How Many Calories Should a Woman Eat Per Day to Lose Weight?

A whopping 64 percent of American women are considered overweight or obese, according to the Weight-Control Information Network. As obesity increases, so does the risk for chronic disease -- such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. While calorie reduction is one of the most effective strategies for women to shed extra pounds, it's important to note that a woman’s individualized calorie needs for weight loss are based on her initial body weight, current calorie intake and activity level.

General Recommendations

Most women seeking weight loss – without medical supervision – require between 1,000 and 1,600 calories per day to safely lose weight. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute suggests that active women, and those weighing more than 165 pounds, often require 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day for weight loss. Inactive females weighing 164 pounds or less often require 1,000 to 1,200 calories daily to effectively shed pounds.

Considerations for Exercise

Adding exercise to your weight-loss regimen can help increase lean body mass, reduce body fat and help keep lost weight off long term. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends women participate in 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise each week and muscle-strengthening exercises at least two times weekly. Active women who participate in strenuous physical activity generally require about 18 calories for each pound of their desirable body weight daily, according to the University of Washington.

Individualized Needs

Eating 500 fewer calories than you normally consume will help you drop 1 pound weekly, and reducing your intake by 1,000 calories a day often leads to a 2-pound-weekly weight loss, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For example, if your usual intake is 2,400 calories daily, aim for 1,400 to 1,900 calories a day for safe and effective weight loss. Use an online calorie counter -- such as Myfitnesspal.com -- to track your current calorie intake. Or, use an online calorie needs calculator provided by the American Council on Exercise to determine your daily calorie needs.

Calorie-Reduction Strategies

To increase satiety and make it easier to reduce your total calorie intake for weight loss, try drinking water before meals, boosting protein intake and choosing high-fiber foods. Healthy, protein-rich foods include lean meats, seafood, skinless poultry, soy products, low-fat dairy foods, egg whites and seitan. Choose fiber-rich nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. ChooseMyPlate.gov suggests filling half your plate with fruits and veggies, about one-fourth with grains and about one-fourth with protein foods. Eliminate added sugars, sweets, sugary drinks and refined-grains -- such as white bread.

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16 Snacks That Are OK to Eat at Night

Eating past 8 p.m. has been known to get a bad rap. In reality, the reason you may have gained (or not been able to lose) weight probably has more to do with what you are eating and how much you are eating rather than the time of day you are eating. Noshing at night, if done healthfully, can offer some surprising benefits. Eating the right protein at night can help you build muscle while you sleep. Eating low-glycemic carbs at night can help control your blood sugar the next day and even help you regulate your appetite. Read on to find out about 16 snacks that are OK to eat at night. Some are not-so-guilty pleasures, some are great snacks to have after a light dinner and others make fantastic post-workout snacks (for those of you who work out at night).

1. High-Protein “Cake Batter” Everyone loves cake batter. Dieters everywhere covet the delicious, rich, creamy consistency. But this indulgence doesn’t need to be off-limits. This high-protein version will satisfy the strongest late-night cravings -- and it packs in 19 grams of protein! Combining vanilla protein powder and heavy cream with pumpkin spice gives a warm flavor and spicy feel, but you can pick any flavor of you like. CALORIES: 274

2. Coconut-Mango Cream Who doesn’t like cold and creamy desserts? Unfortunately, most of the standard store-bought frozen desserts are packed with calories and sugar. Here is a simple dessert that uses frozen mango and coconut milk to make a dish your friends will rave about. To make it vegan, opt for a vegan protein powder like hemp, brown rice or pea. CALORIES: 171

3. No-Bake Honey Peanut Butter Cookies These simple-to-make no-bake cookies contain the great flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate, along with a little hint of sweetness from honey. The addition of oats adds a punch of fiber and plant protein that makes them very satisfying. This recipe works well with miniature muffin tins as well. It makes about eight cookies -- so one tin is more than enough. Tip: To cut down on calories, you can make 16 half-size cookies instead. CALORIES: 238

4. Dark Chocolate Chocolate is often seen as a forbidden food -- but not all chocolate is created equal. There is a big nutritional difference between your average convenience-store chocolate candy and cacao-rich dark chocolate. The dark chocolate lacks the high added sugar content of traditional chocolate and instead provides you an antioxidant punch that has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, fight inflammation and improve your mood. Next time you need to wind down at night, have an ounce of your favorite dark chocolate (70 percent cacao or greater).

5. BCAA Slushy A slushy is a classic childhood treat. But as adults we may tend to avoid these high-sugar concoctions laden with questionable food dyes. Here’s a better, no-added-sugar version that contains branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which can help decrease muscle soreness and stimulate muscle growth. Watch out for brain freeze! CALORIES: 36

6. Strawberry-Banana “Ice Cream” Ice cream is a great late-night treat, but with half a cup packing almost 200 calories, this treat becomes off-limits fast. A great alternative to traditional ice cream is to make it with frozen bananas. Mashed frozen bananas provide an ice-cream-like consistency without the added sugars, fat and calories. Here’s the simple recipe: Slice up two very ripe bananas and one cup of strawberries. Place them in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, blend the strawberries and bananas in a food processor on high until an ice-cream consistency is achieved. Voila, vegan ice cream! If you’re serious about your banana ice cream, you might want to check out the Yonanas machine, a kitchen appliance designed for making banana ice cream.

7. Pistachios Pistachios in the shell are an excellent nighttime snack because the shelling process requires some work, consequently slowing down how fast you can eat them. The slower you eat, the less you will consume. Another bonus with pistachios is that you get to eat more nuts per ounce (49 nuts) than any other nut. The combination of getting to eat more and having to eat them slower makes pistachios one of the best options. In addition, nuts come with a unique nutritional package because they contain fiber, biotin, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, unsaturated fats and plant sterols, all of which makes them highly nutritious as well as satisfying. If you are looking for something more, you can pair pistachios with goat cheese or a fruit like raspberries.

8. Not Your Average Milkshake With the right kind of protein, you can make thick and creamy milkshakes without excessive calories and fat. The key is to add casein protein powder or a milk protein powder blend (which will contain whey and casein). The biochemical properties of casein cause it to act as a thickener. Casein has been shown to have anti-catabolic properties, helping prevent excessive muscle breakdown after an intense workout. This nutrient-powered milkshake packs about 40 grams of protein and one-third of the recommended daily amount of calcium. CALORIES: 307

9. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is arguably one of the best flavors in existence. This simple snack combines those two great flavors along with a creamy texture from cottage cheese. In addition, it provides a high dose of casein protein. Casein is the slower-digesting milk protein (whey being the other milk protein) and has been shown to boost recovery while you sleep when taken later at night. CALORIES: 313

10. Raspberry Greek Yogurt Pops Popsicles are a simple after-dinner snack, but if you buy them at the grocery store they’re essentially sugar and food dye. With this simple recipe for frozen Greek yogurt pops, you can do much better; it’s a nutritional treat with minimal prep. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt’s nutritionally superior sibling, with typically double the protein and half the carbs per serving. To make frozen Greek yogurt pops, mash three-quarters of a cup of raspberries in two cups of 2% plain Greek yogurt. Portion this mixture into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for several hours until completely frozen.

11. Pumpkin Seeds The hallmark of a good nighttime snack is a food that will fulfill a nagging craving while at the same time helping you to relax, unwind and get ready for bed. Roasted pumpkin seeds meet this challenge. One serving of pumpkin seeds contains almost 50 percent of your recommended intake of magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral that is used in more than 300 reactions in your body. One key area that magnesium addresses is relaxation. Magnesium is a relaxant, and high-magnesium snacks are ideal for helping you unwind at night. And the slight saltiness of roasted pumpkin seeds curbs your salty-snack craving that is usually quelled with potato chips. Next time you want to munch on something while watching your favorite TV show, reach for a quarter-cup of roasted pumpkin seeds.

12. Warm Milk and Honey Warm milk has long been used as a sleep aid, making it a good late-night snack choice if you have trouble dozing off at night. It’s interesting to note that, despite people swearing by the effectiveness of a warm glass of milk aiding in relaxation efforts, the effect may be more psychological than physiological. It was once thought that the tryptophan in milk led to increases in the feel-good hormone serotonin. However, the additional amino acids in milk can actually prevent the tryptophan from preferentially getting into your brain. Adding honey to your warm milk will slightly boost the sugar content of your snack. This extra sugar is easily digested and can stimulate hormones that drive the formation of serotonin, making your warm milk assist in your sleep efforts from a psychological and physiological perspective.

13. Frozen Blueberries The cold sweetness of frozen blueberries is very refreshing at the end of the day. Frozen blueberries are packed with just as many high-powered antioxidants as their fresh counterparts because they are flash frozen at peak ripeness. Blueberries are one of the best foods that you can eat for your health. Research has shown that the nutrients in blueberries can help improve brain function and heart health. If your diet can afford the extra calories, adding two tablespoons of cream ups the richness and sweetness of the treat.

14. Almonds Nuts have been traditionally pitted as a “bad” snack food for weight loss due to their high fat content. But a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate almonds lost just as much weight at 18 months compared with people who abstained from eating almonds. In addition, people who ate almonds experienced greater improvements in their total cholesterol and triglycerides -- two key cardiovascular disease risk factors. Almonds are also another food that is high in magnesium. One ounce of almonds (about a quarter-cup) can be snacked on raw, roasted or seasoned with your favorite spice like curry or chili powder.

15. Berries and Cream The combination of berries and cream is a simple and satisfying dessert. By substituting full-fat plain Greek yogurt for the cream, you can still enjoy a high-protein version of this luscious dessert. Top half a cup of full-fat plain Greek yogurt with a quarter-cup of blackberries and a quarter-cup of raspberries

16. Kale Chips Kale chips give you that great salty crunch without the extra fat and calories you’d get with regular potato chips. Kale chips also provide vitamins K, A and C and the cancer-fighting phytochemicals called carotenoids. These are all things you don’t get from potato chips. Kale chips taste best when they are freshly baked. The prep time is so minimal that you can easily whip up a batch while you are making dinner to enjoy them later in the evening. CALORIES: 63

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What to Eat to Lose 20 Pounds

Losing any amount of weight requires you to burn more calories than you consume. Since 1 lb. equals 3,500 calories, for 20 lbs. you must create a 70,000 calorie deficit over several weeks. The most successful rate of weight loss is 1 or 2 lbs. per week says Joanne Larsen, R.D. on Ask the Dietitian, meaning with the right foods and strategies, you could lose 20 lbs. in just about 10 weeks.

Significance of Calories

Calories are what matter for weight loss, not the particular combinations or macronutrient ratios. A study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in February 2009 compared four different diet plans with disparate amounts of fat, carbohydrates and proteins. The Harvard researchers concluded that it was ultimately the low-calorie nature of the diets that yielded loss, not the food combinations. Eat fewer calories than you use, and you will lose your 20 lbs. Do not go below 1,200 calories a day as a woman or 1,500 as a man warns MedLine Plus website.

Considerations

You could technically lose weight by ingesting donuts and French fries all day as long as you ate below your daily burn rate. However, your serving sizes would be exceptionally small to fit your calorie target. In addition, you would experience nutritional deficiencies, lose muscle mass and put yourself at risk for healthy problems related to too much saturated fat and sugar. A better strategy is to emphasize balanced meals that include reasonable portions of healthy foods most of the time. This supplies you with adequate nutrition for growth and energy, as well as allows you to eat large enough servings to not feel deprived and frustrated while dieting.

Types of Foods

To lose 20 lbs. at a rate of 1 or 1 lbs. per week, emphasize whole foods with a low calorie density. Build your meals around watery, green vegetables which offer nutrition and fiber, but not a lot of calories per serving. You can eat 3 cups of raw spinach for just 15 calories, while a small order of fries from McDonalds costs you 230 calories. Choose lean proteins--fish, skinless turkey or chicken breast, shrimp or very lean beef--and eat just two to three, 3 oz. portions daily. Measure out ½ cup servings of grains--or one slice of bread--at each of your meals and snacks and go for whole varieties as much as possible--choosing brown rice over white, whole wheat bread over white and oatmeal instead of puffed rice. If you want to lose your 20 lbs. quickly, you do not have a lot of room for discretionary calories that come from saturated fats that include butter and fatty meats, sugars from sodas or candy or alcohol.

Misconceptions

Many people think that fat is the enemy when they are trying to lose weight. The body needs fat to pad the internal organs, regulate hormone production, keep the hair and skin healthy and absorb specific vitamins. All fats are not optimal for your health or weight loss goals. A diet to lose 20 lbs. will emphasize unsaturated fats--such as the ones found in olive and canola oil, avocados, fatty fish, nuts and seeds. Shoot for 25 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories to come from these healthy sources, and avoid saturated fats and cut out trans fats--found in processed foods--altogether, advises the American Heart Association.

Exercise

Although you can lose weight by dieting alone, you will probably have more success combining the right kinds of foods with exercise. Eighty-nine percent of the National Weight Control registry members--an ongoing research group of successful losers who have kept an average of 66 lbs. off for over five years--used diet and exercise to achieve their goals. Only 10 percent used diet alone, and 1 percent used exercise only says the American Council on Exercise. Follow American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines and try to incorporate about an hour of moderate intensity cardiovascular activity five times per week to boost your weight loss results.

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