Need some help with required calorie intake?

[Rosee]

I have tried to find information on the web which there is a lot, but I'm getting vastly different results from the various types of calculations to establish how many calories needed daily.

 

I'm 30, 68kg (around 150 pounds) and 164 cm (around 5'5). I want to get down to 60kg (132 pounds). I know you need a calorie deficit to lose weight do I have been burning some through exercise and reducing some by eating better etc, but I'm not sure of the right numbers.

 

There's a possibility I'm not having enough calories because I have been feeling very tired and today lightheaded, although I'm not sure if this is from something else.

I have not been starving myself but I've been keeping a food diary and trying to count calories but I need to know how many calories I should be having to lose the weight, without it being too few.

[COtuner]

Could be dehydration or imbalance of electrolytes - that gets you lightheaded and tired.

 

Hmmm. I'd suggest switching to 5 small meals a day with a combination of at least 3 of these in each meal: lean protein, healthy fats, non-starchy veggies and whole grains. (fruit on occasion if you want sweets, but treat the fruit like candy) Small portions frequently keep you from getting hungry and boost your metabolism. Cut back on sodium too - check labels, you'd be surprised how much you are probably eating I lost weight on 2000 calories a day, but I'm a bit extreme about the healthiness of my diet. I don't think I'd drop below 1800 calories a day - you'll need it if you're working out. (then again, a nutritionist is the professional here, not me)

 

Then work on interval training for cardio (1 minute hard, 1 minute slow or whatever time frame works for you... I can go as short as 20 - 40 seconds when I get my heart rate up extremely high, or 2 minutes when I'm working endurance). Alternate with resistance training with either weights, medicine ball, isokinetics, etc. Depends on what you have available to you.

 

I think that will get you steady results. I'm not a trainer, but that's the kind of thing I've picked up from trainers and some personal experience.

[Rosee]

Thanks. I think I may have had only around 1000 calories yesterday although I felt like I had enough to eat. It's interesting you lost weight on 2000 daily, one formula had me at 1460 but another at 2200 and both to maintain weight not lose so that's why I'm confused.