Finding The Right Number Of Calories To Lose Weight Fast

By: Sean Nalewanyj Click author's name for more of his/her articles

When beginning an effective weight loss plan, you need to understand how to structure a proper daily intake of calories to lose weight fast. Studies have shown that majorly depriving your body of calories works against you-a more effective solution is a small reduction in calories that will burn fat slowly but consistently.

Reducing a round number of calories, for example 500 or 1,000 calories, isn't the best way to address the reduction of your calorie intake.Cutting say 500 to 1,000 calories from your daily intake is not the most accurate way to come up with the number of calories to reduce. The reason is that the number of calories taken in varies greatly from person to person, and this makes a round number reduction either too high or too low for your normal calorie intake.

For example, cutting 500 calories from a 3,500-calorie diet plan makes a much smaller impact than cutting those same 500 calories from a 2,000-calorie diet.

Using a percentage decrease in calories to lose weight fast is the better approach. The percentage that's most effective, and widely used, is 15-20% percent less than your maintenance calorie level. The number of calories that you need each day to maintain your present weight is your maintenance level.

There are two different formulas you can use to get your own number of daily calories to lose weight fast...

The "Harris Benedict Formula" is based on your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories your body needs to perform natural processes like circulation, breathing, and digestion. You then use an activity multiplier to take into account your additional daily activities to determine how many calories you need daily to maintain your current weightThe next step is to use an activity multiplier to account for your daily activities, and this will give you a figure that tells how many calories you need to stay at your current weight.

To find the number of calories to lose weight fast, reduce this number by 15-20%.

Figure out your BMR with the following formula:

Men: 66 + (13.7 * bodyweight in kg) + (5 * height in cm) - (6.8 * age in years) = BMR

Women: 655 + (9.6 * bodyweight in kg) + (1.8 * height in cm) - (4.7 * age in years) = BMR

The next step is to multiply this number by the following activity multiplier:

Sedentary = BMR * 1.2 (if you get little to no exercise)
Lightly Active = BMR * 1.375 (if you get light exercise: 1-3 days a week)
Moderately Active = BMR * 1.55 (if you get moderate exercise: 3-5 days a week)
Very active = BMR * 1.725 (if you get intense exercise: 6-7 days a week)
Extremely Active = BMR * 1.9 (if you get intense daily exercise and you also have a strenuous physical job).

You'll get the target number of calories to lose weight fast by decreasing this number by 15-20%.

The second formula to determine your target calorie reduction is the "Katch-McArdle Formula". This formula gives a more accurate reading as it considers lean body mass, all of which works to help you figure the right number of calories to lose weight fast.

Calculate your BMR by using the Katch-McArdle formula in the following way:

BMR = 370 + (21.6 x lean mass in kg)

Lean body mass is any type of body weight that isn't fat. You can figure out this number if you've had your body fat levels tested.

If you have a body type that is a bit more extreme-either very thin or very fat-it's even more critical to factor in lean body mass to figure your target number of calories to lose weight fast. Once you've factored in your lean body mass, you simply use the activity multiplier and then reduce by the 15-20% required.

If you cut calories by more than this amount, you'll trigger your body's natural starvation mechanisms and slow down your results. If your calorie intake becomes too little, your body stops burning fat as a way to conserve energy.

Reducing calories to lose weight fast by using a percentage of your typical caloric intake will ensure that your metabolism stays steady, your body burns fat, and your lean muscle mass doesn't decrease.

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