Calories Needed Per Day

The calories needed per day will vary from person to person. Weight loss is a simple matter of consuming fewer calories per day than calories burned. How many calories you burn depends on your metabolism rate which is different for each individual.

Sounds like a simple enough idea, just a matter of watching what you eat in respect to the calories needed per day. The problem is knowing the basic number value associated with the many activities you perform each day. Did you know the act of blinking actually burns calories throughout the day? Nevertheless, before we get to the number of calories you burn with various activities, we need to look at the base calories needed just to sustain your current weight.

For the average body with a normal range of activity, 1700-2200 are the calories needed per day to maintain your current weight. Regular light activities consist of running errands, household cleaning, walking to your vehicle, breathing etc…. If you consume calories within this range, you should neither lose nor gain weight.

The problem is that the above numbers are based on the light activity level of a 25-30 year old woman. What if you are a 40-year-old man who has a physically demanding profession? Of course, the numbers are going to change. The calories needed per day are based on gender, activity level, current weight and even height. This is what is known as your basal metabolic rate and you can use the following simple formula to figure yours.

Men- To maintain your weight you can use this simple formula- 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years)

Women- For women the numbers will be slightly different- 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

That takes care of gender, weight, height and age differences, now the final calculation is done based on activity levels. Take the total number from above and multiply it by the number below that most closely represents the amount of activity you receive in a normal day.

All of the above information will help you to know how many calories are needed to maintain your current weight, but what if you would like to lose some weight. This goes back to the simple instructions above, consume fewer calories and track the number of calories burned. Learning ways to rev up your metabolism will help as well.

Begin with the chart above to determine the base calories you need. Now understand that each pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. Simply put, there are 3500 calories in one pound.

Therefore, to lose one pound per week you would need to trim your calories needed per day by 500. You can do this by counting calories in the food you consume alone, or by increasing activity to a level, that 500 calories burned a day is achieved. However, the best idea is probably a combination of both, for several reasons.

When looking to lose weight it is often to look and feel better. Getting your blood pumping through exercise helps in both these areas. Exercise stimulates blood flow which increases oxygen to muscles and internal organs, triggers the brain to release endorphins, and gives you a depression busting feeling of accomplishment. Plus it burns calories and helps you lose weight, a total win/win situation!

Now the final piece of your weight loss puzzle is in the number of calories burned for a specific activity. These figures will vary some based on gender, starting weight and age. The below figures are based on 150 lb female 25-40 years old and the calories burned per activity per hour.