ATD: How Many Calories and How Much Exercise to Lose Weight?
Question:
I am a 64 year old female, 4ft 11 in tall and weigh 176 pounds. How many calories a day should I eat to lose weight and how much walking would help?I have a bad back so walking is the only exercise I feel would be safe for me. thank you, cathy
Answer:
Dear Cathy,
Because of your age and stature you will need quite a low calorie intake to promote weight loss. At about 1500 calories per day you should see a weight loss of 1/2 pound per week. Reducing calorie intake further is more likely to have you missing vital nutrients and staying too hungry to stick to this regimen for a length of time. You can still eat plenty of food on 1500 calories (I do so, myself!). It will just have to be high-volume and nutrient-dense for the most part: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. There just won’t be room for sauces and sweets.
As far as walking goes, that can be all the exercise you need! For every mile you walk the average person burns 100 calories. This will get another pound off each month. If you walk two miles a day, of course that will bring a 2 pound weight loss at the end of the month. Combining exercise with a lower calorie diet can easily have you losing a pound each week.
Every day you decide to make healthier eating choices and engage in physical activity will be another day that you burn more calories than you take in, and eventually the weight will come off! The really good news is that you will feel better in the mean time as you reduce fat intake, increase fiber and vitamins, and exercise your muscles 
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Written by Laurie Beebe
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About The Author: Laurie Beebe has been a registered dietitian for 25 years and is certified in adult weight management. Laurie currently serves as a Related posts:
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