I'm trying to gain/lose weight, how much food should I eat?

13 Feb 2010

I'm trying to lose/gain weight, how much food should I eat?

I get many versions of this type of question. Gaining or losing weight is largely about calorie control.

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As explained in an earlier post, body weight is determined by the balance of energy in (food eaten) and energy out (energy expenditure).

Therefore, you would alter your energy intake/expenditure depending on what your goals are. Ken has programmed a very good calculator which assesses your goals and needs and gives a calorie range to consume here. It also gives possible workout routines.

Try not to change your routine too drastically. Going from eating 3000 calories to 2000 calories a day is very disruptive on both body and mind. It is doubtful that such a change will lead to a long term lifestyle change.

So how do I change my diet to lead to a long term improvement?

A good number seems to be about 500 calories. Change your calorie consumption up or down by about 500 calories. If, after 3-5 weeks, the results you attain are not what you were hoping for, increase or decrease it further.