How Your Daily Caloric Requirements Are Calculated?
Nov 04, 2008
By now you must be aware that your daily caloric need depends upon a lot of factors like your gender, age, weight, body structure (height and body mass) and external factors like kind of exercise level you engage into, weather conditions where you live etc. Many formulas have been developed to determine your daily calorie requirements that take into account most of these factors. However the best estimates can be derived from the formulas that take into account the lean body mass. Some of these methods are explained below:
- Body weight method This gives you a close estimate of your calories needs based on your body weight. The daily caloric needs are determined by multiplying 15 to 16 calories with your body weight in lb. Thus if your weight is 150 lbs your caloric needs can estimated to be between 2250 calories i.e. 150 * 15 and 2400 calories i.e. 150 * 16
- In case you aspire to loose weight, have between 12 to 13 calories per lb body weight.
- In case your goal is to gain weight, have between 18 to 19 calories per lb body weight
This formula however does not take into account the activity level of the person or other factors such as age, gender etc. It is quite obvious that it may not give close estimates for people who engage in physical activities.
- BMR method Daily caloric estimates that are calculated using a multiplier with BMR is a much reliable estimate as it takes into account factors like weight, gender and age, height etc. The multiplier value in this case is dependent on the activity level of the person for whom the caloric needs are being determined.
- Harris Benedict BMR based Caloric needs formula
Harris Benedict derived at following formulas to calculate BMR for males and females separately.
BMR Male = 66 + (13.7 X Kg wt) + (5 X cm ht) - (6.8 X Yrs age)
BMR Female = 655 + (9.6 X Kg wt) + (1.8 X cm ht) - (4.7 X Yrs age)
Convertors: 1 inch = 2.54 cm and 1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs.
- Katch-McArdle BMR formula
Katch McArdle derived single formula to calculate BMR based on lean body weight. Since this formula was based on lean body weight it did not require separate formulas for men and women as was the case in Harris Benedict formula.
BMR = 370 + (21.6 X lean body weight in kg)
Once the BMR is calculated you can use the following multipliers to calculate your daily caloric requirements depending on your level of physical activity.
Sedentary = 1.2
Light exercises = 1.375
Moderately active= 1.55
Highly active = 1.725 and
Extra active = 1.9
Daily calorie requirements = BMR X Physical Activity level Multiplier.
You will need to adjust your calorie intake keeping in mind your weight loss or gain goals. Simply put the human body would gain weight or lose weight depending upon the balance of "calorie equation". “Calorie equation” is nothing but surplus or deficit of “calorie intake” over “calorie expenditure”.
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November 24th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
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