How Much Calories Should I Eat Per Day To Start Losing Fat?

How much calories should I eat per day to start losing fat? The number of calories you should eat will always depend on your activity level, sex, weight, age, gender, height, etc. All those things play a factor in how many calories you should consume to lose fat. The only way that you can lose weight or body fat is you must be in a caloric deficit.

A caloric deficit is when you are consuming fewer calories than are needed to burn. Most people who want to lose weight seem to just starve themselves to lose fat. They think if I eat nothing then I will lose everything and that is not necessarily true.

How much calories should I eat per day to start losing fat? Photo credit: iStock-SIphotography

It is important to eat enough calories to provide your body with enough nutrients it needs to support physical activity and fat loss. If you have a goal of losing weight, sustainability is one of the most important things. Because if your diet and exercise program isn’t sustainable then you will fail on your program.

Most fad cookie cutter diets will have you on diets that are less than 1000 calories per day. Research studies have found that the biggest metabolism drop is when diet programs are under 1,200 calories per day.

The weight loss concept of calories in vs calories out sounds simple when it comes to losing weight and bodyfat. But there are  other factors that contribute to weight loss such as hormonal imbalances, medical issues, genetics, and age.

Fad diets lead to inconsistent weight loss but being on a structured healthy diet and lifestyle plan will help you lose weight and keep it off. The best advice is to hire a registered dietitian to help you create the right diet program to help with your fat loss or weight loss goals.

Some Tips To Lose BodyFat

• Limit Sugary Drinks– Try to minimize your sugary sweetened beverages such as sodas, fruit juices, chocolate milk and added sugar stuff. Research studies have linked sugary beverages with the increase of obesity. The harmful effects of sugar can also be linked to Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver problems and health issues.
• Drink More Water– If you can drink up to 8 glasses of water per day it will make you fuller. And it will suppress your appetite, make you eat less food and consume less calories.
• Exercise– Cardiovascular and weight training exercises are especially important in burning body fat and calories. The important thing about exercise is there are so many things you can do to help you lose weight such as cardio exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, gardening, cycling, etc.

There are good resistance exercises such as bodyweight exercises, weight-training exercises like dumbbell exercises or resistance band exercises. The more muscle you have the faster your metabolism will be.

• Eat More Protein– Research studies have shown that the more protein you eat the more it will curb your appetite. Protein is known as the essential building blocks to building muscle. Without consuming enough protein, you will have a tough time maintaining your muscle. And the amount of muscle you have on your body is what drives the rate of your metabolism.

• Eat More Fiber– Eating fiber foods like fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories. High fiber foods slow your digestive system and make your stomach fuller. And the result is the more fiber you intake the less food you will want to eat. Fiber foods are the best weight loss and fat loss foods. Research studies have linked fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables to weight loss.

• Track Your Food In A Diary– If you log what you eat in a diary it will make you more mindful of what you are putting into your body. Also, whatever you write down in terms of what you are supposed to eat to help will help keep you more accountable on your goals.

• Avoid Processed Foods And Fast Food Places-Try to minimize eating at fast food restaurants and limit eating processed foods and packaged snacks, candies, etc.

“Fad diets lead to inconsistent weight loss but being on a structured healthy diet and lifestyle plan will help you lose weight and keep it off.” Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike

The Bottom Line is how many calories you need per day to lose weight or drop bodyfat depends on your age, sex, weight, height, activity level and metabolic health.

Balance in how you eat diet wise will give you the greatest percentage in being successful in losing body fat and dropping weight. Fad diets that have you eating 1000 calories a day are not sustainable at all.

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