How Many Calories Should I Burn a Day to Lose Weight?

The number of calories you should aim to burn each day to lose weight depends on several factors, including your age, sex, weight, activity level, and goals (e.g., how much weight you want to lose and in what timeframe). However, the general principle for weight loss is to create a caloric deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume.

How to Calculate Your Daily Calorie Burn for Weight Loss:

1. Estimate Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): Your TDEE represents the total calories you burn in a day, including all activities (basal metabolism, exercise, etc.). To estimate your TDEE, you first need to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the number of calories your body needs to function at rest.BMR Calculation Example (Mifflin-St Jeor Equation):
   • For women: BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)−161BMR = 10 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 6.25 \times \text{height (cm)} – 5 \times \text{age (years)} – 161BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)−161
   • For men: BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)+5BMR = 10 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 6.25 \times \text{height (cm)} – 5 \times \text{age (years)} + 5BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)+5
2. Adjust for Activity Level: Once you have your BMR, you can adjust it based on your activity level to find your TDEE.Activity Levels:
   • Sedentary (little to no exercise): BMR × 1.2
   • Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days a week): BMR × 1.375
   • Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days a week): BMR × 1.55
   • Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR × 1.725
   • Extremely active (very hard exercise, physical job): BMR × 1.9
3. Create a Caloric Deficit: To lose weight, you typically need to create a 500-750 calorie deficit per day, which can lead to losing about 1–1.5 pounds per week (a safe and sustainable rate).
   • If your TDEE is 2,500 calories per day, eating 2,000–2,500 calories per day should help you lose weight at a gradual pace.
   • If your TDEE is 2,000 calories per day, consuming 1,500–1,750 calories per day would create a deficit.

Example for Weight Loss:

• Step 1: Calculate your BMR (say it’s 1,500 calories).
• Step 2: Adjust for activity (lightly active with a TDEE of 2,000 calories).
• Step 3: To lose weight, create a deficit by eating 1,500–1,750 calories per day, or burning an additional 500–750 calories per day through exercise and activity.

Important Notes:

• Extreme Deficits Are Not Recommended: Very low-calorie diets can slow down metabolism, result in muscle loss, and negatively affect energy levels.
• Sustainable Approach: Aiming for 1–2 pounds of weight loss per week is a sustainable and healthy goal.
• Track Progress: Use apps or fitness trackers to estimate your calorie burn through exercise, and adjust your intake accordingly.

Would you like help calculating your specific calorie needs based on your age, weight, and activity level?