To burn fat, we must burn more energy (calories) than we consume...
3 Goals to Keep in Mind when Creating a Caloric Deficit Diet
- Maximizing fat loss
- Minimizing muscle loss
- Doing it in a way that is maintainable
The Ideal Rate Of Weight Loss = Between 0.5 – 1kg per week (Maintainable)
Calorie Intake for Weight Maintenance
Weight Maintenance level is Calories In = Calories Out.
|
Age |
Little/No Exercise (Desk Job) |
Exercise 1-3 Days a Week |
Exercise 3-5 Days a Week |
|
14 - 30 |
1,600 - 1,800 |
1,800 - 2,200 |
2,200 - 2,400 |
|
31 - 50 |
1,600 - 1,800 |
1,800 - 2,000 |
2,000 - 2,200 |
|
51+ |
1,400 - 1,600 |
1,600 - 1,800 |
1,800 - 2,000 |
The following chart is a very general recommended daily calorie intake for WEIGHT MAINTENANCE (Not Weight Loss). This guideline is based on age and level of exercise. Please bear in mind there are many other factors such as weight, height, ethnicity, metabolic rate (the speed of you metabolism is), thermic effect of food etc. that also affect your recommended calorie intake.
For a more accurate measure, please consult with a qualified nutritionist or other methods.
Calorie Intake for Weight / Fat Loss
Whatever your daily calorie maintenance level is, you should be about 20% below it each day to create a caloric deficit. For example, someone with a daily calorie maintenance level of 2500 calories would use the following formula:
2500 calories x 0.20 = 500 (20% of 2500 calories is 500 calories)
2500 calories - 500 calories = 2000 calories
This means you should create a caloric deficit of 500 calories each day. In this example, that would mean eating 2000 calories per day.
Calculating Calories From Food Packaging
A basic rule to workout Calories from Kilojoules on the back of a packet of food is to divide the KJ’s by approximately 4.2. This will give you the amount of calories in the food item.
Example: 800kj / 4.2 = 190 calories per serving
