In Order To Lose Weight By Cutting Calories, How Much Below Your Needed Calorie Intake Should You Eat?
I got these measurements for me from an online calculator:
“Body Mass Index: 21.2 kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio: 0.37
Percent Body Fat: 21.7%
Lean Body Mass: 105.7 lb
Your weight is in the normal range.
Minimum caloric requirements: 1888 Calories per day
Your diet should contain at least 79 grams of protein per day.”
So, how much below 1888 should I eat to lose weight?
Thank you for all the infos about you, but still your height and weight would have been useful.
You should not completely rely on online calculators because they just calculate some numbers without knowing anything about your personal history. For example, if you were deprived of food for a period of time in your life (war time, sickness, voluntary diet…), your body might have gone into starvation mode and now your metabolism is much slower than other people who would have the same measurements as you. The online calculator would have no way to measure that.
I got sick in my 20s with tonsillitis and I couldn’t get a tonsillectomy until the swelling went down. I spend three months unable to eat. I could get some liquid in, like soup, one day out of two. Finally, when I looked like a dehydrated walking skeleton, a medical student saved my life by tying me onto a chair in a basement and cutting my tonsils, without anesthesia, which was the only way for him to avoid cutting my vocal cords, because I had to scream to make them vibrate! Anything vibrating, he would not cut. Each time I fainted, he had to wake me up so I could scream again and he could resume his cutting. This extremely bloody experience saved me a lot of money on food for the rest of my life because now I don’t need to eat that much.
This slowing of the metabolism also happens to people who voluntarily go on a very low calories diet (usually to lose weight) and they end up like me but they still want to eat like other people, so they get very fat, very fast.
Those online calculators calculate that I should eat 1,821 calories/day, which I find very funny, in a sad/funny way. I know that if I eat more than 1,200 calories/day, I would not use it all, unless I exercise for any calories I might eat above that. But, of course, the online calculator does not know that I starved for three months in my 20s.
Also, the online calculator puts your Waist-to-Height ratio at 0.37 and doesn’t tell you to “Be Careful”. The healthy ratio is between 0.40 and 0.49.
Also this online calculator tells you that you need 79 grams of proteins per day?
79 grams of proteins is 316 calories (4 cal/grams), which would be 16.73% or 1888 calories!!!
How did they end up with that weird numbers?
Whatever calories you eat, get 15% of proteins.For example, if you eat 1,200 calories/day, 15% would be 180 calories, which you have to divide by four to get the grams (I know, it’s annoying), which would be 45 grams of proteins/day.
My advice is for you to calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), which is only based on your weight and gender (your have to adjust it as you lose or gain weight). I wish I could do it for you but I would need to know your weight, which I don’t.
The BMR is much more accurate and is a great place to start so you can figure out by yourself, how much calories you need exactly. When you know exactly how much calories your body need, when you’re not exercising, all you have to do is not eat more than that, in order to maintain your weight, and if you want to lose weight, any exercise you do will have to tap into your fat reserves for energy (one pound of fat is 3,500 calories of exercising).
Never, ever, ever, ever…eat less than your BMR, because that is when your body will switch to starvation mode and lower your metabolism FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, which is a great saving as far as grocery shopping goes but annoying when you go to a restaurant and if takes you a week to lose that gain weight!
To calculate your BMR, if you’re a woman, you just take your weight in kilograms and multiply by 7.18 to which you add 795.
(note: weight in pounds multiplied by 0.454 = weight in kilograms)
(note: for men, you multiply by 10.2, instead of 7.18 and you add 879 instead of 795)
Like I’m 125lbs so it’s 56.75kg multiplied by 7.18 = 407.46 + 795 = 1,202 calories…what do you know…it’s actually right!
Let’s say a 140lbs woman would need 1,251 calories…and so forth.
Usually, people just accept the 1,200 calories/day as a minimum, to avoid the dreaded starvation mode.
You’re saying you’re confused about the “cutting calories”. Usually, it means that people who need to lose weight, really are the ones who kept gaining weight for a while. I mean, if you eat only 100 calories too many, every day, then, at the end of the year, those 100 calories multiplied by 365 days will be 36,500 calories, which will translate to a 10 pounds weight gain of pure fat reserves (each pound is 3,500 calories). Some people even go slower and eat only 50 more calories that they need…still a five pounds gain at the end of the year. Some people only gain one pound every year (10, yes, only 10 calories too much every day!!!) and start to notice after 10 years and a 10 pounds gain.
(Thanks, Knowitallsaittout, to post the end of my answer…I owe you)
ok here goes;
some people (”experts”) claim that the only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit, and this means lowering the amount of calories you eat… and at the same time, preferably, doing some excercise to burn excess calories.
Others may say around 1200 calories is “good” to lose weight, because its the bare minimum for any human – anything less will throw your body into starvation mode and you will not lose weight, and furthermore in the future your eating patterns will be disrupted and you will find it harder and harder to get rid of weight next time you want to… so definitely not the best way to go.
Another once told me – if you want to be a size 6, eat like a size 6 (just a saying) – find out how many calories a naturally skinny person your height eats, then eat the same amount. This way you dont drop huge masses of weight and gain it all back – in theory if you keep eating like they do continuously, you will gain that size.
Also it depends on WHERE you cut calories. You need protein definitely, fruits and vegetables (but less sugary fruits, more watery ones )
basically You can screw calories counting especially since you’re already NORMAL WEIGHT (cough) – you just need to totally completely cut out eating oily fatty dairy foods and throw in a little bit of excercise.
ok, here’s the deal.
3,500 calories = 1 lb body fat.
This means that in order to lose 1 lb per week, you should have a calorie deficit of 500 each day.
You should eat below your recommended amount.
Here’s what to do: Type in BMR calculator to google to calculate your basal metabolic rate. This is how many calories you burn simply living. Then, find out about how many calories extra you burn per day (based on how much you exercise). add the bmr and extra calories burned together. take this final number and subtract 500 – here you have the amount of calories you should consume each day!
also remember, the most important thing isn’t calories, it’s eating healthy foods and staying active
(although do watch calories when dieting!)
Do the following:
To lower your bodyfat percentage, do the following:
Consume about 1500-1600 calories 3 days a week, 1800 1 day a week, and cycle this.
Make sure you eat at the absolute minimum 79 grams protein per day. Avoid starches, sugars, artificial sweeteners, and alcohol.
Keep exercising, expecially muscle-building exercises.
You’ll get results slowly, but you will get results. It may not show on your weight, but it should show in your bodyfat percentage, and that is what actually counts.
You are in your normal weight range but if you want to take a few pounds off you would need to eat 500 (1888-500=1388) calories less per day from what your current intake is however I do not suggest people go so low in calories. 1500 calories a day is really the lowest a person should really go and your age is a factor too if you are young and still growing you need to have more calories. Since you are in a normal weight range why not just try to tone up? There are a lot of things you can do to tone up right at home.
First of all judging by your biometrics i don’t think you need to loose any weight. But anyhow.
Have in mind that one Killogram (not pound) of fat contains about 7700 (if i remeber correctly) Calories (kcal). So, inorder to loose lets say 1 kg (about 2 pounds) you will have to create a 7700 energy deficit in your organism.
That means IF you eat 1887 Kcal a day you will loose 1 kg of fat in 7700 days. If you eat 1188 calories a day you will loose one kg in 11 days.
But I would suggest to go to the jim. If you burn lets say 500 more calories a day by excersing you will not only loose a pound every week. but will build more muscle. The good thing about muscle is that unlike fat which is an inert tissue (does not consume energy) muscle requires energy to stay alive so by having more muscle you increase you basic metabolism (lets say from 1888 ->2000). In that way it is easier to loose weigth and keep it away. The last point is the reason why athletes have a hard time putting on weight and they can eat as much as they want.
Sorry for the typos
Well, since that says minimum, that is the base level of calories you should eat to live. Meaning – if you do nothing for exercise besides sit on the couch.
You really shouldn’t go below 1888 – assuming you are a teen. Step up your exercise. Add some weight training.
The rule of thumb is 500 calories below will lose a pound a week. But that’s not always accurate. Never below 1200 for an adult, and I think it is never below 1800 for a teen.
well no where below 1200 to 1400 you body needs those calories to mantain itself, but by just cutting calories is not gunna help you lose weight. What matters is how many calories you burn in a single day, so basically if you cut calories you should increase your activity!
i would go by a 2000/3000 ratio or something along those lines… I have been cutting for wrestling and decreased my calorie intake and lost 24 pounds in less than 3 months! so eat less and work out more and you will start losing weight!
You just need to make sure your net calories per day is around 1400. This can mean eating 1888 calories and cutting 500 calories from it through eating less, or burning through exercise, or a combination of both.
You need a 500 calorie cut from what you need to maintain.
I would aim for 1600-1800 a day and just exercise daily…Your weight seems to be pretty ideal. I can’t imagine why you would want to go lower than 105lbs.. Try lifting weights, it will help you build muscle which will keep your metabolism running high.. good luck to u.
id drop about 200 or less and cut out carbs i know how hard that is but believe me the fat will melt away but u gotta eat smart too eat small meals frequently but you got eat healthy if u follow that guideline with exercise ull b lookin good =D
don’t eat below the caloric count, just eat healthier foods. Also, even if you ate poorly, exercising would burn off the fat and calories from the food
Eat the 1888 calories a day because its not a lot really, try to make it up with healthy foods, but just include more exercise that way your body will look better. Only like30-60 minutes a day.
you should make a 500 calorie deficit everyday. whether you eat 500 less or burn off 500 or eat 250 less and burn off 250.
You have to burn more than you take in to lose weight. Eat small healthy meals 6 times a day and exercise regularly.
500 less per day to lose at least 1 pound a week.
Soo 1388 daily.
minus 500 calories from your daily intake.
you should eat a little bit and three times a day and do not eat late and do not eat or drink junk food
1300
yes
(Betty, who’s talking too much, ran out of space and asked me to post the end of her answer)
From Betty B…
You’re saying you’re confused about the “cutting calories”. Usually, it means that people who need to lose weight, really are the ones who kept gaining weight for a while. I mean, if you eat only 100 calories too many, every day, then, at the end of the year, those 100 calories multiplied by 365 days will be 36,500 calories, which will translate to a 10 pounds weight gain of pure fat reserves (each pound is 3,500 calories). Some people even go slower and eat only 50 more calories that they need…still a five pounds gain at the end of the year. Some people only gain one pound every year (10, yes, only 10 calories too much every day!!!) and start to notice after 10 years and a 10 pounds gain.
So cutting calories are more for those people who keep gaining weight. They have to realize that if they keep gaining weight, that means they need to cut calories to stop it. Maybe some of them go to those online calculator and feel entitled to eat 1,800 calories/day!!!
So, never, ever, ever, Infiniti, eat below your BMR and for every pounds you wish to lose from your fat reserves, exercise for 3,500 calories. 250/day to lose half a pound/week, or 500/day to lose one pound/week.
If you eat only 1,200 calories/day, anything you will do (walking/jogging/running/swimming/yard work/weight training/bicycling…), your body will have to dip into your fat reserves so you’ll get thinner.
Now if you eat 1,800 calories/day, I don’t know about you, but I know I would not be able to lose any weight, if I would eat that much. I can only lose weight if I eat 1,200 calories and I exercise. If I exercise and eat 1,600 calories, I would maintain my weight. If I don’t exercise and eat 1,600 calories, I would gain weight, surely and steadily. If I would eat 1,821 calories like my online calculator told me, I would certainly gain weight unless I exercise like crazy, “being on the Dancing with the Star show crazy”.
Simple…calculate your BMR, eat your BMR, exercise for 3500 calories for every pounds you need to lose.