Finding Your Ideal Caloric Intake for Weight Loss, Maintenance or Gain

Note: The HealthKeeper software Personal Profiles mode does this automatically for you, but it is helpful to know how this feature works.

Step 1

Your Activity Level

Indicate your current weight here ___________. Conservatively rate yourself on the following activity scale.

12=very inactive (little physical activity, geriatric or slow metabolism)

13=inactive (a sedentary office worker)

14=slightly inactive (occasional games of golf or walks)

15=moderately active (frequent jogging, calisthenics, tennis)

16=highly active (almost always on the go, seldom sitting down or standing still)

17=very highly active or strenuously active (a construction worker, mason or athlete in training)

Enter your choice on Line A ________.

Finding Your Ideal Maintenance Intake

Multiply Line A by your current weight.

Line A________ X __________ = _________(Line B)

(weight)

For example: 150 lbs.(current weight) x 15 (activity level)

2,250 calories (equals Line B)

Line B is your caloric intake level for weight maintenance. It is the caloric intake amount that will keep your weight stable at its current level.

Finding Your Ideal Caloric Intake for Healthy Weight Loss

WARNING: The human body cannot lose more than 2 pounds of actual body FAT per week. The rest will be lost in muscle tissue, organ tissue and water weight. Losing muscle tissue is counter- productive. It will slow your metabolism and will cause you to be able to eat even less when your diet is over.

To lose weight at the rate generally recommended as safe by the American Medical Association (2 to 3 pounds per week for men and 1 to 2 pounds per week for women), follow the steps outlined below.

Mark the number of pounds you want to lose each week Line C _______.

For each pound of fat you want to lose, you will need to reduce your weekly intake by 3,500 calories. To find the proper calorie amount for your ideal weight loss program, reduce the number of calories in your diet appropriate for the number of pounds you plan on losing each week (Line C). For example, if you want to lose 2 pounds a week, reduce your total weekly caloric intake by 7,000 calories (2 X 3,500 = 7,000).

Record the total number of calories you need to reduce from your weekly diet to reach your weekly weight loss goal (number of pounds X 3,500) on Line D ______ .

Divide this amount by 7 for the number of days in the week (i.e., 7 divided into 7,000 = 1,000 calories). This 1,000 calories equals the amount you must reduce per day from your current daily calorie intake to lose 2 pounds per week.

For example, if your ideal daily maintenance intake (from Line B, Part 2) is 2,250 calories, to achieve 2 pounds of weight loss per week, your reduced daily calorie intake would equal 1,250 calories.

Mark your correct weight loss intake on Line E _____.

You now know that to achieve a 2 pound per week loss of weight, you must limit your food intake to 1,275 calories a day or less while maintaining your current exercise level.

Finding Your Ideal Caloric Intake For Healthy Weight Gain

The principles for weight gain and weight loss are similar, except you add 3,500 calories to your diet each week for every pound you want to gain.

Details on how to adjust your calorie intake as your program progresses.

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Diet software - Calorie counter - Diabetes diet - Diabetic diet - Diet Program - Diet Plan - Weight Loss Diet - Diet Fitness - Healthy Diet - Weight Loss Program