How many calories do we need in a day

We all know that a healthy lifestyle means exercising regularly, eating healthy, and getting enough rest. For today, let's focus on the "eating healthy" part of the equation. Eating healthy means not only eating all of the essential food groups, but also eating the right amount of food according to the body weight, age, gender and activity level. It's important not to overeat which could lead to obesity or even diabetes, or to under eat which could lead to malnutrition. To determine the right amount of food you should eat, you need to calculate your resting metabolic rate (RMR). RMR is the amount of energy (calories) a person needs for basic bodily function, including breathing, digestion, etc. The RMR does not take into account a persons physical activity. Here is a RMR calculator to help you calculate yours.
Now, you need to take into account you day-to-day activities such as working, playing sports, etc. This varies from person to person depending on their lifestyle. The "Total Energy Expenditure" (TEE) helps you determine your daily calorie burn rate. To calculate your TEE, simply multiply your RMR by one of the numbers below:


1.200 if you do little or no exercise each day
1.375 if you are lightly active or play sports 1-3 days/week
1.550 if you are moderately active or play sports 3-5 days/week
1.725 if you are very active or play sports 6-7 days a week
1.900 if you are extremely active, are an elite athlete, have a physically demanding job


Consuming more calories than your daily TEE will lead to weight gain. On the other hand, eating fewer calories than your body needs, will lead to weight loss. To lose 1 pound of weight per week, subtract 500 calories per day from your TEE. For example, if your TEE is 2000 calories/day, you would need to limit your intake to 1500 calories per day.