Calculating Calorie Target
/But how do you calculate how many calories you need to consume to be in a calorie deficit?
The amount of calories you use per day and the number you need to consume in order to become “shredded” is dependent on a number of factors.
Your age
Your size/build: height, weight and muscle mass
Your activity factor: how active you are in your daily life, including your job, and how much exercise you do
Individual differences: people of similar ages, builds, and lifestyles can require different amounts of calories
All calculations are estimates and should be seen as good starting points. See below for a calculation method. The best way to determine if you are truly in a deficit is to monitor your calorie intake and your body weight daily.
Body weight loss should be around 1-2 pounds per week on average. If you are not seeing changes in weight, you are very likely not eating to attain a consistent calorie deficit.
Calculating Calorie Target
All calorie calculators provide an estimate; however, these estimates are almost always close enough to provide a useful starting point.
Here is a simple way to calculate your daily energy needs and calorie target for “shredding”:
1. Find your BMR (basal metabolic rate) = how much energy you expend at complete rest i.e.
if you literally stayed in bed asleep for 24 hours. BMR Calculator
MANUALLY - HARRIS-BENEDICT BMR FORMULA:
WOMEN: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
MEN: 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Here is an example of BMR of 1800 calories
2. Apply an activity factor - Multiply your BMR by an estimated factor of how active you are:
Example = 1800 x 1.4 (light activity) = 2520 calories
3. Subtract 500-700 calories - A larger deficit = faster fat loss but more difficult to sustain. It is best to start with the most calories possible to allow for lowering them later.
Example = 2520 calories - 500 calories = 2020 calories
TRACKING CALORIES
How to Track Your Calorie Intake
Track using an app such as MyFitnessPal or Cronometer; it is the most effective way to determine how many calories you eat and ensure you are actually eating at your calorie target.
Eating in a calorie deficit is the only way a person on ANY type of diet loses weight.
Only in the absence of sufficient calories will our body use our internal calorie stores (our body fat) resulting in weight loss.
So the importance of being in a caloric deficit in order to lose weight cannot be stressed enough.
TRACKING is a very valuable tool and the most reliable way to determine how many calories you are actually eating.
Being accurate and consistent with how you track is important and weighing your food with a food scale will allow you to input the correct amount into your app.
If you are aware of your calorie needs and proficient in tracking calories, you have all that you need to be able to lose weight!
If you are not losing weight, it is usually because you are not truly in a deficit. Revise your tracking accuracy, and if you are certain that you are not losing weight after 2 weeks, reduce your calories by 200-300 and reassess after another 2 weeks.
Be careful not to be overly restrictive. Generally speaking, under 1200 calories is not recommended without the supervision of a dietitian, due to the risks of nutrient deficiency, health problems, and disordered eating.