Calories

petracrebs

Hi, I have a question about adjusting calories while losing weight. How often should I adjust my calories while losing weight? Thanks.

ninerbuff

Re adjust every 5lbs lost.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

tomcustombuilder

I suggest 5-10. How much to drop will vary depending on activity. You'll most likely be in the 50-100 calories a day drop at 10.

If losing the weight makes you be more active then you'll be on the lower end of the drop.

AnnPT77

Without disagreeing with the above, because those are good options, another option is to watch your weight loss rate (averaged over maybe 4 weeks), and adjust calorie intake when it becomes inappropriate.

There are reasons to lose slower when approaching goal weight, and as mentioned above some people get more sprightly as they get lighter and actually burn more calories rather than fewer.

Your actual average weight loss rate has advantages as a guide in that context.

DFW_Tom

"Sprightly" Ann has a gift in expressions, as well giving good commonsense suggestions.

She's right about using your averages over a number of weeks to make adjustments. Tom makes a good comment about activity levels playing a part in your adjustments. Now that the weather has gotten hot, I am not as active as I am the rest of the year, so would normally lower my calorie intake a slight amount. Actually, my non-exercise activity level changes so much day to day, that I'll adjust daily sometimes then use a 6 week average of actual weight loss vs calories consumed in an attempt to find a normal calorie level for my desired weight loss.