To lose weight, how many calories should I eat a day?

Theoretically, a deficit of 500 calories per day should promote one pound of weight loss per week. Here are the numbers:

• 500 calories x 7 days = 3500 calories = 1 pound of body fat

Even small changes in your diet can add up over time. If you eat just 150 calories less each day for one year that translates to almost 16 pounds you could lose. Follow these heart healthy and calorie-saving steps to launch you towards your goals of a healthy weight.

Simple Steps to a Healthy Heart and Weight

The Plate Method

One of the best ways to control calories is to control portions. Try serving foods with these tips in mind:

• Fill one quarter of your plate with lean protein. This portion size fits within palm of your hand. Lean protein sources include poultry, fish, seafood, lean beef (round, loin, flank), lean pork (tenderloin, Canadian bacon), tofu and eggs.
• Fill another quarter of your plate with starch. Starches are foods like bread, rice, pasta, cereal, potatoes, yams, and beans. Choose most of your starches from whole grains, such as whole wheat bread or tortillas, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole grain and bran cereals, or beans. Expand your whole grains to include barley, bulgur, quinoa, millet, teff, and farro.
• Fill the other half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, like salad and other greens, broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes.
• If desired, add a fruit or cup of milk or yogurt to your meal, or enjoy as a snack later.

View more information on the Plate Method. Eating the right amount and getting adequate exercise helps with weight control. Overeating can lead to weight gain. Choosing lean meats and lower fat dairy products helps with weight control and heart health. That's because the animal fats tend to be "saturated" fats which are not heart healthy. Control calories and improve nutrition by following these tips:

1. Choose leaner proteins:
   • Avoid fatty meats like bacon, sausage, ribs and hot dogs.
   • Choose lean cuts of meat, such as “loin” and “round”.
   • Eat up to 6 to 8 ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish daily.
   • Trim visible fat from meat and remove skin from poultry.
   • Try vegetarian protein alternatives, like soy products and tofu.
2. Consider lower fat dairy products, if you have high levels of fat in your blood.  Such as:
   • Nonfat or 1% low-fat dairy products.
   • Reduced fat or low-fat versions of your favorite cheeses. Some cheeses, like mozzarella and ricotta, are naturally lower in fat.
   • Avoid cream, cream sauces and creamed soups.
3. Limit added fats in recipes and watch the condiments because fat adds more calories:
   1. Strictly limit butter and hard stick margarine. Choose margarine labeled “no trans-fats”.
   2. Avoid tropical oils (coconut and palm oils).
   3. Choose liquid oils instead of solid fats (but control intake as all fats are equally dense in calories).
   4. Try reduced fat or nonfat versions of condiments, like salad dressings, mayonnaise, sauces and gravies.
4. Limit added suger in your food
   1. ​Look at nutrition labels for added sugar
   2. Avoid or eliminate beverages with sugar, look for total carbohydrate 0 gm.
   3. Avoid or eliminate processed and highly processed foods as they often contain sugar and oil.

More helpful tips:

• Avoid fried foods. Try baking, broiling, barbecuing, steaming, boiling, light sautéing, grilling, poaching and braising.
• Use a non-stick cooking spray to coat a pan instead of butter, margarine or oil.
• Drain and discard visible fat when cooking.
• Limit dining at fast-food restaurants.
• Read Nutrition Facts labels on food packages. Choose foods with low or no saturated fat, trans fat,  or hydrogenated fat. A low-fat choice is 0-3 grams of fat per ounce of meat or cheese, or 0-3 grams of fat per serving for other items.
• Soluble fiber can help reduce blood cholesterol levels. Foods high in this type of fiber include oats, dried beans, split peas and lentils.
• Include at lease 5 servings per day from a combination of fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise more. Exercise does not have to be strenuous. Walking is an excellent form of exercise. Try to engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise per day.