You can’t lose weight if you are taking in more energy than your body uses.
You can dream, but if you have extra calories it gets stored as fat.
So it’s very helpful to know how many calories you actually need in a day. There are a lot of ways to calculate your daily calorie needs. One of the best is the Mifflin formula, which dietblog recommends.
None of the formulas is perfect, but this is a good place to start.
This calculator uses the Mifflin formula, which currently appears to be one of the most accurate predictive equations for both normal weight and obese individuals. The calculator predicts REE (Resting Energy Expenditure). Exercise levels are then factored in. Fat loss levels are calculated by subtracting 20% of daily calories. There is always a “rock bottom” value factored in – which is 8 calories per pound of body weight.
