Simple mathematics of weight loss: How many calories to eat, how many to burn (2024)

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So, how much weight do you want to shed and in how much time?

Say, 15 kgs in 3 weeks.

No! You got to be kidding me, right?....

OK, wait, wait, wait! Not so fast!

Is this what happens in your mind or with your friend when you guys chat? Do you guys plan new diets or embark upon weight loss plans randomly, expecting miraculous shedding of pounds you took so long to accumulate?

Seriously, it is very important that you speak to your doctor before formulating an ambitious weight loss plan - although your intentions may be purely to enhance your health. Because, unfortunately, even if these diets do help you lose weight, you're unlikely to maintain a healthy weight in the months and years afterwards -- because, without a doubt, the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is to lose it gradually.

Even the most earnestly followed weight loss plans stop delivering after a while. The body's response to the diet-exercise regimen that you put it through plateaus. Weight loss tends to level off after a while, and you may need to make further changes.

The acceptable (healthy) rate of weight loss per week:
According to the NHS (UK), if you're trying to lose weight, the safe weekly rate of weight loss is between 0.5kg and 1kg. (or 1lb and 2lb) a week. If you lose weight faster than this and you're at risk of health problems that include malnutrition and gallstones, as well as feeling tired and unwell.

Work out how much weight you need to lose and get a personal daily calorie range to keep to with our healthy weight calculator.

Here is more sound weight loss advice from Donald D Hensrud, MD, MPH, who has been a member of the Mayo Clinic staff for 25 years and currently serves as Associate Professor of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine at Mayo Clinic and Director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program.

Dr Hensrud says that the concern with fast weight loss is that it usually takes extraordinary efforts in diet and exercise — efforts that could be unhealthy and that you probably cannot maintain as permanent lifestyle changes.

Dr Hensrud recommends that weight loss of one to two pounds a week is safe and reasonable as -- although that may seem like a slow pace for weight loss, it is more likely to help you maintain your weight loss for the long term.

Simple weight loss maths by Mayo Clinic:

1. It is the excess and unhealthy fat from your body that you want to burn.
2. Remember that one pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat contains 3,500 calories.
3. So, to lose one pound a week, you need to burn 500 more calories than you eat each day
4. Calculate that as 500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories deficit should occur over a week.

Fat is stubborn, take care you do not lose tissue, instead:
According to the Mayo Clinic, if you lose a lot of weight very quickly, you may not lose as much fat as you would with a more modest rate of weight loss. Instead, you might lose water weight or even lean tissue since it's hard to burn that many fat calories in a short period.
Simple equations: Reduce calorie intake by 500 compared to your normal diet, increase exercise/physical activities and their intensity to a tolerable, healthy level.
The trick is to replace high-calorie foods with lower-calorie alternatives and reduce your portion sizes.
For a successful — and sustainable — weight management plan, you also need to increase your physical activity.

1. In the Mayo Clinic Jump-start diet, you have a quick-start phase.
2. In the quick-start phase, one might lose 6-10 pounds in the first 2 weeks.
3. Mayo Clinic promises that they deploy only a combination of many healthy and safe strategies at once — no gimmicks or extreme dieting.
4. After the initial two-week period, you transition into the recommended weight loss of one or two pounds a week.
5. This way you get time to adopt the necessary lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet and increasing your physical activity, necessary for maintaining weight loss over the long term.

The journey counts, not the destination:
According to the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), even a modest weight loss of 5 to 10 per cent of your total body weight is likely to produce health benefits, such as improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars. According to the CDC’s recommendations, even if the overall goal seems large, see it as a journey rather than just a destination. You will learn new eating and physical activity habits that will help you live a healthier lifestyle. These habits may help you maintain your weight loss over time.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.