Trying To Lose Weight on a 2,000-Calorie Diet? Here’s Why That May Not Work

What’s your meal and diet plan? A 2,000-calorie-per-day diet seems to be the norm for most people, and according to WebMD, it’s based on The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) daily recommended requirements. The USDA surveyed the number of calories most individuals eat, and it was revealed that men consume between 2,000 to 3,000 per day, and for women, the range is anywhere from 1,600 to 2,200 calories. This information gathered is what coined a 2,000-calorie diet as a standard guideline. But in reality, that number of calories is not the end-all point of reference. So, if you’re limiting yourself to a 2,000-calories-a-day diet, you may want to re-think whether that amount is right for your body and habits. Keep reading to learn why trying to lose weight on a 2,000-calorie diet may not work.

There’s really no “standard number of daily calories,” an expert says.

According to Joseph St. Pierre, DO, Hartford HealthCare bariatric specialist, “In truth, there is no standard number of daily calories. Everyone’s number is different.” The survey data that determined the daily recommended amount back in the 90s actually indicated a higher calorie average of 2,400 calories, but 2,000 reigned supreme because advocators reasoned it was better to consume fewer calories than to over-eat, according to Hartford HealthCare.

Dr. St. Pierre commented on the 2,000-calorie benchmark, explaining, “It was essentially a compromise number that is…