Find Out The EXACT Formula For Losing Weight (No More Guessing!) - Part 1

Just in case you’re not familiar with my background and you’re just coming across this blog post, I grew up my entire life trying to figure out how to lose weight.

From taking diet pills to eating frozen Lean Cuisines, going on a grapefruit diet or just not eating altogether, I’ve tried it all. Even in my most recent journey, I’ve experimented with going Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, following the IIFYM plan, keto...trust me, I’ve tried it all in hopes that there was some magic solution that would erase my excess fat.

Now, before you start judging me that I might seemingly be in such good shape and am complaining about my excess fat, let me just say this…

I love my body. I love how strong, powerful, and fit I feel. 90% of the time, I am happy with what I see in the mirror. I’ve worked freaking hard and continue to work hard to maintain the physique and health I have today.

However, you can’t blame a girl who wants to look even better and reach new levels in her fitness. While you might not believe it, I have my own struggles when it comes to losing weight and having a positive body image.

As an endomorph (a body type that tends to carry fat and muscle more than the average), my body LOVES to cling on any junk that I feed it. Unlike an ectomorph (think super skinny person who doesn’t even try to be that way), they can eat literally whatever they want and have a perfectly flat stomach the next day.

As I continued my quest to find the solution for weight loss, I came across a formula that actually makes all of this confusing diet stuff super simple. And I’m going to share that with you today!

For fitness professionals who already know this from textbook material, this might not be a huge surprise to you. But for my followers who have been guessing for their entire lives what it takes to lose weight, this might be the lightbulb moment for you!

This EXACT formula in which I’ll share with you today will give you an idea of how many calories you need to be eating every single day in order to effectively lose 1-2lbs a week.

In Part 2 which will be coming soon, I’ll share with you how to use the exact number of calories you should be eating each day and divvy it up to create a balanced macronutrient plan based on your specific fitness goals. Get excited.

Are you ready for this…?

Step 1: Calculate Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy expended while at rest in a neutrally temperate environment. The release of energy in this state is sufficient only for the functioning of the vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, brain, and the rest of the nervous system1.

Option 1: Math Version

Women
BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men
BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Option 2: No Math Version

Go to this link to use the BMR Calculator

Step 2: Calculate your Daily Caloric Needs

Once you know your BMR, you can calculate your Daily Calorie Needs based on your activity level using the Harris Benedict Equation.

Harris Benedict Formula

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

• If you are sedentary (little or no exercise):
  BMR x 1.2
• If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week):
  BMR x 1.375
• If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week):
  BMR x 1.55
• If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week):
  BMR x 1.725
• If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training):
  BMR x 1.9

The number that you get here is your Maintenance Caloric Goal

Your total Daily Caloric Needs is what is needed to maintain your current weight. If you want to maintain weight and have no desire to build muscle or lose fat, you may skip Step 3 and move on to Step 4.

Step 3: Calculate Your Calorie Intake To Gain/Lose Weight

Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to gain or lose weight.

To Lose Weight:

There are approx. 3,500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3,500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise, or a combination of both, you will lose 1 pound of body weight. If you create a 7,000 calorie deficit you will lose 2 pounds and so on. The combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss.

To lose 1 pound per week, reduce your calories by at least 500 per day.
Daily Caloric Needs - 500 calories (through diet and exercise) = Target Caloric Goal

To lose 2 pounds per week, reduce your calories by at least 1000 per day.
Daily Caloric Needs - 1,000 calories (through diet and exercise) = Target Caloric Goal

Quick Note:

• Do NOT reduce your calories more than 1,000 below your maintenance level
• For those with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories is too much of a deficit
• The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men

To Gain Weight:

If you want to gain body weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn One pound of body weight is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, so eating an extra 500 calories per day will cause you to gain one pound a week.

To gain 1 pound per week:
Daily Caloric Needs + 500 calories = Target Caloric Goal

So I hope this 5-step formula helped you to figure out how many calories you should be eating every single day to lose weight.

However, I don’t want you to stop here.

In Part 2 coming soon, I’ll share with you how to use this number and divvy up your macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) in a balanced way so that you #1 don’t have to be a slave to calorie counting, #2 maintain a balanced diet, and #3 reach your goals that much faster.

Did this blog help in any way? Let me know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter below as well so that you can be notified when Part 2 is coming out!

Want fun workouts ON DEMAND anytime, anywhere? Check out JJF On Demand where you can access real-time workout classes from the comfort of your own home. From Cardio/HIIT and Strength to Dance and Yoga, you'll get a variety of fun, challenging, and sweaty workouts right in your living room! Get a 7 Day Free Trial Here!

Jenny