Suggested Daily Caloric Intake for Weight Loss

One pound of fat is the equivalent of 3,500 calories. In order to lose weight at a rate of one pound per week, you must burn an average of 500 calories more than you take in each day. The amount of calories you need to maintain your current weight is dependent upon your age, sex, height and weight. Each person will need a different amount of calories per day to lose weight.

Calculating BMR

• A number of methods are available to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), or the amount of calories you burn on a regular day without adding physical activity. One of these methods is known as the Schofield equation, which uses weight in kilograms to calculate the BMR.

  For men aged 18 to 29, the BMR is equal to 15.1 x weight + 692. For men aged 30 to 59, the BMR equals 11.5 x weight + 873.

  For women aged 18 to 29, the BMR is 14.8 x weight + 487. For women aged 30 to 59, the BMR is 8.3 x weight + 846.

  According to the Schofield method, a woman who weighs 70 kilograms, or approximately 154 pounds, would burn approximately 1427 calories per day. This number is not always exact and can fluctuate by roughly 100 calories.

  An easier alternative for calculating the BMR is to use an online calorie calculator. One such calculator is available on the Clinician's Ultimate Reference webpage, listed in the Reference section. By plugging in information about your age, height, weight, sex and daily activity level, the calculator will determine how many calories you need to reach your desired weight.

Exercise

• Active people require more calories than sedentary people, even those trying to lose weight. If your BMR is 1,500 calories per day, you can lose one pound a week by cutting down to 1,000 calories a day. However, this is a very low level of calories and may deny your body the nutrients and energy it needs to stay healthy. The recommended minimum calorie intake is 1,200 for women, 1,800 for men, according to freedieting.com. A better choice is to introduce exercise into your routine.

  Cut your daily calories by 250 and burn at least 250 calories through exercise each day, and you can still expect to lose one pound per week by eating 1,200 calories a day. If you are trying to lose two pounds per week, do a more intense activity that burns more calories, with a goal of burning 1,000 excess calories per day. A healthy weight loss range is one to two pounds per week. See Resources for information on calories burned through various activities.