Daily caloric needs vary from person to person.
When calculating the number of calories that you should eat, consider your current body composition, your weight goals and the level of physical activity that you regularly reach. Obviously, small people with sedentary lifestyles are going to require fewer calories than bigger people with active lifestyles. So keep these factors in mind when you calculate your own caloric needs. Also, remember to consult with your doctor before making any drastic changes in your diet.
Instructions
1. Determine your weight goal. Decide if your aim is to lose, gain or maintain weight.
2. Consider your body composition. A man with a large build who weighs approximately 250 pounds is obviously going to require more calories to maintain weight than a small framed woman weighing only 120 pounds.
3. Consider your activity levels. If you are sedentary for most of the day and do not exercise regularly, then you require fewer calories than others that lead more active lifestyles.
4. Calculate the number of calories that you need to maintain your current weight by multiplying your current weight by 12. However, know that this general rule of thumb only applies to those people who lead an inactive lifestyle. If you engage in a moderate amount of physical activity on a daily basis, then add 200 to 300 calories. If you engage in more strenuous physical activity on a daily basis, then add 400 to 500 calories or more, depending on the severity of your physical exertion.
5. Calculate the number of calories that you require daily to lose weight by reducing the number of calories that it would take to maintain your weight by approximately 300 to 400 if you are slightly overweight and by approximately 700-800 if you are substantially overweight. Doctors generally recommend that you lose weight gradually. Do not restrict your diet by more than 800 calories a day, unless your doctor advises you to do it.
6. Calculate the number of calories that you require daily to gain weight by using the same formula as for weight loss, but add, rather than subtract, those figures.
