How Many Calories Should We Have?

While Mr. and I have been following our own Guiding Principles--not a specific diet plan or recommendation--I must admit I've been wondering about calories. Exactly how many "should" we consume to lose weight effectively? I also thought about things like fat and fiber intake. What should we be aiming for as we plan our meals and snacks each day?

I heard someone say 2,000 calories was a good average, but that sounded high to me. One coworker said he needs 3,000 calories a day. Man, you crazy. Anyway, after one full month of getting fit, I decided to find a calculator that would tell us exactly what we need to safely lose 2 pounds a week (a reasonable, healthy pace).

Ask the Dietitian by Joanne Larsen offers this simple calculator, which takes into account your height, weight, age, gender, activity levels, and weight loss goal. The results tell you what your healthy weight range is (which I already knew), as well as the nutritional numbers I was seeking (calories, fat, fiber, protein, etc.) Check it out:

Mrs.' Nutrition Facts
Calorie Daily Value	1,200		Calories from fat	360
Total Fat	40	g
Saturated Fat	4	g
Cholesterol	300	mg
Sodium	2,400	mg
Potassium	3,500	mg
Total Carbohydrate	150	g
Dietary Fiber	25	g
Sugars	64	g
Protein	60	g
Vitamin A	5,000	IU	Vitamin C	60	mg
Calcium	1,000	mg	Iron	18	mg
Vitamin D	400	IU	Vitamin E	30	IU
Thiamin	1.5	mg	Riboflavin	1.7	mg
Niacin	20	mg	Vitamin B-6	2.0	mg
Folate	400	mcg	Vitamin B-12	6	mcg
Biotin	300	mcg	Pantothenic Acid	10	mg
Phosphorus	1,000	mg	Iodine	150	mcg
Magnesium	400	mg	Zinc	15	mg
Copper	2	mg

Mr.'s Nutrition Facts
Calorie Daily Value	1,783		Calories from fat	535
Total Fat	59	g
Saturated Fat	6	g
Cholesterol	300	mg
Sodium	2,400	mg
Potassium	3,500	mg
Total Carbohydrate	223	g
Dietary Fiber	25	g
Sugars	64	g
Protein	89	g
Vitamin A	5,000	IU	Vitamin C	60	mg
Calcium	1,000	mg	Iron	18	mg
Vitamin D	400	IU	Vitamin E	30	IU
Thiamin	1.5	mg	Riboflavin	1.7	mg
Niacin	20	mg	Vitamin B-6	2.0	mg
Folate	400	mcg	Vitamin B-12	6	mcg
Biotin	300	mcg	Pantothenic Acid	10	mg
Phosphorus	1,000	mg	Iodine	150	mcg
Magnesium	400	mg	Zinc	15	mg
Copper	2	mg

I'm a little concerned I may have been going over my recommended calories, but now that I know what to aim for, I can be more careful. Mr. is lucky--he gets 583 more calories than I do a day! Hopefully we can both use this as a helpful tool on our journey to fitness.