Losing weight can be a challenging process, but fundamentally boils down to a simple equation – you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. For a 140 pound person looking to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way, determining an appropriate calorie intake is key. This article will provide a detailed analysis of how many calories a 140 pound person should eat to lose weight, looking at factors like age, gender, activity levels and recommended weight loss rates. We’ll also explore how to determine your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) to find your personal calorie needs for weight loss. Read on to learn how to set an optimal calorie target that will help you successfully reach your weight loss goals.
Determining Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns per day. This includes:
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – The minimum number of calories needed to sustain your body’s basic functions like breathing, blood circulation, organ function, etc. This makes up the majority of your TDEE.
- Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) – The calories burned digesting, absorbing and processing the food you eat, estimated around 10% of TDEE.
- Physical Activity – Calories burned through any movement like exercise, sports, housework, etc.
Knowing your personalized TDEE is key for determining a calorie target for weight loss. Here’s how to estimate your TDEE:
Step 1: Calculate Your BMR
This can be done using the Mifflin-St Jeor Formula:
For men: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) + 5
For women: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) – 161
For a 140 lb (63.5 kg) person:
Male BMR = 10 x 63.5 + 6.25 x height – 5 x age + 5
Female BMR = 10 x 63.5 + 6.25 x height – 5 x age – 161
Step 2: Factor in Your Activity Level
Multiply your BMR by an activity factor below:
- Sedentary (little/no exercise): BMR x 1.2
- Light activity (light exercise 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375
- Moderate activity (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week): BMR x 1.55
- Very active (hard exercise 6-7 days/week): BMR x 1.725
- Extremely active (very hard exercise & physical job): BMR x 1.9
This gives you an estimate of your Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE.
Step 3: Subtract Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss
To lose weight, you need a calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories per day below your TDEE.
For a 140 lb person with a TDEE of 2000 calories, a 500 calorie per day deficit would be:
2000 TDEE – 500 calorie deficit = 1500 calories per day to lose weight.
In general, a calorie deficit of 500-1000 per day should result in a safe weight loss rate of 1-2 lbs per week.
Recommended Calorie Intake for a 140 lb Person
Now that we know how to calculate TDEE, what is generally recommended for a 140 lb person trying to lose weight?
Here are some guidelines based on age, gender and activity level:
For Sedentary Men:
- Age 15-18: Eat 2,000-2,200 calories per day
- Age 19-20: Eat 2,000-2,400 calories per day
- Age 21-25: Eat 2,000-2,400 calories per day
- Age 26-35: Eat 1,800-2,200 calories per day
- Age 36-45: Eat 1,800-2,200 calories per day
- Age 46-55: Eat 1,800-2,000 calories per day
- Age 56-65: Eat 1,600-2,000 calories per day
- Age 65+: Eat 1,600-1,800 calories per day
For Sedentary Women:
- Age 15-18: Eat 1,800 calories per day
- Age 19-25: Eat 1,800-2,000 calories per day
- Age 26-35: Eat 1,800 calories per day
- Age 36-45: Eat 1,600-1,800 calories per day
- Age 46-55: Eat 1,600-1,800 calories per day
- Age 56-65: Eat 1,600 calories per day
- Age 65+: Eat 1,600 calories per day
These targets create a moderate 500-1000 calorie daily deficit for safe weight loss. Reduce calories further for more aggressive weight loss, or increase calories if losing weight too rapidly.
For Active Men and Women:
For men and women with an active lifestyle, daily calorie needs are higher. Target anywhere from 2,000 to 2,800 calories per day for weight loss, adjusting based on your personalized TDEE and rate of desired weight loss.
Those doing strenuous workouts 6-7 days per week or athletes in training can often eat 2,400-3,000+ calories per day and still lose weight.
Nutrition Recommendations for Weight Loss
To optimize fat loss and health while following a reduced calorie diet, here are some key diet tips:
- Emphasize lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, etc. Protein is satisfying and helps retain muscle.
- Eat plenty of low calorie fruits and vegetables which provide volume and nutrients with minimal calories.
- Choose whole grains like oats, brown rice, quinoa, etc. for steady energy and fiber.
- Limit added sugars, refined carbs and saturated fats which are calorically dense.
- Stay hydrated by drinking water, unsweetened tea and black coffee.
- Reduce alcohol intake which provides empty calories.
- Fill up on fiber from vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds to stay full.
- Don’t drink your calories. Avoid sugary sodas, juices, coffees, etc.
Prioritizing lean proteins, produce, whole grains and healthy fats from nuts, seeds and oils makes it easier to eat fewer calories without feeling hungry or deprived.
Sample Meal Plan for a 140 lb Person
Here is an example 1,500 calorie meal plan suitable for a 140 lb woman looking to lose 1 lb per week:
Breakfast (300 calories)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (150 calories)
- 1/2 cup blueberries (40 calories)
- 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (110 calories)
Lunch (400 calories)
- Tuna salad sandwich:
- 3 oz tuna (90 calories)
- 2 slices whole wheat bread (140 calories)
- 1 Tbsp light mayo (35 calories)
- Lettuce and tomatoes (15 calories)
- 1 medium apple (95 calories)
Dinner (500 calories)
- 3 oz grilled salmon (175 calories)
- 1 cup roasted broccoli (55 calories)
- 1/2 cup brown rice (110 calories)
- Salad with 2 cups greens, 1/4 cup chickpeas, 1 oz feta, light dressing (115 calories)
Snacks (300 calories)
- 1 oz mixed nuts (165 calories)
- 1 cup berries (70 calories)
- Baby carrots with 2 Tbsp hummus (100 calories)
This provides a good balance of protein, healthy fats and carbs along with lots of fruits and vegetables to maximize nutrients and stay satisfied while losing weight. Portions can be adjusted based on individual calorie needs and preferences.
Exercise Recommendations for Weight Loss
While reducing calorie intake is the most important factor for weight loss, adding exercise provides immense benefits:
- Burns additional calories to create a larger daily deficit for faster weight loss.
- Maintains or builds lean muscle mass which raises your metabolism.
- Improves cardiovascular fitness and overall health.
- Increases endorphins which enhances mood and reduces stress.
The Physical Activity Guidelines recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise per week for weight loss and general health. This equals 30-60 minutes 5 days per week.
Great exercise options include:
- Walking or hiking: Burns 200-400 calories per hour
- Jogging or running: Burns 400-600 calories per hour
- Cycling: Burns 400-1000 calories per hour
- Swimming: Burns 400-700 calories per hour
- HIIT workouts: Burn 250-450 calories in 30 minutes
- Strength training: Increases lean muscle mass and metabolic rate
- Yoga: Builds strength, flexibility and balance
Aim for a mix of cardio and strength training for optimal fat burning and body composition improvements. But keep in mind that excess calories can easily negate the calories burned during exercise, so nutrition remains key.
Weight Loss Timeline Expectations
Achieving a healthy rate of weight loss helps set realistic expectations:
- 1-2 lbs per week: Considered a safe, sustainable rate of loss for most people. Results in about 8-10 lbs per month, or 25-50 lbs in 6 months.
- 2-3 lbs per week: More aggressive but still reasonable for some people with higher weight to lose. Leads to about 10-15 lbs per month, or 50-75 lbs in 6 months.
- Over 3 lbs per week: Extremely rapid weight loss that’s difficult to sustain long-term. Should only be attempted under medical supervision.
People who need to lose 100 lbs or more can initially lose weight faster in the first few months. Expect the rate of weight loss to slow down as you get closer to your goal.
Aim to lose no more than 1-2% of your body weight per week. Losing weight rapidly increases the risk of muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies and regain of weight. Slow and steady wins the race!
Tips to Boost Weight Loss Efforts
Here are some additional strategies to accelerate your weight loss:
- Drink more water. Staying hydrated can temporarily boost metabolism by 24-30%.
- Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Lack of sleep disrupts hormone regulation of hunger and fullness.
- Manage stress with meditation, yoga, etc. High cortisol from stress promotes weight gain.
- Eat more protein with each meal and snack. Protein is the most filling macronutrient.
- Fill up on fiber from vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Fiber enhances satiety.
- Limit liquid calories and sugary beverages.
- Reduce highly processed foods, refined carbs and sugar.
- Keep tempting foods out of the house and out of sight.
- Monitor your progress with a food journal, body measurements and photos.
Making even small boosts to your usual routine can positively impact your rate of weight loss over time.
Common Weight Loss Pitfalls to Avoid
It’s also important to avoid these common diet mistakes:
- Cutting calories too low: Can cause nutritional deficiencies, muscle loss and severe hunger leading to binges or rebound weight gain.
- Being too restrictive: Banning entire food groups can create cravings and overeating those foods when willpower runs out.
- Over-exercising: Excessive exercise without adequate calorie intake leads to low energy, injury risk and lean tissue loss.
- Underestimating portion sizes: Eyeballing portion sizes often results in underestimating calorie intake.
- Neglecting strength training: Skipping strength work leads to muscle loss which decreases metabolic rate.
- Binge eating: Severely restricting all week and overeating on weekends sabotages weight loss.
- Yo-yo dieting: Drastically slashing calories then frequently rebounding leads to weight cycling rather than permanent loss.
Avoid extremes, be patient with the process and aim for consistency and balance to achieve lasting success.
Conclusion
Determining the optimal calorie intake for weight loss as a 140 lb person requires calculating your TDEE, creating a moderate calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories daily and eating a well-balanced, nutrient dense diet. Losing 1-2 lbs per week is reasonable for most people, aided through regular exercise and healthy lifestyle habits. Avoid extreme diets and instead focus on finding a eating pattern you can follow consistently while reaching your weight goals over time. Be patient and remember that small changes compound for big results.
