How many calories should you eat per day to lose weight? On an average most calories you would need daily to maintain your weight if you are female is 1600 calories and if you are a male, it is 2000 calories. To lose weight you need to be in a daily caloric deficit and the best way to do that is to subtract 300 to 500 calories from your daily maintenance calories to achieve that.
How many calories should you eat per day to lose weight? iStock-photo credit: marilyna
To lose 1 pound per week you need to be in a daily caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. To lose 2 pounds per week you need to be in a daily caloric deficit of 1000 calories per day. To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume.
One of the best ways to reduce your daily calorie intake is to incorporate protein, whole grains, and fiber foods in your diet with each meal. These foods are low in calories and high in nutrients which can help make you feel fuller while suppressing your appetite.
Fiber Foods
Some good fiber foods to incorporate with each of your three meals are fruits and vegetables such as bananas, apples, oranges, peaches, apricots, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, etc. If you can make it a goal to eat one cup of fruit and vegetables with each meal that will make you fuller and you will eat less food.
Protein Foods
Some good protein foods to eat that will fill you up is chicken, turkey, fish, beef, steak, tilapia, eggs, etc. These foods will fill you up and suppress your appetite while making you eat less calories. Research studies show that eating high protein snacks enhances the feelings of fullness while decreasing your appetite.
Water
Drinking more water can help suppress your hunger and make you eat less calories. In fact, research studies show that drinking water immediately before meals may reduce hunger and help you eat fewer calories.
The Bottom Line is how many calories you should eat per day to lose weight is to subtract 300 to 500 calories from your maintenance daily calories. The only way to lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit which means burning more calories than you are consuming.
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