Daily Calorie Intake To Lose Weight Fast

Though calorie counting feels like something we left (thank goodness) in the nineties, sometimes we want to know the answer to: 'how many calories should a woman eat?' Figures, since calories are often determining factors when it comes to working towards wellbeing goals, healthy weight loss and trying to lose body fat, sustainably.

Unfortunately, the world of calories is quite confusing. More often than not, guidance is vague, and, left to our own devices (aka Google), we regularly end up with more questions than when we started.

Ever scrolled down the bazillion results for 'how many calories should I eat a day?' or 'how many calories do I need a day' and come away still scratching your head? You're not alone. (And that's before we throw in any variables about trying to build muscle or working to get rid of belly fat.)

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Factoring in how much you weigh, how tall you are and how active your life is, it all comes down to the individual. Plus, what works for your body will probably change over time — as your metabolism varies, in the latter stages of pregnancy, when exercising regularly. Not to mention the different nutrient values between foods with the same calories.

A calorie is a unit of measurement: 1 calorie is the exact amount of energy it would take to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1-degree celsius.

Calories are measured in how many we consume through food and how many we burn, either through exercise or simply being alive. This is known as our TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and takes everything we do that uses energy into account, including sleeping, thinking and breathing.

How Many Calories Should You Eat? Weight Loss Calculator

When it comes to food though, it's important to note that 1g of food does not equal 1 calorie. The number of calories in food follows this equation: carbohydrate + protein + fat = total calories.

And, no: carbs, protein and fat don't all contain the same amount of calories per gram, either. Check the breakdown below for how many calories each contains.

Confusing, eh? Not to worry, the more you interact with calories and macronutrients (the collective term for protein, carbs, fat), the easier it'll be to remember.

How Many Calories To Eat Daily To Lose Weight? (get This Right!)

So, how many calories should a woman eat? At its most basic, the guidance looks like this: For the average woman looking to maintain their current weight, the NHS recommends around 2, 000 per day. But Public Health England guidelines recommend fewer than that – advising that you follow a daily plan of 400, (breakfast) 600, (lunch) and 600 (dinner) calories.

Again, this is a super generalised viewpoint. Taking an individual approach is essential, as is considering the nutrient value of foods beyond their caloric content. Keep reading.

Our age can affect our calorie intake more than you might think. Research analysed from the US Department for Heath and Human Services has shown that women tend to consume around 200 calories less in their 30s than they do in their 20s, and women 50-60 plus consume between 200-400 calories less than they do in their 20s, depending on how active their lifestyle is. So, why, you ask?

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Age can be a biggie when it comes to calculating how many calories to eat a day; there are a couple of reasons why.

Muscle loss, a slower metabolism and being less active in general as we age can make weight gain easier so, by keeping a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy calorie intake for your body, you're able to maintain a healthy weight through the years.

Due to the prevalence of crash dieting and fad diets – some of which suggest a dangerously low caloric intake – there's a lot of confusion about how many calories you should be eating. Especially as it differs from person to person based on your body type, lifestyle and activity levels.

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So, how do you work out what to eat for your height and weight? With our handy 'how many calories should I eat' calculator, of course. Follow the steps below to learn more about the recommended daily calories for women and how to work out yours.

Firstly, you need to calculate your basal metabolic rate – this is the number of calories your body needs to keep trucking on. This can be done by following the Harris-Benedict equation:

So, for a 33-year-old, 52 woman who weighs 128 lbs, who cycles to work twice a week and attends two yoga classes, her equation would look like this: 655 + (4.35 x 128) + (4.7 x 62) - (4.7 x 33) = 1348.1 x 1.55 = 2089.5

How Many Calories You Should Be Eating To Lose Weight

The number you're left with is the number of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight. If you want to start gaining weight or lose weight well, this number can be tweaked using a UK calorie deficit calculator. More on this below. But, if you want to maintain your weight, this is the number to aim for.

Quelle surprise, it's a little more complex than a 'how many calories should I eat to lose weight' Google search. If you want to lose body fat or weight your recommended daily calories total will be tweaked slightly. Let's take the woman above and say she wanted to lose fat.

Weight loss happens when fewer calories are being consumed than are being burned through exercise and general daily activity. This is called a 'calorie deficit' and the exact number will be different for everyone.

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Of course, a calorie deficit will look different for everyone, and if you have any persisting concerns it might be best to consult a nutritionist or registered dietician to help you out. Otherwise, use the handy info below to work out yours.

The NHS recommends aiming to lose 0.5g to 1kg per week until you reach a 'healthy' weight for your height (though, bear in mind that BMI is not a reliable measurement of health, since it doesn’t differentiate between fat, muscle, bone and so on), and suggests a calorie deficit of 500-600 calories per day.

You can create a calorie deficit by increasing your energy expenditure through exercise or NEAT exercise (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), which refers to everything you do that's not exercising, or by lowering your daily calorie intake.

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Now you know your rough calorie goal, it's time to talk about how to break it down into actual foods. Because, as many experts attest, there's more to healthy weight loss than just hitting your magic number.

, you should be focusing on the quality of the foods that make up your daily calorie intake, not just the quantity. The study’s takeaway is simple: cut back on highly processed foods, refined grains and added sugar, and increase your intake of vegetables and whole foods.

'Nutrient-dense foods – such as whole grains, dairy, vegetables, fruit and fish – not only feed your mouth and stomach, they will satiate your muscles, digestive system, tissues and bones, ' says dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine.

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These foods bring about greater gains than if you’d, say, chomped on a chocolate bar, which is what the study found. This is because the diets of those involved contained more nutrient-dense foods, so they ended up naturally eating less without even thinking about it.

'I promote being calorie aware over calorie counting, ' says Ludlam-Raine. 'Calorie counting can lead you to ignore true hunger and satiety signals so should be a guide, rather than a way to live your life.

You eat that matters most. Non-quality calories – i.e foods that contain minimal amounts of nutrients or 'empty calories' – may taste good but they only give a temporary fix.'

Lose Weight Fast

So, instead of your weight-loss journey being a blur of hunger pangs and hanger and it could feel much easier. Ready to give it a go?

'And, because healthy living is about sustainable living... if you eat 80% healthy foods then you can afford to indulge in foods that don't provide

Studies suggest that you don't need to cut out food groups (e.g. follow a strict low-carb or low-fat plan) nor go hell for leather during your home workouts and gym workouts.

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As long as your plate is always piled with veggies, whole grains and is, predominantly, homemade, you could expect to lose up to 13 pounds in a year (that's just under a stone), as well as decrease your waist size, lose body fat, and improve blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Winner.

We mentioned it briefly earlier, but let's get to grips with how counting your macros can help with hitting your calorie goals, too.

Put simply, counting your macros is a nutrition technique used to help you lose fat, build muscle or gain weight more efficiently. By tweaking the ratios of what you eat (protein, fat and carbohydrates), you can help expedite these processes. It doesn't have to be a daunting task (in fact, we broke down exactly how to calculate your macros and what the best macros for fat loss are), but if you're just getting going we'd recommend sticking with using the calorie counter for now.

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If you're already a dab hand at tracking but want to start fine-tuning your goals, get around the macro calculator below.