Taking into account the individual characteristics of the human body, you can calculate the norm of kilocalories per day for him. Insufficient intake of calories (protein and carbohydrates) into the body leads to exhaustion and, in children, to abnormal development. An excess of calories manifests itself in the development of obesity (deposition of fat in the subcutaneous layer).
A person’s need for calories can be influenced by the following factors: gender, age, intellectual or physical activity. For some, 1200 kcal per day is enough, while others will feel good at 3000 kcal or more. It is important to individually calculate your daily caloric intake. You can calculate the calorie content of dishes yourself using tables or using an online calculator. Such a calculator will greatly facilitate the calculation and prevent errors.
Many sites provide the opportunity to calculate, using a special calculator, how many kilocalories each person needs. Based on simple parameters(weight, height, gender, age and activity) the calculator calculates the data using the formula and displays the result. One of the popular sites among men and women losing weight is zozhnik.ru. This resource not only provides a calculator for individual calculation of calories, but also contains many useful information O healthy way life. Zozhnik.ru can be used as a dietary diary. Thanks to the most complete tables of the energy value of dishes included in zozhnik.ru, calculating the calorie content of food is not difficult. Another advantage of zozhnik.ru is that it contains additional calculators that will help determine: how much macronutrients the body needs, what the thickness of the subcutaneous layer of fat is, how many times you need to perform the exercise. This resource allows you to build your own diet program and go through it step by step.
How many calories per day can you eat to lose weight?
It is most convenient to calculate the calorie content of food needed to combat excess weight per day using a special online calculator. As a rule, to calculate the required calorie content of meals per day, the following indicators are taken into account: weight, age, height, gender, physical activity. The next step is to build a dietary program.
The lower the calorie intake per day, the more noticeable the weight loss will be. However, it is important to consider that the minimum calorie intake should be 1200 kilocalories per day. For the most comfortable and beneficial weight loss, it is recommended to reduce the caloric content of the usual daily diet by 15-30%. With the usual daily calorie content of 5000-6000 kcal, you cannot immediately switch to 1200 kcal per day. In this case, you should first reduce the calorie content by 750-1800 kcal, then step by step you can reach 1200 kcal.
Losing 1 kg of weight within a week is considered ideal. So, the body is gradually rebuilt, and the result obtained by losing weight is maintained for a long time. for a long time. Many women are not satisfied with losing 1-2 kg in a week, with an extra 10-15 kg. So they resort to more radical diet programs that promise... However, the main thing is not to overdo it, since improper weight loss can give not only a short-term effect, but also increase the volume of subcutaneous fat. Losing 10-20 kg over several weeks is not recommended.
How to plan your diet correctly?
For a proper diet, it is important to consider the following points:
- if you want to reduce your weight, the number of calories entering the body should be less than energy expenditure;
- the most high-calorie dishes, which contain a lot of protein, should be consumed in the first half of the day, in the evening low-calorie foods are preferable;
- you need to stop eating before you feel full;
- An adequate drinking regime is important (water has 0 calories, which means it is the optimal drink for someone losing weight);
- a properly planned diet accounts for only 50% of success and health, as experts recommend combining it with (energy expenditure).
How should you eat to lose weight?
Quite often interest in calorie content food products manifested by those women and men who strive to lose extra pounds. What are the products for weight loss and what are their features? How much do you need to eat for this? What should be the calculation of the number of kilocalories per day for weight loss? Let's look at these questions in more detail.
Today you can find many different diets on the Internet, but are they all safe? It should be borne in mind that many diets involve the exclusion of carbohydrates from the diet. But you need to understand that carbohydrates, like proteins and fats, are necessary for the normal functioning of organs and systems human body. You can’t completely exclude them from the menu, but you can control their benefits.
One of the popular dishes for a quick snack is doshirak. There is often an opinion among women that doshirak is low in calories, which means it can be eaten while on a diet. In fact, doshirak has a fairly high calorie content. Useful substances Doshirak contains very little and too many spices. So, during a diet, preference should be given to natural low-calorie dishes rather than toshirak. Fresh vegetables or fruits during a snack are an excellent substitute for a snack, will help you lose extra pounds, and will also benefit your body.
- You should reduce your intake of carbohydrates that are quickly digested: sweets, chocolate, pasta, potatoes, white bread. You should also limit the amount of fat in your diet ( butter, margarine).
- Fermented milk products with low fat content will be useful in the diet.
- The menu must include non-starchy vegetables and fruits.
- You need to train yourself to have a full breakfast every day. To do this, you can use cereal porridge, omelet, kefir, and fresh vegetables.
- You should maintain your intake of meat dishes (about 200 grams per day), and it is preferable to consume it boiled. Meat is the most valuable source of protein.
- You need to drink more fluids (compote, fruit tea, tomato and apple juice). The calorie content of water is 0 kcal per 100 g, which means you can drink it unlimitedly.
- Multivitamin preparations will be useful, as they will help the body cope with a change in diet and replenish the daily requirements of vitamins and minerals.
- You need to avoid quick snacks between meals. If this is not possible, eat fruits or vegetables instead of the usual quick snacks.
- Alcoholic drinks also contain calories, so it is better to exclude them from your menu during the diet.
- Must be strictly followed installed counter calories, that is, do not eat more calories per day than required. Only such a diet will be effective.
If on some day you exceeded your calorie allowance for weight loss, don’t worry. Especially if it has become a tight part of your life, calories go away during training.
You don't have to eat virtually nothing to eat just 1,200 calories a day. The task of men or women who are on a diet is not to starve, but to choose the “right” food, which is low in carbohydrates and high in protein. So, even 1200 kcal per day can surprise you with food variety and satiety, while ensuring the loss of extra kg.
Why might a diet not be effective?
Quite often a situation arises when a person, despite strict diet, practically does not lose weight. In order for the diet regimen to be truly effective, the following factors must be excluded:
- Rare meals. Any adequate diet involves eating small, but frequent meals (5-6 times a day). This is necessary because only in this case can the metabolic processes in the body be stimulated. The more active the metabolism, the more fat and carbohydrates are broken down. Infrequent eating, on the contrary, slows down the metabolism.
- Broken ratio nutrients contained in food products. In order to lose weight, it is important to eat more protein while reducing the amount of carbohydrates and fat you consume. This is the only way to save muscle tissue and reduce fat reserves. In order to determine how much protein, carbohydrates and fat a food contains, you should use the appropriate tables.
- Lack of active physical activity. It is important to understand that it is not necessary to exercise while dieting, but adequate energy expenditure is necessary. How more people moves, the more actively fat reserves are broken down. Therefore, it is important to exercise daily or walk several stops at a calm pace.
Counting the number of kilocalories eaten per day undoubtedly occupies a leading place in the fight against excess weight. A lasting and noticeable weight loss result is only possible if you follow the selected comprehensive dietary program step by step.
IN modern world people are fighting a tough battle with excess weight. Of course, there are people who justify kilograms with health problems, hormonal imbalances, and genetics. In most cases, these are excuses that hide banal laziness and a person’s reluctance to switch to proper nutrition.
A healthy lifestyle and daily exercise are gaining immense popularity. However, let us remind you that the main step is to calculate how many calories you need to consume to lose weight. If you eat a lot of sweet, unhealthy, unhealthy food every day, but even go to the gym and exercise actively. The result will not come. Therefore, today we will talk about how to count calories to lose weight.
Calculate kilocalories for weight loss: main rules
How many calories to eat per day to lose weight is an individual question. Can't be trusted popular opinion, universal advice from nutritionists. Remember that for weight loss, calories per day are calculated individually for each person, taking into account his physical activity, gender, weight, height, age.
The second rule is that you cannot eat less than 1200 kilocalories per day for women, 1600 kcal for men. Remember, calories are the energy needed by the human body to carry out daily life activities (breathing, heart function, internal organs, sleep, wakefulness). With a significant reduction in daily calorie intake, the body simply will not have enough energy to live longer.
How many calories to eat to lose weight: calculator
There is a special formula for calculating calories for weight loss, developed back in 1990 by Muffin Jeor. It is considered one of the most accurate formulas for finding out how many calories are needed for weight loss.
It is necessary to accurately measure height (cm) and weight (kg). Also, if you want to find out how many calories you need to eat to lose weight, prepare a calculator. This will help you avoid mistakes and accurately calculate the data.
For calculation minimum quantity calories for weight loss, you first need to find out the basal metabolic rate, which is data on energy consumption to maintain basic human life activity:
For women: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age - 161
For men: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age + 5
Example: let's calculate how many calories you need to consume to lose weight, using a calculator for a woman 25 years old, height 165 cm, weight 60 kg:
10 x 60 + 6.25 x 165 - 5 x 25 - 161 = 1345 kcal.
The second stage is to find out the amount of consumption total energy per day depending on physical activity person:
- Basic metabolism x 1.2 - at sedentary life (office worker not involved in sports)
- Basal metabolic rate x 1.375 - a person who plays sports 1-3 times a week;
- Basal metabolic rate x 1.55 - a person engages in physical activity up to 5 times a week;
- Basal metabolic rate x 1.725 - if a person plays sports every day;
- Basal metabolic rate x 1.9 - a person involved in active sports every day (2 workouts per day) + physically active daily work
On at this stage everyone determines the amount of physical activity required depending on their state of health and availability of free time) and sets the bar for how many calories they need to burn per day (week) to lose weight. extra pounds.
Example: let’s calculate the number of calories per day for a woman to lose weight if she goes to the gym 2 times a week:
1345 kcal x 1.375 = 1,849 kcal.
This is the number of calories a woman needs daily to support her life. Using given quantity kilocalories, the woman will not gain weight and will not lose weight. Your weight will be stable.
To get rid of excess weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you expend. So how many calories can you eat per day to lose weight? Doctors advise reducing daily calories by 20% for safe weight loss, multiply the resulting last number by 0.8. Let's calculate how many calories to consume per day to lose weight for an example woman:
1 49 x 0.8 = 1,479 kcal - the optimal, safe amount of calories per day for weight loss.
You found out how many calories you need to eat to lose weight. A calculator, scales, and measuring tape will help you take accurate measurements. Now it is important to choose the right food products. Let's give a few useful tips to help you lose weight:
- Eliminate sweet, carbonated drinks, processed foods, sweet and flour products from your diet;
- Add proteins to your daily diet, they will help increase the number of calories burned and reduce appetite;
- Drink more clean, still water (2 liters per day). Half an hour before meals, drink a glass of water, the number of calories burned will increase by 44%;
- Sports, cardio exercises are salvation in any situation;
- Keep a record of your caloric intake.
If you are interested reverse process(how many calories do you need to burn per day to lose weight), try to calculate how to get rid of one kilogram of fat: this effort will cost you 7,700 calories, but exceeding the limit of 4 kg per month when reducing the fat layer is not recommended. So, minus 2 kg of fat for 4 weeks (500 g - 7 days) creates a calorie deficit of 550 units per day.
How to calculate calories to lose weight: video
To consolidate the result of how many calories you need to eat (and not how many calories you need to burn per day) in order to lose weight, we suggest watching a video from Tatyana Rybakova. She was able to get rid of 55 kg through trial and error. Being a certified nutritionist and fitness trainer, she tells how to calculate calories per day for weight loss:
Modern people want to be slim and take care of their figure in every possible way. After all appearance a person can say a lot about him. If in the case of clothes everything is much simpler, one day is enough to radically change your style, if only you had the money and desire for it, then correcting your figure takes much longer and is more difficult. It takes people many months, even years, to lose extra pounds and get their body in order. But it's worth it. You yourself will notice that people will begin to treat you differently, with more respect and attention. If a person has a slim and fit figure, then most likely he is very diligent, purposeful and always achieves his goals. If a person has neglected his appearance, then he probably has a similar attitude towards everything else, including business. While this may not apply to all people, sometimes you just don't have the time and energy to go to the gym. What conclusions do other people make about you?
Many women and men also often wonder how many calories you need to eat per day to lose weight. And really, how much? There is an opinion that for women the daily calorie intake is 2100-3000 kcal, and for men a little more - 2600-3200 kcal, but is this true? If you believe this statement, it turns out that all people have approximately the same height, weight and lifestyle. Can this really happen? Of course not! These indicators are only approximate, which to one degree or another are suitable for most people.
Let's do the math first BX- energy consumption of the body necessary to maintain vital functions in a state of complete rest. To do this, we use the following formula:
For women: OO = 9.99 * weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) - 4.92 * age - 161
For men: OO = 9.99 * weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) - 4.92 * age + 5
Since we still have a women’s blog, as an example we’ll take a 30-year-old girl with a height of 170 cm and a weight of 60 kg. Now let's substitute these values into our formula:
OO = 9.99 * 60 + 6.25 * 170 - 4.92 * 30 - 161 = 599.4 + 1062.5 - 147.6 - 161 = 1353.3 kcal
It turns out that a 30-year-old girl with a height of 170 and a weight of 60 needs to spend 1353.3 kcal to stay at rest, but where can we find such a girl who would lie at home all day? comfortable conditions and didn't do anything else? There are simply no such people. Every person does something during the day. Therefore, the resulting value must be multiplied by a certain coefficient:
- sedentary lifestyle - by 1.2;
- light activity (sports 1-3 times a week) - by 1.375;
- average activity (sports 3-5 times a week) - by 1.55;
- high activity (sports 6-7 times a week) - by 1.725;
- very high activity (daily sports, physical activity at work) - by 1.9.
1353.3 * 1.375 = 1860 kcal
That is, our girl needs 1860 kcal per day to feel normal, work and exercise 2-3 times a week. But she is interested in how many calories you need to consume per day to lose weight, and this is a completely different value, which should be less than what we calculated above. This is where the main truth emerges: the number of calories expended should exceed the number consumed . Under no other circumstances will you be able to lose weight, no matter how much you want it.
In principle, our girl is already quite slender: with a height of 170, she weighs only 60. But everyone has different views on the ideals of beauty. If she wants to lose a little more kilogram, let her, we won’t interfere with her, but, on the contrary, we will help her.
So, how many calories do you need per day to lose weight? According to many diets, it is enough to consume 700-1000 kcal per day, but we don’t want to harm our body, which means we won’t stick to these numbers. Experienced nutritionists say that the minimum level for the average person who wants to lose extra pounds should be no lower than 1300-1500 kcal per day. Well, this figure is also very approximate. For each person, daily calorie intake is calculated strictly individually, we have already found this out. Experts recommend reducing this figure by 20 percent to start the weight loss process. In the case of our girl, we get the following numbers:
1860 * 0.8 = 1488 kcal
Through simple mathematical calculations We come to the conclusion that our girl needs to reduce her daily calorie intake by 372 kcal, while maintaining her activity level unchanged, in order to lose weight. You can, of course, reduce this figure by more than 20 percent, but, most importantly, do not overdo it. You should not experience any discomfort or dizziness during the day. If this happens, it means you need to increase your daily calorie intake. Also remember to reduce your daily intake gradually, by about 50 kcal per day.
For a beautiful and toned figure, enhanced and regular physical activity not enough. A balanced diet is also necessary, based not only on healthy products, but also on calorie counting. The latter depends on many parameters, including age, height, weight and other indicators.
How many calories do you need to lose weight?
The answer to the question of how many calories you need to lose weight is simple: to lose weight, you need to maintain a deficit in your daily calorie intake. Those. you need to spend more than you consume. But how to achieve this: eat less or exercise more is up to everyone. Many people get so carried away that they reduce their calorie intake by an unacceptable amount, which can negatively affect their health. Daily decline calorie intake should be no more than 20% - this is the norm for safe weight loss.
You can find out the number of calories needed for weight loss as follows:
- determine how many kcal you can eat per day (using online calculator a or the formulas described below);
- We calculate the required daily caloric deficit, i.e. the number of kcal by which you need to eat less to lose weight.
The average daily intake for women is 2000-2500 kcal, for men – 2400-2900 kcal. To lose weight, you need to ensure that your daily calorie intake is no higher than these values, but not lower than 1500 kcal. Otherwise you may have to deal with various kinds diseases. There is no need to take these indicators as a standard: you need to take into account the individual characteristics of a person, including metabolic rate, level of physical activity, etc.
The required number of calories for a woman to lose weight
A woman needs fewer calories to function normally than a man. This is explained both by differences in the physiological processes occurring in the body and by various physical activities. The average daily calorie requirement is 2200 kcal. For example, a young girl needs to consume more calories than an older woman. As you age, your metabolism slows down, so your body doesn't need as much energy.
Every hour the human body uses one kcal. Accordingly, the permissible norm will be equal to the product of body weight by 24 hours. For example, a woman with a height of 165 cm and a weight of 80 kg needs to consume no more than 1920 kcal daily (80 kg x 24 hours = 1920). This is the only way she can lose weight.
Weight is not the main indicator for calculating calorie intake. Lifestyle must also be taken into account. If a woman does not play sports at all and her work involves constant sitting, then depending on her age, the following calorie intake standards apply:
The table will be slightly different if a woman systematically has light loads:
The norm increases slightly for active women who regularly play sports:
Required number of calories for weight loss for a man
According to generally accepted standards, there is the following gradation of standard calorie intake for men:
- up to 30 years – 2400-2600 kcal per day;
- 30-50 years – 2200 kcal;
- over 50 years old – 2000 kcal.
To calculate the required number of calories per day, you need to multiply a man’s weight by 20. But this does not take into account physical activity. For every minute of cardio exercise, you need to add 5 kcal to the daily norm; for strength training, this figure will be equal to 10 kcal.
Calorie formula for weight loss
There are a number of formulas that allow you to calculate how many calories you need per day to lose weight. The basic calculation is based on a person’s weight. In this case, it is necessary to multiply body weight by the basic metabolic rate equal to twenty. The resulting amount is the norm of calories per day. To lose weight, you just need to consume 200-300 kcal less of the amount received.
This figure is not final. Great value has the degree of human activity. There is a certain activity indicator by which you need to multiply the result:
- for people actively involved in sports or engaged in physical labor, it will be equal to 1.5;
- for persons attending training at least three times a week, the figure will be 1.4;
- persons who resort to sports occasionally will have to take 1.3 as a basis;
- overweight people leading a sedentary lifestyle should multiply the resulting calorie intake by 1.2.
Muffin-Jeor Formula
It is considered one of the most accurate. It is successfully used for weight correction. The calculation is based on the basal metabolic rate (BA), which refers to the number of calories consumed during the day. At the same time, most of them should be burned through active pastime.
For men, the formula will look like this:
OO x body weight + 6.25 x height (in cm) – 4.92 x age + 5.
For women, the formula will be slightly different:
OO x body weight + 6.25 x height (in cm) – 4.92 x age – 161.
The formula is also subject to adjustment due to the physical activity coefficient. Basal metabolic rate should be multiplied by:
- 1.2 - with a passive lifestyle;
- 1.375 – with insufficient activity;
- 1.55 – with moderate activity;
- 1.725 – increased level of physical activity;
- 1.9 - at extremely high load.
Ketch-McArdle calculation
The simplest formula that does not take into account any individual parameters of a person. The calculation looks like this:
370 + 21.6 x X, where X is body weight excluding fat.
The final value must also be multiplied by the physical activity coefficient.
Today, with the development of Internet technologies, there are special online calculators that will calculate the indicator with maximum accuracy. To calculate, you just need to enter the necessary personal parameters.
Calculating calories
Every day a person consumes food. Moreover, many do not monitor its calorie content. Even if not much is eaten, extra calories may still be present. And all because different products have different calorie content. Calories can also be beneficial and harmful.
When a person thinks about losing weight, he resorts to various types of diets that work on the principle of reducing total number calories. In this case, products are selected taking into account their usefulness. Not everyone can “go on” one diet or another: each of them has a product that you either don’t want to eat at all, or it’s expensive, or it’s generally difficult to find.
But there is another more attractive way: eat whatever you want, but counting the daily number of calories. But this calculation must be correct. The main thing to do when counting calories is to pay attention to the product label, where the energy value and product composition. Next, you need to multiply the energy value by the amount eaten. For example, milk with a fat content of 2.5% has an energy value of 54 kcal. Having drunk a glass of milk, which is equal to 250 grams, and multiplying these data, we get 135 kcal (54 x 2.5).
It will be harder to count calories in prepared foods. Here you need to know the composition of the dish and the energy value of each component. Special programs, tables or an online calculator can come to the rescue.
- Carefully keep a record of all the foods you eat and drink during the day. The diary should also record deviations in normal activities. For example, instead of traveling by car, I had to walk, or vice versa, instead of training due to feeling unwell I had to lie down on the sofa.
- Get a kitchen scale that is accurate to one gram. With their help, you can always know the weight of the dish and use this indicator in the calculation.
- Have a reminder of the calorie content of certain foods and a calculator on hand.
You will also need patience and perseverance.
Beginner mistakes
There are a number of mistakes that people make when they decide to lose weight by counting calories:
- Sharp reduction in calories
For example, a person calculated that his daily norm at 1500 kcal. And he ate 2500 kcal every day. It turns out that he needs to reduce the “dose” by a thousand units at once. This is absolutely impossible to do: it causes enormous harm to both the body and metabolism. It is necessary to subtract 100-200 kcal from the initial daily intake every week until the required value is reached.
- Measuring calories by eye
All calculations require accuracy, and calorie counting is no exception. All food consumed must be weighed. To do this, you will have to cook at home, since it is very difficult to “disassemble calories” from catering food. In the future, of course, it will be possible to abandon such extreme measures: experience itself will tell you what and in what quantity you need to eat so as not to gain weight.
- Ignoring the healthfulness of food
In addition to calculating the energy value, you need to pay attention to the usefulness of the product. For example, you can eat one chocolate all day, 100 grams of which is about 600 kcal. With an average caloric intake of 2000 kcal per day, you can eat three of these bars. But there will be no benefit from such food.
How to achieve a calorie deficit?
A calorie deficit can be achieved in two ways:
- eat less, i.e. cut back on calories;
- spend more, i.e. lead an active lifestyle.
Ideally, combine these two methods. But practice shows that people choose one thing. Someone eats whatever they want but doesn't get out gym, and someone is lying on the sofa, but there is very little. What to choose is up to everyone to decide for themselves. The only thing you can’t do is combine both methods if you urgently want to lose weight. For example, for summer or a significant event. Abruptly starting intensive physical training coupled with minimal food consumption is fraught with serious health problems.
All nutritionists and nutritionists unanimously argue that for proper metabolism you need to know the individual number of calories per day for weight loss and eat according to the daily caloric intake - this will help you gently lose weight. However, the number of formulas and different online calculators is confusing for beginners. How to make all the calculations correctly and what to do with the resulting numbers?
What does the number of calories per day mean for weight loss?
All food that enters the body has a certain “weight”. In proportion to this indicator, the amount of energy released from food when it begins to be burned. This “weight” or energy value is indicated in kcal. If a person eats a number of calories per day that is equal to the amount of energy produced, not a single gram of food goes into “fat depots.” When the “weight” of food exceeds energy costs, the body stores it unnecessarily, turning it into fat. The opposite situation gives rise to weight loss, since the shortage will be replenished from existing glycogen reserves.
Calorie intake per day for weight loss
WHO has established a daily calorie threshold, below which it is impossible to fall, since these figures are basic minimum, required by the body to maintain vital functions. This means not only motor activity, but also the work of all organs, blood circulation, even cellular renewal. However, nutritionists later found that the “total” calorie intake per day is not entirely reasonable, because... it takes into account only the division by gender, without taking into account at all age characteristics, physical activity, muscle mass.
Daily allowance for a woman
According to WHO, girls need to consume 1200 kcal or more per day. This amount is assumed to be minimal even when losing weight, and while maintaining weight, the calorie norm for a woman can increase to 1600 kcal. Afterwards, these data were supplemented taking into account age, recalculated, and, as a result, the following average daily calorie values were obtained:
- Girls under 25 years old need to keep the range of 2000-2400 kcal.
- For women under 50 years of age, these limits should be lowered to 1800-2000 kcal.
- After 51 years, it is advisable not to consume more than 2000 kcal in the presence of physical activity, and 1600 kcal in the absence of physical activity.
Daily allowance for a man
Representatives of the stronger half need significantly more energy than women, since their body weight is a priori larger, and they often have a higher level of activity. The minimum daily calorie intake for a man is 1800 kcal, but nutritionists consider the following data to be more accurate:
- Boys under 25 years old need to eat 2400 to 3000 kcal.
- Men under 50 years old already need 2000-2800 kcal.
- After 51 years, the limits shift to 1800-2400 kcal.
How to correctly calculate calories for weight loss
It was mentioned above that a simple division by gender does not give the correct result, since representatives of both sexes can have completely different builds and needs. Experts say that an individual calculation of calorie intake for losing weight and even maintaining weight should be based on following parameters:
- age (in years);
- height (in cm);
- level of physical activity.
For children, the number of permissible calories per day for weight loss is not counted, because... their food is used primarily for the “construction” of the body and internal organs; only a clear excess is stored in fat reserves. Older people, on the contrary, need to consume less, especially if they are aiming to lose weight, because... their metabolism slows down. Human activity also plays an important role, which includes sports, walking, and household chores (ironing, cleaning, etc.). Additionally, you need to understand that calculating calories for weight loss:
- requires taking into account hormonal levels, which often make their own adjustments;
- for pregnant women is produced according to separate formulas, because they immediately feed the fetus;
- takes into account physical status - during illness, the body will not burn calories as actively.
Harris-Benedict formula
The oldest, but still working method of calculating the number of calories per day for weight loss is called a formula derived at the beginning of the 20th century. It is based on 3 main parameters - body weight, height and age. Using this formula, experts obtain an indicator of basal metabolism, and in order to calculate calories per day for weight loss, you need to find the product of the result and the energy expenditure coefficient, and then reduce this number by 20%. Similarly, it can be used to calculate the number of calories per day to increase muscle mass.
The basic calorie intake according to Harris-Benedict is calculated as follows:
- Women's: 655.1 + 9.6*Hkg + 1.85*Hcm - 4.68*Hlet.
- Male: 66.47 + 13.75*Hkg + 5*Hcm - 6.74*Hlet.
Muffin Jeor Formula
One of the methods, the result of which is recognized by doctors as reliable, is a relatively recently (in 2005) formula compiled by the American Dietetic Association, which received the name Muffin-St. It is a little easier to remember than the previous one, since only the last digit changes, and the rest are identical for both sexes. The accuracy of the data that will be obtained during the calculation is slightly lower than with the Harris-Benedict formula. First of all, you should find out the dose of calories at - 9.99 * weight, add to this 6.25 * height and subtract 4.92 * age. After:
- women subtract 161 units from the result;
- men add 5 units.
How to calculate the number of calories for weight loss online
If you don’t want to use formulas and do your own calculations or don’t have time, an online calorie counter will help. This is a calculator that works according to one of the above schemes, although the Ketch-McArdle formula can also be used, or the principle that guides WHO staff. All these counters help you calculate the number of calories with which you can maintain your figure. However, if you are aiming to lose weight, you will have to:
- Additionally, determine the level of daily physical activity.
- Find 80% of the resulting number. If you plan to lose weight if you are obese, 90% or even 95%. The deficiency should not be more than 20% of basal metabolism.
Basal metabolic rate
As already mentioned, a number of formulas help to calculate the daily amount of calories, the choice between which is made individually. You need to know your basal metabolic rate per day, which is an indicator of calorie consumption without much activity, in order to take care of your figure. It must be multiplied by the activity coefficient if the person is not bedridden, because the fact of moving from home to the place of work/study also requires additional energy expenditure. Please note that the online calculator is only suitable for persons over 18 years of age.
Determine the level of physical activity
You can gently lose weight without multiplying the minimum caloric intake by your activity level, but only in the absence of serious physical activity. For a person who has a sedentary job, the 20% difference that exists between the basic result from the calculation using formulas and the adjusted one will be in a simple way lose weight. In other cases, the existing basal metabolic rate must be multiplied by:
- 1.375 – if there are short training sessions up to 3 per week;
- 1.55 – when training up to 5 times a week for 1-1.5 hours;
- 1.725 – for daily workouts for 3-4 hours;
- 1.9 – during professional sports (preparing for competitions, etc.).
Calorie table for foods and ready meals
Calorie intake per day for the purpose of losing weight is not a starvation diet. If you study the calorie content of the dishes and products allowed on the diet given here, you will notice that you can create a menu even with some “violations” in the form of cookies or dried fruits. Vegetables, berries and fruits are not indicated, because... their calorie content ranges from 22 to 70 kcal. An approximate picture is like this:
| Calories (100 g) | Calories (100 g) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Oatmeal | Boiled chicken fillet | ||
| Baked chicken fillet | |||
| White rice | Boiled potatoes | ||
| Black rice | Boiled beef | ||
| Pasta | Mashed potatoes with milk | ||
| 550-670 kcal | White omelette | ||
| Cottage cheese 2% | Baked trout |
Zigzag calories
An alternative name for this method of losing weight is cheating. This program designed for people who at a certain point noticed a weight loss, although the caloric content of the diet did not change upward. Zigzag calories for weight loss does not allow the metabolism to slow down, so fat burning occurs at approximately the same speed. There is even a day when the calorie intake is higher than the basic one - a relaxation in nutrition is allowed.
- 3 days of minimal carbohydrates, caloric intake is reduced by 10% daily.
- 2 days – a large amount of carbohydrates, calorie intake at the level of basal metabolism or 5% higher.
- 3 days – a balanced proportion of BZHU, and the number of calories jumps like “the norm, a surplus of 10%, a deficit of 15%.”
Minimum calories per day for weight loss
It was mentioned above that it is not advisable for women to lower the calorie content of their diet per day below 1200 kcal, and for men - below 1800 kcal. However, there is also a safe calorie deficit, i.e. decreasing the individually determined basal metabolic rate by a specified number of units. According to doctors, representatives of both sexes need to consume “BOO - 500 kcal” every day. So, if your BOO is 1480 kcal, if you want to lose weight quickly, crossing the border of 980 kcal is prohibited.
Video: Calorie intake for weight loss
