ATD: How Many Calories Do I Need?

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Question:

I weigh 222 and I’m about 5 feet even. I need to know how many calories I should take in a day. — Syvie

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Answer:

Dear Syvie,

Unfortunately, there is not a simple answer I can give you based on the information you’ve provided:  Here are some of the missing pieces.  First, oddly enough I cannot be sure from your name whether you are male or female, and males burn more calories than females of the same size because they generally carry more muscle mass.

Second, you do not mention that you would like to lose weight, although I am assuming that you do.  In that case, you’ll have to decide how much you are willing to change and how quickly you would like to lose.  Usually it’s much easier to shoot for a pound a week, allowing you to make less drastic changes in your usual eating habits.  You might be determined to go for two pounds a week, but you’ll have to eat quite a bit less than you have been.

Third, I would have to know your activity level and your age, as these also affect the calories you burn.  Doing some sort of exercise (and this might be gardening, walking, biking, or some activity you enjoy) will help you lose weight by burning up more calories, allowing you to eat a bit more while still losing weight.

Once we have a good idea of the number of calories you are burning each day, we can subtract a few hundred and get a great estimate of a level suitable for safe weight loss.  Once you have this number, by the way, do you have an idea of how you are going to follow the particular calorie level?  It’s not easy counting the calories in every food you eat all day long, especially those without labels such as fresh fruits, meats, and restaurant meals.  You might want to check into some of the online diet diary sites that let you enter the foods you eat and keep a daily tally of your calorie intake.

Now click on this calorie calculator, enter your height, weight, age, gender, and activity level and we’ll let you know the answer to your question! http://www.you-on-a-diet.net/calorie-calculator.php

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Do you have a question for the Dietician?  Submit your question here!

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Written by Laurie Beebe

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 diet coach and life coach at www.mycoachlaurie.com

Related posts:

1. ATD: How Many Calories Should I Start My Diet With?
2. How Many Calories Do You Need?
3. ATD: How Many Calories and How Much Exercise to Lose Weight?