Note: Don't fail to read the FAQ's section below this article!
Even though weight-loss and weight management is often made out to be the most confusing thing in the world, the formula is very simple. I say this with a promise that if you follow this exact formula for weight loss, you will never have to diet, suffer, or waste your money buying nonsense like pills, supplements, shakes or wraps again. Your body needs calories to function. On average, it burns about 10 calories per day per pound of body weight. So, if you weigh 200 pounds, your body will likely burn about 2,000 calories just to maintain its size and normal body function. That’s not counting exercise. It’s just the amount of calories your body will burn doing important things like: digesting food, pumping blood, processing oxygen, walking around the house, brushing hair … standard stuff. Every move we make requires energy, and thus calories get burned. If you burn about 2,000 calories a day and you’re not losing weight, we know that you’re also consuming at least 2,000 calories a day too.
3,500 extra calories consumed = one pound gained
3,500 extra calories burned = one pound lost
If you presently weigh 200 pounds but have a healthy or preferred weight of 150 pounds … it’s safe to say that you’ll need to lose 50. If you’d like to weigh 150 pounds, you should eat the proper amount of calories which would sustain a person no bigger than 150 pounds! 150 X 10 calories per day = 1,500. At 200 pounds, you’re consuming at least 2,000 calories per day, way more if you exercise regularly. That’s too much! That’s the reason you’re 50 pounds overweight. You’ve been eating to be a 200-pound person.
So how do you customize this formula for you? Easy! Decide what a healthy weight for you would be, and then tack a ZERO onto the end of it. That provides you with 10 calories per pound of ideal body weight, and by sticking to this caloric formula, your body will shrink down to your ideal weight. You will be feeding it enough to function well at your ideal weight, but won’t be feeding it enough to remain at its larger size.
Examples:
Want to weigh 214 pounds? Consume no more than 2,140 calories per day
Want to weigh 132 pounds? Consume no more than 1,320 calories per day.
This formula works EVERY TIME! It’s NOT a diet, it’s just a method of managing your consumption habits (both food and beverage) to ensure you’re providing your body with the ideal amount of energy (calories) and not an excessive amount.
NOW! You can do this the smart way or the dumb-dumb way. The dumb-dumb way would have you eat four doughnuts each day and nothing else. YES, you can consume 1,500 with just a few doughnuts and still lose weight. However, with this methodology, you’d have no energy, be tired, malnourished, hungry, have headaches, grow cranky and quit. This dumb-dumb plan is not built for success.
The SMART way to attack this formula is by filling your daily caloric budget with tons of HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS but low-calorie foods. If you want to have energy, feel satisfied and enjoy food on an ongoing basis, choose items from the produce department, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products and stick with whole grains. Avoid caloric beverages as much as possible. Yes, I’m suggesting that you have really high standards most of the time.
You’re not on a diet, you’re just going to start becoming particular about what you’re putting in your mouth. Fill up on the great stuff and scrutinize the high-calorie high-fat non-essentials. Could you grill that chicken breast without all of the oil? Sure you can! Can you dip your salad in a side cup of dressing instead of allowing the restaurant to dump ladles full on top of it? Of course! Can you choose another way to relax each night instead of having that glass of wine or beer? Unless you’ve got a problem, a walk should be able to suffice.
Folks, weight loss isn’t about suffering. It’s just about learning what works for your body, staying within reasonable parameters and making more good choices than bad.
Hear about The Exact Formula for Weight Loss on Fitz’s Podcast!
Frequently Asked Questions
When I lose weight, can I go back to eating more calories?
No. If you want to be a smaller person for the long-haul, you'll have to eat like a smaller person. You'll find a place where you can eat a bit more based on a really vigorous exercise routine, but if you veer too far from this calorie formula ... you'll eventually gain weight. My husband gets to eat way more than I do. Is it fair? Maybe not, but I prefer being fit and lean over keeping up with his luxurious eating abilities.
How do I keep track of calories?
Great question! I recommend an app like My Fitness Pal or Calorie-Count.com. Just plug in every bite and sip you take each day, to make sure you don't go over your daily caloric budget. You can also jot down notes with a pen and paper to keep track.
Should I add exercise?
Of course! You can be really trim without exercise, but you CANNOT be FIT without it. Exercise is a powerful force in weight management, but more importantly ... exercise is the only way to become strong, flexible, resilient, and have good balance and endurance! Skinny is no prize! Your goal should be lean and strong!
What if I hate counting?
Too bad. Plug the numbers into your phone or computer and enjoy the benefits. I bet you dislike being overweight more than you dislike "counting". Do you keep track of the money you spend to make sure you don't bounce checks? I bet you do. Counting and simple math are a part of being a responsible adult. Deal with it.
What if I hate scales?
What if I hate scales? That's like saying you hate thermometers or rulers. Scales are simply tools of measurement. They don't love you, hate you, or care if it's the holidays. They just tell you the truth and let you make decisions based on that information. Your weight is not the only important factor, but you're here reading this article because you care about your weight. Don't put your head in the sand like an ostrich. Check in with a scale on a regular basis; I recommend weekly, but you can diverge from that. If the scale is moving in the right direction, you know you've been doing a good job. If the number is sticking or going the wrong way, you'll know to tighten up a bit and put in a little more effort. Plus, if you were religious about checking in with the scale ... do you think you'd have gained a bunch of weight in the first place?
What about the 1,200 calorie a day message I've always heard?
It's preposterous to think that a random amount of calories would suit everyone. My tall, muscular husband would STARVE if that's all he was fed each day. That completely random number does not take into account various heights, weights, body types, or goals. With THIS exact formula for weight loss, you've chosen your own goal weight, based on those factors ... and have created a formula specific to you.
Do I have to count calories forever?
I do. I don't plug them into an app anymore, but I do keep mental notes throughout the day. Sidebar - I used to weigh 45 pounds more than I do now. I wore a size 13 then and wear a size 0 now. I taught two intense group fitness classes a day back then when I was overweight too. What changed? My eating habits. I've maintained my weight loss for almost 20 years now, just by being a conscientious eater.
If I exercise, do I eat those calories to make up for calories burned?
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! Purposely re-consuming those calories you just burned to lose weight would be INSANE! That would be like quickly spending the $1,000 you just earned on a fancy purse ... when you were really trying to save up to buy a $15,000 car! Unless you are running 10-20 miles a day or the equivalent, you DO NOT need to purposely re-consume calories you've burned off exercising. Many apps and "diets" tell you to do this and all I can say is ... FOOEY! They're unknowledgeable amateurs who have no business guiding you towards weight loss. If you burn an extra 500 calories per day through exercise, you will lose an extra pound a week. If you burn 500 calories and quickly re-consume them, you will lose ZERO extra pounds each week. Don't do it.
Can I splurge?
It's YOUR caloric budget. You don't have to be perfect. Perfect is boring! Just make great choices and stick to your budget 90% of the time. I eat a small piece of milk chocolate every single day. It makes me happy.
What do I do when I achieve my weight loss goal?
Plan a fun athletic adventure to celebrate and send an email to Fitzness@aol.com! We'd love to feature you on Fitzness.com
Think the Exact Formula is simple and doable? You’re right! Want more fitness solutions in the same understandable and attainable way? Order Fitz’s online course Fixing Your Life with Fitzness and achieve your best body with the health and vitality that goes with it.
Great blog!
This is the same approach to weight loss that I started back in April of this year. I started using MyFitnessPal to track both my calorie in-take and my cardio and strength training output. My most shocking discoveries were that my food portions were out of control, and that I wasn’t nearly as active as I thought that I was.
Since April, I’ve shed over 40 lbs, I feel and sleep better (no snoring), my blood pressure is well within the normal range, where previously, I was pre-hypertension. I train 4-6 days per week. I have more energy and I’m a healthier and happier husband and father.
I’ve pinned this blog to my “Feeling & Look’n Good” board on Pinterest, so others may benefit from your insight.
Sincerely,
Jon D
Gainesville, FL
Thanks Jon! Great observations. Even folks who are eating legitimately healthy foods, gain weight due to over-consumption. Even “good quality calories” can lead to weight gain. Getting it right requires a smart combination of the right foods and the right amounts. So happy you’ve been so successful! I’d love to feature you in our How I Lost It category.
Fitz
Won’t you lose muscle mass on this diet? If I’m an athlete, how do I cut the last 5 pounds without sacrificing performance or muscle mass? Seems like an extreme calorie cut if I run 5 miles per day and lift for an hour…
Absolutely not! First – you’re not on a diet. You’re learning to eat the right amount of the right foods for the size you’d like to be. If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re going to HAVE to burn more than you consume. Period. This caloric budget allows you to decrease your intake , while nourishing your body completely and training thoroughly. If you read the article, you’ll see that you can adjust calories if you’re losing too fast or feel like you need more. I’m an athlete too! I competed as a full-contact kickboxer for 10 years like this. When you train like a monster and go for hours on end … you can consume more. That’s all clearly written. If you go back to read the article, you’ll see. Also, if you never decrease your calories – you’ll never lose the last five. But that’s up to you. Maybe you decide you’re just perfect that way you are! Isn’t it nice that you get to choose.
You can feature me in the “How I Lost It” category.
Best wishes to for a Happy New Years!
Great sharing. Your post is very helpful for weight loss and get a good body sheep. Your post gives me more information on lose weight and healthy body. And please keep sharing.
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Great article! This may be the reason I can’t lose my last 5 pounds lol. Gotta lower calories even more. I have 2 questions though.
1. What’s your opinion on sugar free/calorie free products?
2. You said not to eat back exercise calories. But what if the person’s daily exercise makes their net calories lower than their weight loss goal? For example, a 125 pound person trying to reach 120. So they eat 1200 calories a day but with exercise their TDEE is 2,000 which is a whopping 800 calorie difference. Wouldn’t it make sense to eat at least a couple hundred more calories?
Question: So if I weigh 194 and believe I should weigh more like 160, I should consume no more than 1600 calories. I get that. But you said to not eat back the calories burned via exercise. So, if I eat 1600 calories but burn, let’s say, 800 via exercise, wouldn’t my calories for the day only be 800? Wouldn’t that sustain the weight of a 80lb person?
I am a guy and need to lose the weight. I’ve been doing short but intense full-body, compound weight workouts twice a week and an hour or so of elliptical training daily. Am I working out too much? My goal is to get lean.
Awesome information!!
i have read your calorie plan and i read the same plan 30 years ago and i forgot who was the originator of the idea of this type of diet?
it was in the early 1980’s ,my dad told me i was over weight and he bought me a book about calories.
it said almost the same identical idea that YOU had!
do YOU remember where you read this? it would be great to get that old book if i can.
i DO have another question if i may -some diet coaches multiply their goal weight differently -some say multiply by 10 ,so say 12 –
what does the number represent other than calories per pound?
i read that if your NOT working out -multiply your goal by 10
if your working out once a week -then multiply your goal by 11
if your working out twice a week -then multiply your goal weight by 12
people who are exercising three times a week -get to multiply by 13
is this wrong ,or is this right?
and why do we have to figure out how many times during the week ,where going to exercise -shouldn’t we be judging this daily instead?
like if i preplan my day and im working out three times that day -shouldn’t my dietary needs be goal weight multiplied by 13 ?
if you have any information or any web address that could help me get a better grasp on this ,that would be great!
thanks
I learned in grad school that the human body burns approximately 10 calories per pound of body weight per day. And that’s a generous number. Most less than muscular people burn less. I just did the math and shared the method to the madness. You would only burn more calories per pound if you were VERY muscular. I do not agree with the 11, 12 and 13 multipliers.