How Many Calories Should I Be Eating Per Day?

    Listen, we’ve all been there: we decide it’s time to lose a couple pounds, go to calculate how much we need to eat, and BOOM. We’re told we need to eat some ridiculously small amount, like 800 calories a day. Now, there are some people out there who can be sustained on an 800 calorie diet (a child, for example), but I have some good news for you: today we are going to calculate how many calories you ACTUALLY need to eat to lose weight… without starving yourself. 

         Now, I know that we’ve learned for years that to lose weight, you have to cut out food groups, eat salads (also known as rabbit food) all the time, and be generally miserable, but I promise you, that is NOT true! By taking matters into your own hands and calculating your caloric needs based on your lifestyle, you don’t have to trust some generic number thrown out there; you can own your health and do what’s best for you. 

Step One: Calculate Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) 

            If I already lost you with step one, don’t worry; the calculations we do to determine your caloric needs seem a whole lot more technical than they are. Simply put, your BMR is the total amount of calories your body needs to take in to function at its most basic level. Every single process your body performs, such as pumping blood, breathing, etc., requires energy in the form of calories, so even when you’re sleeping or laying on your couch watching Netflix (I 100% have Stranger Things playing while typing this), you are burning calories. Your BMR is based on your weight, height, age, and sex, seeing as your body has different energy requirements based on your size; if you’re taller, then you have a greater area where blood is being pumped, which requires more energy, which means you’ll have to eat a bit more. By calculating your BMR, you’ll have a basic number of calories you need to eat in a day to function normally; you can calculate this here. When you calculate your BMR, make sure to choose sedentary for your activity level (I’ll explain this a bit later!), write down your BMR, and come back here for more instruction on how to find your TDEE and activity levels. 

Step Two: Figure out your Activity Level and Calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) 

            Now that we know how many calories you need to function on a basic level, we need to take into account your activity level; your TDEE is the amount of calories you burn in a day. Your TDEE takes into account the time you spent at the gym, the times you walked from the couch to the bathroom, all that good stuff. In order to find your TDEE, we’ll have to factor in your activity level, or how often you’re usually active in a day. While figuring out your activity levels and calculating your TDEE, it’s so important to be honest with yourself: I promise you, nobody is judging you, and skewing your answers will only hinder your results in the long run. In addition, it’s good to keep in mind that many people tend to overestimate their activity levels; I know, I know, your fitness tracker lied to you. You might not be as active as you think you are, so try to really self-evaluate and be honest with your answers. 

 Once you’ve discovered your activity level, you’ll just want to return to the page where you calculated your BMR and input the correct activity level!

If you’re… 

• Couch surfing more than walking, you’re probably sedentary. 

o   This means that you do not choose to be active at all; whether by choice or not, your Instagram bio says ~regular couch surfer~. Hey, that’s okay- I’m pretty sedentary in the winter; I like to hibernate. 

o   Select sedentary  on the BMR and TDEE calculator. 

•  Taking nice long walks a couple of times a week, you’re probably lightly active.

o   This means you enjoy your casual, 30 minute daily walks or your short runs; you like to get out and move, but you also like your inactive days. 

o   Select lightly active on the BMR and TDEE calculator. 

• Working out each day and enjoy your daily walks, you’re probably moderately active. 

o   This means you’re exercising vigorously for about 50 minutes each day, or you walk for about 2 hours every day. You’re not constantly moving, but you make the gym a priority. 

o   Select moderately active on the BMR and TDEE calculator. 

• Constantly moving and remaining active during work or exercising a TON, you’re probably very active. 

o   This means you are exercising for over 4 hours each day, or vigorously exercising for 2 hours per day; your life revolves around activity and exercise. First of all, major props to you- I could never. 

o   Select very active on the BMR and TDEE calculator. 

Step Three: Subtract Calories from your TDEE to Lose Weight! 

            Now that you have your TDEE, or the calories you burn each day, you can discover how many calories you need to eat to lose weight. Now first and foremost, we have to understand that weight loss happens when you eat fewer calories than you burn: this means that you’re in a caloric deficit. Weight loss only occurs once you’re in this deficit; no matter what diet you’re trying, it won’t work unless you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning. Easier said than done, huh? 

            Now that you know how many calories you’re burning per day, your TDEE, you can figure out how much of a deficit you need to be in. For each 3,500 calories you burn, you lose a pound of body fat, so many people like to cut 500 calories from their daily caloric intake to lose a pound of fat a week. This will result in gradual, sustainable weight loss without starving yourself.  

Remember: Consistency is key! 

            Now, losing a pound a week might not seem fast enough, but it will make a huge difference in the long run. If you’re losing a pound a week, and there are 52 weeks in a year, you could be down 52 pounds in one year; that is a hugeaccomplishment for many looking to lose some weight. A moderate caloric deficit might not get you quick results, but it will help you learn sustainable habits and keep the weight off, both of which are far more important than dropping a few pounds fast. 

Tips and Tricks for Healthy Weight Loss

1.     Increase your protein intake 

a.     Not only will protein help you build muscle and increase strength in the gym, it also can help satisfy you and keep you fuller for longer. It’s also important to eat a fair bit of protein while cutting calories so that you lose mostly fat, not muscle mass; we recommend eating at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. That means if you weigh 160 pounds, you should be eating 160g of protein per day, or the equivalent of 3 chicken breasts. It might seem like a lot, but I promise you, it’s better than starving yourself with crash diets! 

2.     Focus on whole foods! 

a.     No, not the store… although I do love Whole Foods. They have the best croissants. Anyway, when losing weight (and all the time), a diet full of whole foods can be extremely filling and helpful! This means eating lots of fruits, vegetables, meats, healthy fats, etc.; focusing on a whole food-rich diet can often lead to lowered caloric intake and more vitamins! 

3.     Cut down on high calorie drinks! 

a.     I love my Baja Blast as much as the next gal, but unfortunately, sugary, high-calorie drinks provide no nutritional value and are way too easy to overconsume. Try to focus on drinking zero calorie drinks; you’d be surprised how big of a difference that can make in your total caloric intake! 

4.     Get more active! 

a.     Whether it’s an extra couple minutes at the gym or another walk around the block, a little extra activity never hurt. Extra activity means extra calories being burned, so you might be able to see some faster weight loss! 

Just remember… 

            First of all, you are not your weight. Your weight does not define your worth, and you are more than numbers on a scale. If your weight is something you want to see change, then that is more than possible! You can reach your goal weight, no questions asked! But it’s important to keep in mind that your health goes far beyond your weight, and you should always check with a primary care physician before making any drastic changes to your lifestyle. 

            If you are just beginning or in the middle of your weight-loss journey, then I hope this serves as some motivation for you: you are killing it! Weight loss is a gradual journey, and you’ll get where you need to be. Be patient, be kind to yourself, and remember: there is room in every weight loss journey for your favorite foods, so go eat that donut!