You've probably heard before that that you simply can to shed you must burn more calories than you feed on. An average female may burn around 1,800 calories per day, just doing normal outdoor activities. That is why most meal plans are geared towards 1,200 to 1,500 calories per shift. A pound of fat contains 3,500 calories. So that they can to lose one pound a week, you must consume 3,500 calories