How many calories should I be eating?

Question

I am getting different answers from different sites. I would like to lose weight and am looking for the amount of calories I should be eating daily to achieve my goal of ten pounds. Then how much I should be eating to maintain that weight. I currently weigh 130 and am 5'6. I am a waitress so I am standing on my feet for 8 hours a day 4-5 days a week. I am getting different results when I enter that in as exercise. The whole 8 hours I may not be running around, but at least 5 of them I am. Looking for some professional advice here because I cannot afford to go see a nutritionist!!!

Answer 1

The average person should eat approximately 2000 calories per day, but each person is different.
The best way to determine how much you should eat to lose weight is to work out how much you are eating now. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you are now and expend more energy (through exercise) than you are.
As you are a waitress and have a physically demanding job, you should ensure that you are still eating enough to give you the energy you need. Look at your diet and see what lower calorie substitutes you can make (eg swap burger and chips for grilled chicken, steamed potato and vegetables, or swap chocolate biscuits for vegetable sticks and hommus). Don't aim to eat less as this will just lower your metabolism and result in long term weight gain. Aim to eat the same quantity of food or even more than you are now, but make sure what you eat is healthy (fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, lean meat and low fat dairy). Some healthy food is high in fat (nuts, seeds, all oils, avocado), so consume in moderation.
Also aim to do a bit more exercise - get off the bus a stop before normal and walk or park the car further away.
To lose weight and keep it off, you need to make sensible, sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle. Aim to lose weight slowly (1-2 pounds a week) and you should keep it off.
Good luck!

Answer 2

In that sense yes burning 400 would take it down to 1300. But you can also factor in your metabolism. Your body burns calories just to function. One of the most calorie burning function your body has is maintaining your body temperature(heating and cooling to stay at 98.6) Alot of people eat large sums of ice because your body will burn calories to break it down and then reheat you. Thats also why when people get sick and have a fever the lose tons of weight.(not that you should purposely get sick) I found one of the biggest helps i had when i was trying to lose wieght is the time you arent exercising or eatting. I worked in a call center 8 hours a day and simply by standing for 4 of the hours a day rather than sitting helped alot. You burn more calories standing rather than sitting, and sitting more than laying, and you even burn calories when you sleep, just not as much. There are alot of little things you can do when you think you can do nothing. Clenching your fists, doing toe lifts, things like that will burn a few more calories which can add up to alot over the course of a day/week. The biggest numbers game you can play is that 1 pound of fat is 3500 calories. So if you want to be more precise when how long it will take you to lose weight count how much calories you expect to take in, subtract how much you will burn/lose naturally (there are calculators u can use online.) for A woman that is 21, 170 lbs, and 5'5(not sure your height) you naturally burn 1846 calories if you did next to nothing all day. so start with that and subtract from there. Hope this helps

Answer 3

I'm 5'7 and only let myself eat 1200 calories a day, I'm also on a diet and need to lose my pregnancy weight.. my goal is 120.. 10 more lbs to go!

Answer 4

Here's the Mayo Clinic

they shoot straight

Answer 5

just keep eating helathy..exercise..drink tons of water..eat a big breakfast..smaller lunch..and small dinner