1 pound or .45 kilos of body weight = 3500 Calories (kcals.)

To calculate your caloric requirements to reach or maintain your desired body weight, follow the steps below:
Step 1:  Your healthy body weight X  10
Step 2:  Your activity level (see chart below)  X  your healthy body weight
Step 3:  step 1 + step 2

Example: 
Step 1:  140 lbs. X 10 = 1400
Step 2:  7 X 140 lbs. = 980
Step 3:  1400 + 980 = 2380 kcals.
This 140 lb. very active woman would need 2380 kcals. per day to maintain her weight. 

One to two pounds per week is recommended by ALL health care professionals as a healthy weight loss.  One pound is the equivalent of 3500 kcals.  3500 kcals. per week should be broken down to 500 kcals. per day (500 X 7 = 3500).    Buying a calorie counter book to carry with you until you are familiar with your usual food choices and keeping a food and activity diary is a good way to start.  In your calorie counter book, highlight all the usual foods for easy reference or make a list of the usual foods on one page and you can check them off as you consume them.  You can then add any extra's as you go and look up those calories at the end of the day.  This way of dieting is effective, however, it is very complicated until you become familiar with the numbers that go with your food choices.  It's really all about memorizing a number for all your foods.  The down side to this weight loss approach is that it focuses on quantity rather than quality choices.  Quality of your food choices is as significant to reaching your goals in weight loss as just reducing your calories.  If you are eating junk or processed foods that are 'low' in calories you are still not nourishing your body and your body will continue to ask for more nourishment (more food).

Why is one to two pounds always recommended? 3 reasons: One, that this slow, steady weight loss is an indication that it is fat that you are losing; Two, that fat cells are where toxins are stored and when you lose a lot of 'fat' too quickly than all the toxins are being released into your blood stream and can make you very sick;  Three, that you are not making drastic changes in your lifestyle that you can not maintain.  It is the over zealous approach to weight loss that creates the yo-yo dieting.  You need to learn to make small adjustments to your lifestyle that you can maintain forever.  Commit to the process of lifestyle changes rather than a two week diet.  Regular exercise, even just a 1/2 hour walk each day, will burn approximately 200-250 calories, increasing your caloric expenditure each day.  Exercise will greatly increase your chances of weight loss because any activity uses muscles that require nourishment long after the exercise is over. The combination of the two is your best way to not only reach your goals but to maintain it forever.

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