Q: The average man needs 2500 calories a day and for women 2000 daily - the common way your told to lose fat weight is to drop 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week - surely if your are very active with a weight training program too- you will lose much more than 500 calories a day - say your losing 700 or more calories a day is that a cause for concern? Could you drive your metabolism too low? In other words if maybe only someone who isn't or can't be very active should be on a 500 calorie deficit; and active people should be on maybe 2700 calories daily for men and 2200 for women?

A: You are absolutely correct. Physically active people (and it doesn't have to be active via exercise alone -- many people stay physically active just by doing their jobs or work around the house) definitely need more calories than those leading sedentary lifestyles. Furthermore those 2000 or 2500 calorie recommendations are fairly arbitrary. Many people will lose weight on more calories than that and many will gain weight on fewer calories. Metabolism levels are very individual and can vary enormously. The best ways to boost your metabolism are, of course, eating well and exercising, which is what this website is all about.