Summer/swimsuit season is almost here, which has many of us thinking about drinks with umbrellas and dropping a few pounds!
In order to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. The big question is: how many calories should you be eating? We’re going to break it down for you and make it easy. Well, the calculations, anyway.
Most experts agree that the following works as a baseline for determining daily caloric needs.
- Bodyweight X 12 = weight loss
Before we plug in your numbers, let’s do a practice run. For this example, we’ll use a 150-pound person who wants to lose body fat. 150 X 12 = 1800 calories
Now, let’s divide her total calories by the number of meals she intends to eat throughout the day. 1800/4 = 450 calories at each meal
Obviously, this is only a starting point. No two people have the same metabolism or activity level, but this simple formula does provide an adequate starting point.
NOW LET'S DO YOU.
If you don’t have access to a scale or don’t want to weigh yourself, do your best to estimate. For the purposes of this equation, it’s better to slightly overestimate rather than underestimate.
Bodyweight X 12 = daily caloric allowance _____ X 12 = ________
If you want to really JUMP START things, you can multiply your bodyweight X 10 for the first couple of weeks (but not any longer).
MINDFULNESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A HEALTHY DIET.
We recommend the free app, My Fitness Pal. It has an enormous database, so it’s fast and easy to enter foods. Additionally, MFP automatically calculates macronutrient percentages (protein, carbs, and fat) and instantly provides you with an easy-to-understand pie chart.
Focusing on macronutrients is Phase 2, so the pie chart will prove to be invaluable! Click here if you want to learn more about macronutrient goals. (And please touch base with your doctor before making any major dietary changes!)
Still have questions? Shoot us an email - we’d love to help!
