If I Weigh 250 Pounds How Many Calories Should I Eat To Lose Weight? If you’re trying to lose weight, you can use this calorie calculator to determine your daily calorie needs. The correct number of calories to lose weight depends on your age, gender, weight, and activity level. There are also some common ways people calculate their calorie needs incorrectly and make themselves think they need fewer calories than they really do. This article will go over how many calories you should eat a day to lose weight.
If I Weigh 250 Pounds How Many Calories Should I Eat To Lose Weight
Before getting started on your weight loss journey, try to assess how you decided are you to lose weight and do it right?
This is so you can successfully do it this time around.
Especially if you need to lose 100 pounds or more, you really need to be aware of what you need to do to lose weight.
Apart from just thinking about changing your diet and finding time to incorporate exercise into your daily activities, you have to consider your stress levels.
You also need to assess your work and home environment, sense of fulfillment, and the people around you who will be supportive of your lifestyle change.
Once you have carefully considered all these, you can proceed with your plan to lose weight.
You’ll be able to focus on your goal and not mind anything else.
Are you ready to get started? Here are some of the things you need to consider when you want to lose weight.
1.) Your Eating Habits
There are so many different diets and weight loss programs in the world. Finding one will depend on your health concerns and what you wish to achieve.
While these diets may be different from each other, they all say the same thing: cut back on refined carbs. Or simply put: avoid sugar.
You can do this by following a low-carb eating plan or substituting refined carbs with whole grains.
When you do this, your hunger level will significantly go down.
Apart from avoiding refined carbs, you should also eat more vegetables, protein, and fat. Here are some examples:
- Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, kale, spinach, cabbage, lettuce, cucumber
- Protein: Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, eggs, salmon, sardines, shrimp, beans, tofu, legumes
- Fat: Olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, seeds
2.) Stay Hydrated
According to research, simply drinking two glasses of water before eating can help you lose more weight compared to people who don’t drink water prior to eating.
And science proves that these people have kept the weight off.
This is because thirst can sometimes make you think you are hungry, which will cause you to eat more.
So when you drink two glasses of water before a meal, you will already feel fuller when it’s time to eat.
And this will make you eat less during a meal. Effectively, this mindset will also help when you feel bored and hungry.
Just reach for a glass of water and see if you’re still hungry after an hour.
So stay hydrated with water.
3.) Be Active
For those who are asking “If I weigh 250 pounds how many calories should I eat to lose weight,” the answer does not only end in what you are eating.
In fact, you should also be thinking about exercise. If you need to lose 100 pounds, you should stay physically active.
It doesn’t really matter what type of exercise you do— as long as you do it regularly.
But if you’re starting out, here are some tips that can help:
- Start with water-based or chair-based exercises to help with joint pain
- Walk short distances and gradually build up the distance when you’re ready
- Do some yoga poses at home
When you feel like you’re ready to take exercising more seriously, you can work with a physical trainer or an exercise buddy.
You can do strength training 3 to 4 times each week to start with. If you choose to lift weights, you’ll burn the calories you consumed.
At the same time, it will stop your metabolism from slowing down.
You don’t really need to stick with just one exercise program, you can try them all until you find one that you really enjoy doing.
Some options include dancing, jogging, running, or swimming.
4.) Don’t Forget To Get Some Sleep
Believe it or not– you tend to eat more when you’re sleep deprived. You can blame your ghrelin (hunger hormone) for that.
The worst part about this is that when you are sleep deprived, you tend to crave salty and sweet foods.
This is because when you feel intense hunger from being sleep deprived, you want to eat higher calorie foods.
Apart from overeating, not getting enough sleep can affect your emotions and thought process.
You tend to have impaired ability to make better decisions when you don’t get enough sleep.
This is why you need to get enough sleep every night so you can repair and refresh your hormones.
Calories Calculation
Here’s the quick answer: Multiply your bodyweight in pounds by 15.
Whatever number you get, multiply it by .75.
That is how many calories you should eat each and every day.
If you want to learn the specifics of how we got this number, and how to make it more accurate, keep reading.
Step 1: Calculate Your Calories Per Day for Weight Loss
If you didn’t know, there are roughly 3500 calories per pound of fat.
There are 7 days in a week.
Therefore to lose 1 pound of fat per day, you would subtract 500 calories from your maintenance calories.
What are your Maintenance Calories?
They are the number of calories you would eat if you wanted to MAINTAIN your current weight of 250 pounds.
The following formula is not very accurate.
It is only an estimation, however, I tweaked it to base it off your current physical activity level to make it more accurate.
Note: Subtracting 500 calories a day from your diet is fine, however, if you want to lose those extra pounds faster, you should subtract more calories a day.
This is why I use percentages as you’ll see below to lose weight faster, but safely.
Step 1.1: Find Your Estimated Maintenance Calories
Formula Your bodyweight in lbs x 14, 15, or 16.
How do you choose between 14, 15, or 16?
- If you are sedentary, choose 14 (sedentary means you only get exercise physical activity from the gym and nothing else, or you just don’t do any physical activity at all).
- If you are lightly active, choose 15 (Lightly Active means you workout 3-5 times per week, but also don’t sit around all day – fits most people).
- Choose 16 if you’re very active (Very Active means you workout 3-6 times per week, but you also move around constantly due to work, or other activities other than the gym)
Because you weigh 250lbs, we will use that for the rest of this example.
Also, we will assume you are sedentary.
250lbs x 14 = 3500
So, you would eat roughly 3500 calories every day to maintain your weight of 250lbs.
Step 1.2: Multiply .75 by Your Maintenance Calories
3500 x .75 = 2625 calories to eat to lose weight
This would be your calorie deficit.
Therefore, as long as you stick to this new calorie intake, based on your body weight, you will lose weight.
Note how I said STICK to it.
Weight loss will NOT occur if you do not stick to these calories on a daily basis.
Technically, I have answered your question already, however, you could’ve gotten a similar answer from any calculator online.
I want you to succeed and to do that, I need to give you more tips and tutorials on how to not only lose weight, but keep it off!
Also, I’ll throw in some diet and exercise tips at the end.
Step 2: Divide Your New Calories (based on 250 pounds) Into Macros
Macros (or Macronutrients) are the 3 major nutrients that our bodies need to survive.
They are
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
Each has their own caloric make-up for each gram.
For example, protein has 4 calories per 1 gram.
Carbohydrates have 4 calories per 1 gram and Fats have 9 calories per 1 gram.
This is how we will divide our calories into grams so you can track them throughout your day.
Step 2.1: Why Should I Track Macros? Why Should I Care?
You should care because if you were to just:
- eat fewer calories,
- and lose a lot of weight,
9 times out of 10, you’re going to look end up looking flabby and with no muscle definition.
This is known as being skinny fat.
I promise you that you don’t want this.
Instead, if you eat enough protein, fats, and carbs, you will ensure that the weight you lose is not mostly coming from muscle.
The way to combat it completely is to track macros and do a lot of resistance training.
Step 2.2: 40/40/20 Macro Split
What does 40/40/20 mean?
It means that
- 40% of your calories will be coming from protein,
- 40% will be coming from carbohydrates
- and 20% will be coming from fats.
This is a very popular and well-known Macro split.
You can play around with the percentages, so long as you keep protein high.
By “protein high,” I mean anywhere from 0.8-1g of protein per pounds of body weight.
I have an entire article on the best macros for cutting if you want to learn more.
Let me show you how to set them up.
Step 2.2: 40% from Protein
- Save
There are 2 steps to do this. Remember our calorie deficit based on 250 lbs?
All you do is take your calorie deficit and multiply it by .40
2625 x .40 = 1050 calories from protein.
To divide this into grams of protein, you simply divide the number you got by 4.
Why?
Because there are 4 calories per gram of protein.
1050 / 4 = 263 grams of protein.
And there you have it.
You should eat roughly 263 grams of protein per day.
Remember, you can always switch the percentages around if you don’t want to eat too much protein.
Something like a 30/50/20 split is what I use.
Step 2.3: 40% from Carbohydrates
This step is exactly the same as above.
Same numbers and calculations since we are using the same 40%.
263 grams of Carbs
Step 2.4: 20% from Fats
Again, there are 2 steps for this part.
First, multiply your calorie deficit by .20
2625 x .20 = 525 calories from fat
Now we divide this number by 9 because there are 9 calories per gram of fat.
525 / 9 = 58 grams of Fat
Step 2.5: Recap of Our Calculations
To recap, here are our calories (both maintenance and deficit respectively):
- 3500 Calories
- 2625 Calories
And here are your macronutrients based on a 40/40/20 split:
- 263g of Protein
- 263g of Carbs
- 58g of Fat
Step 3: Putting it All Together
Keeping the Weight Off
Now that you know how to lose weight, the next thing you have to do is keep it off. Otherwise, you’d end up yo-yoing your weight back.
Here are our tips on how you can maintain your weight loss success:
1.) Have the Right Mindset
If I weigh 250 pounds how many calories should I eat to lose weight? The answer here varies on a number of things.
But generally speaking, you will need 40 weeks or more to reach your goal.
Once you reach that goal, however, it’s important that you continue having monthly goals so you can keep track of your progress.
This will also help remind you of how far you’ve gotten since you started.
At the same time, you should look forward to the things you can do now that you’ve reached a healthy weight.
When you do, you can be excited to do the things you’ve always envisioned.
2.) Control Your Emotions
You should also remember to control emotional eating. While this is always easier said than done, it’s good to keep reminding yourself of the success you’ve reached.
When you feel stressed or anxious, you should divert your mind to do something productive instead of heading straight to your kitchen.
Stress eating can wreck your diet and bring back the pounds you’ve already lost.
Instead, you should recognize your emotional eating triggers and find an alternative.
Some things you can do include practicing yoga, meditating, getting in a hot tub, walking, listening to energizing music, taking your dog out on a walk, calling a friend, or simply taking a nap.
Always practice mindful eating. Avoid eating while you’re working or watching TV.
You should also enjoy your meal slowly. Savor each smell and texture of your food.
And before you even get full, stop eating. Don’t feel obligated to finish your plate.
3.) Keep Unhealthy Food Away from Your Home
Having access to unhealthy food can be very tempting. The simple logic here is– if you don’t have it, you can’t have it.
Make it a struggle for you to get your hands on the unhealthy food you always crave–like chips, cookies, or cake.
Instead of shopping for these things, have easy-to-prepare items in your pantry.
Things like eggs, salmon, yogurt, edamame, precut fruits and vegetables. These will help you have access to a quick snack without hurting your diet.
TOP FAT LOSS TIPS
In my weight loss journey, I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to burning fat. I’ve compiled a great list and am happy to share it.
One of the things I love about my job, besides the fact that my work keeps my family and me healthy, is helping you to navigate your way to a better you! My weight loss strategy, leading me to lose 250 pounds total over the years, included these tips:
1. CONSIDER INTERMITTENT FASTING
If you haven’t read my guides, Does Intermittent Fasting Work for Weight Loss? and Intermittent Fasting for Women, you’ve got to take a look. I’ve been on an intermittent fasting eating regimen for a while now and love it. Studies show that intermittent fasting helps people to lose weight, reduce fat, and lower cholesterol.
2. STRENGTH TRAIN
Strength training is awesome. Not only does pushing yourself do wonders for your self-esteem, but the results are amazing, too! There are lots of studies out there to show that resistance training reduces fat and can also encourage fat burning at rest.
3. INCREASE CARDIO
While we are on the topic of exercise, doing cardio as a workout can help reduce belly fat, waist circumference, and the amount of body fat you carry. Aerobic exercise like running, walking at a fast pace, and swimming are all stellar fat burners.
4. ADD PROBIOTICS TO YOUR DAY
I recently wrote a post on the Benefits of Sauerkraut, and I talk about probiotic foods. Fermented cabbage, aka sauerkraut, is considered probiotic. Other foods to add to your diet include sourdough bread, miso, and yogurt. Why probiotics? In a compilation of randomized controlled trials where participants took probiotics over 3 to 12 weeks, the results showed significant weight loss and reduced body fat percentage.
5. REDUCE YOUR REFINED CARB INTAKE
Another top fat loss tip is to lower your carb intake. Refined carbs, that is. Foods like packaged snacks and sugary foods are the typical culprits. I’ve given the low down on fake healthy foods in my post here. You’ll be surprised at some of them on the list! A lot of them are full of refined carbs and sugar. Think trail mix, flavored instant oatmeal, and store-bought muffins.
6. INCREASE YOUR FIBER INTAKE
Not only does fiber make you feel full, but it also keeps your digestive system working well. Fiber-filled foods, like avocado and quinoa, can help burn fat. Fiber can help reduce belly fat, according to a study on visceral fat.
7. DRINK COFFEE
You may wonder, what has coffee got to do with fat loss? In my post, Is Coffee Healthy? I explain how coffee can reduce the risk of disease and has a ton of nutrients. But I also explain how coffee boosts your metabolism by increasing the epinephrine in the body. This hormone signals the fat tissues to break down fats and send them to the blood. Drinking coffee increases metabolism, too.
8. EAT HEALTHY FATS
Did you know that eating more fat can help you lose fat? I’m not kidding. As long as you eat the right type of fat, that is. I’ve narrowed down the top 10 best food to lose fat and build muscle, including nuts like almonds, and full-fat dairy choices like cottage cheese. Eating fat can slow down your digestion and reduce the appetite.
9. DRINK APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
If you’ve watched my video on apple cider vinegar, you know that I drink about 70 ounces of water a day, with apple cider mixed in to create a tonic. One to two tablespoons a day is the recommended amount to boost fat loss. If you don’t want to drink it, add it to marinades and salad dressings. When to drink apple cider vinegar