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Calorie Counting Guidelines

Cutting calories has long been a strategy for losing weight. Your body converts calories into energy or stores it away in the form of fat if you consume more calories than you need for your level of physical activity. There are more calories in fat than in carbohydrates or proteins. In a 2009 Harvard Medical School publication, experts discuss appropriate ways to determine your calorie target and how to meet that goal.

  1. How to Determine Your Calorie Target

    • You first need to calculate the number of calories per pound that you have to consume to maintain your current weight. To do this, multiply your current weight by 15, which is "roughly the number of calories per pound of body weight needed to maintain your current weight if you are moderately active," according to experts at Harvard Medical School.
      Second, you need to determine the number of calories to cut from your diet to lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week (anything more in such a short time frame could be unhealthy); you should subtract 500 to 1,000 calories from your diet each day. However, Harvard experts warn that eating less than 1,200 calories per day could be damaging to your health, so you should not consume less than that amount.
      For example, if your current weight is 160 pounds, you will first multiply 160 by 15, resulting in 2,400 calories needed to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose 2 lbs. per week, subtract 1,000 calories from your daily intake, lowering it to 1,400 calories per day.

    Counting Calories

    • The best way to count calories is to keep a recorded journal of your food intake. Look at the labels and portion sizes of everything that you eat to record calories. Planning your meals ahead of time is also an effective way to control caloric intake. If specific caloric information is not available, there are several things that you can do to cut calories. If you are eating meat, opt for lean cuts and stay away from fat. Don't eat fried foods or snacks filled with empty calories, such as chips or candy bars. Eat foods that are high in protein; they will leave you feeling full longer, and stay away from sugary drinks like sodas and alcohol.

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