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The recipe for a slim figure is simple- just eat less and move more. But what exactly does that mean? The term “move more” is more or less clear to everyone, but how to understand “eat less”? How much is “less”? How much can I eat during the day to maintain my weight? And how much if I want to eat to lose weight? Women can worry about this question their whole lives, while the answer is hidden in a very simple formula!
Adjusting your diet is essential when shaping your figure. If you consume an excess of calories during the day, we gain weight.
If you starve and your energy intake is insufficient, your metabolism slows down and you paradoxically gain weight, so to speak, even from water.
So how many calories per day are optimal?
Basic formula
Currently the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that calorie intake should be adjusted to THIS formula :.
For women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
For men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
So for a 30-year-old woman with a height of 170 cm and a weight of 65 kg the calorie calculation for the body’s normal functioning at rest is:
(10 × 65) + (6.25 × 170) – (5 × 30) – 161 = 1,401.5
Total calorie intake
But of course that’s not all. The formula must also take into account your physical activity during the day, so you must multiply this result by a specific number:
- If you have no physical activity and spend much of your time sitting, multiply the result by 1.2.
- If you go for a short run or do a few exercises 1 to 3 times a week, multiply the result by 1.375.
- If you do a moderate amount of sports 3 to 5 times a week, multiply the calorie count by 1.55.
- If you have a full training program 6 to 7 times a week, then you must multiply the number by 1.725.
- Finally, if your job involves physical activity and you exercise at least twice a week, you must multiply the result by 1.9.
So for the girl with the given parameters who will go for runs several times a week, the allowed number of calories will be 1,401.5 × 1.375 = 1,927.06. However, if the girl trains 6-7 times a week, her daily norm would be 1,401.5 × 1.725 = 2,427.6.
According to research this formula does not work for everyone, because each body has its own metabolic rate and different amount of muscle. In addition, there are other factors. For example, this formula does not work for people who are obese and can only be used for those with a more or less “normal” weight.
How to lose weight healthily?
Those who plan to lose weight slowly without any risk to their health should reduce the result they get by 250 calories. If you plan to lose weight faster, reduce the result by 500 calories. However, do not forget that the daily norm should not be lower than 1,200 calories for women and 1,400 for men!
Let’s look at the formula using the same woman from the example. Suppose she exercises 3 to 5 times a week and wants to lose weight safely. That means she must multiply the result by 1.55.
1,401.5 × 1.55 – 250 = 1,922.325
Her diet must be planned so that the daily norm is not higher than 1,920 calories. If she eats this number of calories, she will lose about 250 g per week.
If she needs to lose weight faster, the number of calories she consumes should be approximately 1,420. This way she will lose about 500 g per week even without additional exercise.
