Weight loss calculator

[Melissa]

I know I have seen one of these before but I can't find it now. I want a calculator where you can put in the number of calories per day and how much weight you want to lose and it will tell you about how long that should take. Anyone have a link?

[Chickadee_42us]

Gosh - gosh - I need this information too. About to s t r e t c h my slacks as far as they can go.

Just doing a quick search - found this one. I haven't entered anything yet so I cannot vouch for the detail.

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_loss.php - there are three different calculators to select from, one said 'calories per day'.

[jlrbhjmnc]

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cal...ulator/NU00598

[Tracy Rimmer]

To lose 1 lb of weight, one must create a 3500 calorie deficit in the diet. To maintain your weight, most people need between 13-16 calories per pound of body weight per day.

So, if you are a 150lb average woman, you need approximately 2,200 calories per day to maintain your weight. If you wish to lose 10 lbs, you'll have to create a deficit of 35,000 calories. If you cut out 500 calories per day, and go down to a 1,700 calorie per day diet, it will take you 70 days to lose the ten pounds.

Or thereabouts. Our bodies are strange things -- they adjust for what they feel is "starvation", so you're going to lose weight more slowly if you eat one meal that equals those 1700 calories per day than you would if you stuffed yourself with lower-calorie items consistently over the day that totalled 1700 calories. It's not purely a case of calorie-in, calorie-out.

[Melissa]

Great info Tracy. I think the calculators take into account that when you have lost weight you lose less on the lower calories. <clear as mud huh??)

For example, you start out weighing 175 pounds, so you need X amount of calories to maintain your weight. If you eat Y calories instead, you will lose 5 pounds that month. So the next month you weigh 170 pounds, now you need Z amount of calories to maintain the weight so if you eat Y amount of calories you lose only 4 pounds that month. I think the calculators would figure that out for you!

[Melissa]

Originally Posted by jlrbhjmnc

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cal...ulator/NU00598

This calculator tells you how many calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight. Mine says 2200, which is probably right because I tend to eat about 2000 or so a day when I keep track.

[Tracy Rimmer]

It's probably a better (long term) method to figure out the calorie requirement of the target weight (i.e., I want to weigh 130lbs, so I should eat 130X~14 calories per day = 1820 cal per day.

It may take a little longer, but your body will adjust to the new eating habits, and best of all, by the time you reach your goal, you don't have to learn yet another set of habits to maintain it.

[nandmsmom]

I like Sparkpeople.com They have a great calculator and tell you how many calories to eat to get there and how many calories you should burn. All for free. Great site.

[jlrbhjmnc]

Re: the Mayo Clinic calculator - yes, it gives a maintenance level. I use that and 3500 calories per pound to decide on the number of calories to eat and lose weight over a month. I have found going below about 1600 calories a day does not work for me. And I have to keep my carbs below 40% and protein as close to 30% as I can. But knowing that basic maintenance number is my starting point.

[ronbre]

www.myfatsecret.com www.fitday.com

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by Melissa

Great info Tracy. I think the calculators take into account that when you have lost weight you lose less on the lower calories. <clear as mud huh??)

For example, you start out weighing 175 pounds, so you need X amount of calories to maintain your weight. If you eat Y calories instead, you will lose 5 pounds that month. So the next month you weigh 170 pounds, now you need Z amount of calories to maintain the weight so if you eat Y amount of calories you lose only 4 pounds that month. I think the calculators would figure that out for you!

I will check with my Yvonne when she gets home tonight. She is using one and diligently goes online every day to check her calorie calculator. She started a couple months ago and its working great for her, shes lost well over 20 pounds. The thing is though that she is also doing workouts, so she is actually losing more fat, but building muscle at the same time. Some weeks she gets discouraged because she didnt lose any "lbs". I have to explain again, that she is "trading" lbs sometimes instead losing them. All in all its working really well for her.

[WildernesFamily]

Melissa, this one: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php you tell it how much you weigh, what you want to weigh and then hit continue. On the next screen it asks for more info (male, female, height, etc.) and then after that it tells you how many calories you should eat a day, and if you leave the goal date blank it will tell you when you should reach the goal based on how many calories it recommends you eat each day.

This is the website I use

[whodunit]

CHere is the most accurate way to figure it all...

Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the calculator below.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

My understanding is that BMR is the number of calories you burn doing nothing, but existing. It's based on your gender, age, weight and height. Mine came out to about 2551 calories a day.

Next I used the calculator below to factor in my activity level. This gives a factor to multiply times the number you got above. The result is the number of calories that you need to consume in order to MAINTAIN your current weight. Mine was just over 3500 calories a day.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-ca...dict-equation/

In order to lose one pound of fat you need to have a deficit of 3500 calories either by consuming less or burning more (via exercise).

So, I took 3500 (my calories per day) and multiplied it by 7 (days) and got 24500 calories, which is what I need to consume in a week in order to MAINTAIN my weight.

Losing two pounds a week is generally considered okay, so that means a calorie deficit per week of 7000 (3500 X 2).

So, I took 24500 - 7000 and got 17500. I then divided that by 7 (days) and got 2500.

If the science holds true, I can eat 2500 calories a day and lose two pounds a week.

Whatever your calorie amount make it reasonable and eat it EVERY day within 100 calories. This will keep your body from slowing its metabolism due to the calorie reduction, sometimes called "starvation mode".

[NEUrbanHmstdr]

I second the fitday.com reference. I have been using them nearly a decade and love their website, application and (now) iPhone App.

[JJFarmer]

I use everydayhealth.com in order to keep track of my caloric intake. It allows you to put in your measurements and current weight and the weight you'd like to get to and then tells you how many calories you should be eating in order to get to your target weight.

When you use the food tracker tool it adds up the calories and tells you if you're in the green or in the red as you add on the foods you eat. It also has a tool for exercises and how many calories you burn. The best thing about the exercise tracker is that it even has "sexual activity" and "dishes".

There is a forum for weight loss buddies as well or if you have other issues like anxiety, depression or any other health issues you want support in.

It's a real fun and handy tool and 100% free. (now doesn't that sound like an infomercial?)

Anyways in the last 4 weeks I've been using it I've lost 12lbs and kept it off. No diets just watching the calories and keeping it under the caloric intake target set for me.

[treasureacres]

Calories need to be spread evenly throughout the day. If you eat 6 small meals a day your body will not try to store any fat as it will never be in a hungry "phase". I always advise people to divided their total calories needed by 7. 6 meals with one (supper) double calories. I do this because to me the hardest meal to cut back on is a nice supper with the family, so build in those extra calories into your plan to begin with. Exercise early in morning to stoke metabolism.

[Melissa]

I still haven't seen exactly what I am looking for, but I will keep trying. And I know I have seen it before... somewhere~

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by Melissa

I still haven't seen exactly what I am looking for, but I will keep trying. And I know I have seen it before... somewhere~

Ok, My Yvonne just came home and I asked her about it....

myfitnesspal.com is what she is using and raves about it. I know nuthing about such things, but she does, and claims it has all the bells and whistles.

[Ruby]

Originally Posted by Tracy Rimmer

To lose 1 lb of weight, one must create a 3500 calorie deficit in the diet. To maintain your weight, most people need between 13-16 calories per pound of body weight per day.

So, if you are a 150lb average woman, you need approximately 2,200 calories per day to maintain your weight. If you wish to lose 10 lbs, you'll have to create a deficit of 35,000 calories. If you cut out 500 calories per day, and go down to a 1,700 calorie per day diet, it will take you 70 days to lose the ten pounds.

Or thereabouts. Our bodies are strange things -- they adjust for what they feel is "starvation", so you're going to lose weight more slowly if you eat one meal that equals those 1700 calories per day than you would if you stuffed yourself with lower-calorie items consistently over the day that totalled 1700 calories. It's not purely a case of calorie-in, calorie-out.

This does not always work. I lost 69 lbs. to my weight loss goal that my doctor set. I've kept it off almost 3 yrs. But If I were to eat as many calories as the caculators say I can eat to "maintain" I gain. I can't go over 1000 calories a day without gaining. I'm an older lady with slow metabolism to that also plays a roll.

You can't just count on the calories for the loss you also need to be active, to raise your metabolism.

[Tracy Rimmer]

Originally Posted by Ruby

This does not always work. I lost 69 lbs. to my weight loss goal that my doctor set. I've kept it off almost 3 yrs. But If I were to eat as many calories as the caculators say I can eat to "maintain" I gain. I can't go over 1000 calories a day without gaining. I'm an older lady with slow metabolism to that also plays a roll.

You can't just count on the calories for the loss you also need to be active, to raise your metabolism.

Absolutely, Ruby -- you have to find what works specifically for you!