE = 2635 calories per day to maintain current weight

How to use your TDEE (caloric needs) figure to help you lose weight...

Ok. Now this is where it gets really juicy!

At this point, it is important to note the following:

1 lb (0.45 kg) = 3500 calories
1.5 lb (0.68 kg) = 5250 calories
2 lbs (0.91 kg) = 7000 calories

Using the example we used to calculate TDEE (caloric needs) we can work out how many calories per day we need to consume to lose 1 lb (0.45 kg) per week.

If the individual must consume 2635 calories per day to maintain their body weight, this equates to 18,445 calories per week (2635 x 7 days a week).

In order to lose 1 lb (0.45 kg) per week, which is equal to 3500 calories, then the individual will have to limit calorie intake to 14,945 per week (18,445 – 3500). So how many calories per day does that equate to?   It is 2135 calories a day (14,945 / 7).

Basically, and from another perspective, to lose 1 pound (0.45 kg) per week you must reduce your intake by 500 calories per day under the TDEE. This is a great starting point, and from here you can adjust your calorie intake depending on the results you are achieving.

Note on healthy weekly weight loss
You now have the tools at your disposal that will enable you to lose weight.  It is important that you do not exceed a weight loss of more than 2 lbs (0.91 kg) per week. If you do so, you will burn more muscle, and it is at this point when it becomes unhealthy. If you are after a more toned and defined look or that hard body, you DO NOT want to exceed these levels. Keep it healthy and you <b>will</b> be healthy.</DIV>

How many calories per day is that equivalent of? That gives you a maximum of 1000 calories per day that you can allow yourself to be under your TDEE.

I would suggest you begin by reducing your calories by 250 per day and include exercise to begin with, rather than going the whole hog and decreasing it by 1000. Let me explain why…

It’s funny, year in and year out I get people saying, I want to lose a heap of weight, how many calories per day do I need? Year in year out I see that a large degree of people never change! So here we find ourselves with an approach that will help you to lose fat, and it is possible that you can lose up to 2 pounds per week in a healthy manner. Why would you only opt to lose less than 1 pound per week when I can lose 2??? Well, the reason why I see many many people NEVER reduce their weight year in and year out is the fact that it is a psychological and emotional challenge for most people to stick with a reduced calorie eating plan. You are at you current body shape at the moment because of your current habits. You are about to undertake a process whereby you have to change your habits so you can achieve a different result to what you have now. Doesn’t it make sense that if you do this gradually that you have more chance of succeeding than if you did it in one big hit.

The quicker you want to lose the weight, the bigger trade off there is psychologically and emotionally. Most people want it all off ASAP, but cant pay the psychological and emotional price, and therefore they fail.  I repeat I have seen most people never reduce their weight year in, year out. This is evidence that most people can’t even pay a small psychological/emotional price to take off small amounts of fat. If you do it gradually, there will be less pay off, and in the long run you will succeed.

So, to answer your main question... 'how many calories per day should I start with to achieve fat loss?' Easy! Take off 300-500 calories from your TDEE. That equals 2100 to 3500 calories per week which will put you in the vicinity of losing 0.6-1 pound (0.3-0.5kg) per week.

4. WHERE TO FROM HERE

Nutrition
The next step, when you have worked out how many calories per day you need to consume in order to lose fat, is deciding what types of food and in what ratio’s of protein, carbohydrates and fats you should start with.

This is the fun part. You can get creative here! But first you have to understand a little bit about what types of foods will be advantageous to include in your meal plan, and ones not to. Don’t worry you don’t have to go changing your whole diet around! If you really want some choccies, I think we can allow that!

Click here to learn how to design your own meal plan

Exercise
If you already have a good meal plan and are looking at increasing your exercise levels to help burn fat, (which is a fantastic idea by the way!) be aware that it does increase your TDEE. If you increase your exercise levels to burn an extra 250 calories per day, and reduce your calorie intake to 250 below your TDEE, then this is effectively like reducing your intake of calories by 500 without exercise as the above example explains. Exercise has added advantages for burning fat over reducing calories alone though. It helps you to decrease how many calories per day you need to take out of your daily eating! Beautiful! Click here to learn more.

You have heard the old sayings, ‘The journey of 1000 miles begins with just one step’ and, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. Train smarter not harder. I encourage you to find the balance. You have the tools in this website to succeed. Do not allow yourself to succumb to the fad diets, or turn your mission to lose weight in to a ‘phase’ that you will kick weeks down the track. Work out how many calories per day you need to consume the way I have layed out here and succeed the healthy way.

For some starter tips on creating new habits with your eating, click here.

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