Calorie Deficit + Weight Loss

Ok, so... a lot of people have a hard time understanding the whole calorie deficit and weight loss concept. I'm going to break it down for you in layman terms using my own numbers and what not.

My Height: 6'1"
My Weight: 295lbs
Age: 20
Gender: Female

Step 1. Figure out your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) or TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).
What is BMR?: Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns (expends) within 24 hours by just being alive (i.e breathing, sleeping, digesting, etc.)
This BMR calculator will ask for your HEIGHT, WEIGHT, AGE, and GENDER. With that information, it will calculate how many calories you burn (PER DAY) by doing absolutely nothing.
For me, it says my BMR is 2,187 calories per day.

Step 2. Once you figure out your BMR, figure out how many calories you are allowed to eat per day. You could go to the TOOLS tab in Calorie Count to find the ALLOWANCE button that will tell you how many calories you should consume per day, or, if you're like me, just figure out what's best for you on your own.
My daily calorie allowance is: 1,500 (not too much, not too little.)
*NOTE*: NEVER EAT LESS THAN 1,200 CALORIES PER DAY. IT IS VERY UNHEALTHY AND EVEN DOCTORS DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.

Step 3. Find your Calorie Deficit.
What is Calorie Deficit?: A calorie deficit is created when the amount of food energy (calories) you consume is less than the total calories you use.
How do I figure out my calorie deficit?: Take your calorie allowance (the total amount of calories you consume per day). In this case (with my numbers) it would be 1,500.
So take 1,500 and subtract your TDEE (calories you burn by doing nothing). In this case, 2,187. 

1,500 - 2,187 =  -687

THEN... if you work out, take the total number of calories you burn in your workout and add it to the -687.
 For me, I usually burn 200 calories in a 30 minute session.

-687 + -200 = -887

This number (-887) is my Calorie Deficit. This is how many calories I burn throughout the day.

Step 4. Now, every pound is about 3,500 calories. So if you want to lose just one pound, you'd have to burn 3,500 calories.
Here is how I figure out how many pounds I lose per week:
1. 3,500 calories = 1 pound
2. -887 (my calorie deficit) X 7 (7 days a week) = -6,209, so I am burning approximately 6,209 calories PER WEEK, assuming I eat 1,500 calories and work out 30 minutes every day.
3. Lastly, divide -6,209 by 3,500, and you come up with -1.7, which is the amount of pounds lost per week. Voila.

Love and Alohas
~Ihilani~

Thank you. Thank you .Thank you. Finally someone who gets that in order to lose weight you really do need to eat under your BMR

Thank you, well explained.

Great explanation, BUT BMR is solely lying in bed all day.  So most (unless you are truly bed ridden) would have to add sedentary level by multiplying their BMR by 1.2.  So in your case up there, your BMR is 2187*1.2=2624, then add your 200 for exercise and that would give you 2824-1500(intake for the day)=1324 deficit.  While your equation is great it does not work for those who have not as much weight to lose.

For example my BMR is 1584, CC recommends on a sedentary level to eat 1200.  If I take my BMR and multiply it by 1.2=1900-750 for 1.5 loss each week=1150 which is not good because it goes below the 1200 rule.  If I exercise 300 add it to 1900 thats 2200 so I could eat 1700 for a 1 pound loss each week and if I want to lose 1.5 per week I would have to eat 1450. 

So don't forget activity level, that will make your deficit to large and for some that could set people back, like me.