I found this in the 12/04 issue of Fitness magazine and thought it was interesting. It takes into account a persons age, height, and activity level. By using your goal weight (10 pounds lighter) in the equation, you automatically eat fewer calories. Im not sure how accurate it is but at least it gives us an idea of what might be appropriate. Of course, losing 10 pounds in 6 weeks might be a little drastic for some people.
1. Subtract 10 pounds from your current weight, then multiply this by 4.4. (Ex. If you weigh 145 now, subtract 10 to get 135. Multiply 135 by 4.4 to get 594.)
2. Calculate your height in inches, then multiply by 4.6. (Ex. 54" is 64 inches. Multiply 64 by 4.6 to get 294.4.)
3. Multiply your age in years by 4.7. (If youre 30 you get 141)
4. Add up the answers to the first three steps and then add 655. (Ex. 594 + 294.4 + 141 + 655 =1684.4. Round up or down to the nearest whole number: 1684.
5. Multiply this number by an activity factor. These are the extra calories needed to support your daily physical activity level.
1.2 if you sit at a desk all day, unable to work out due to injury, or
too tired/busy to work out on a daily basis.
1.3 if you walk your dog twice or more daily, take the stairs whenever
you can or exercise moderately for up to 2 days a week.
1.5 if you exercise for 1 hour at least 3 and up to 5 times a week.
1.7 if you are a hard-core runner, train 2-plus hours a day or have a
physically demanding job.
Your final number equals your daily calorie limit to lose 10 pounds in six weeks.
