Daily calorie calculators are tools used to calculate your caloric need based on your sex, age, height, weight and level of physical activity. These five factors establish the amount of calories you can consume without gaining weight. Once you arrive at the approximate number, you can make adjustments to your diet to encourage weight loss.
Base Metabolic Rate
Daily calorie calculators typically start out by establishing your base metabolic rate (BMR). Your weight is measured in pounds while your height is measured in inches.
655 + (4.35 x weight) + (4.7 x height) - (4.7 x age) = Female BMR
66 + (6.23 x weight) + (12.7 x height) - (6.8 x age) = Male BMR
A 39-year-old woman weighing 150 lbs. at a height of 5 feet 5 inches has a base metabolic rate of 1,429 calories.
Level of Activity
To establish your caloric need, your level of activity is given a numeric value based on the frequency of exercise each week. This numeric value is then multiplied by your BMR.
0 sessions = 1.2
1 to 3 sessions = 1.375
4 to 5 sessions = 1.55
6 to 7 sessions = 1.725
8 or more sessions = 1.9
A 39-year-old woman weighing 150 lbs. at a height of 5 feet 5 inches can eat roughly 1,715 calories a day. If she were to start exercising one to three times a week, her daily caloric need would increase to 1,964 calories. Exercising four to five times a week raises her caloric need to 2,214 calories.
Caloric Deficit
For anyone to lose weight, you need to create what's known as a caloric deficit. This caloric deficit is the same for everyone, regardless of their sex, age, height, weight and level of physical activity. The National Institutes of Health estimates that it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of fat. If you're hoping to lose 1 lb. a week, this deficit averages out to 500 calories a day.
Diet
One way to create this caloric deficit is through your diet. By reducing your caloric intake 500 calories a day, you can expect to lose 1 lb. of fat each week. Eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains with a moderate amount of lean meats and low-fat dairy can often help you accomplish this. Reducing portion sizes and avoiding sugary beverages is also beneficial, according to the National Institutes of Health. To ensure you stay within your established caloric intake, track you caloric consumption in a food diary.
Exercise
Another method of creating this caloric deficit is through exercise. Exercise increases your energy expenditure, which increases the amount of calories you burn. Walking, jogging and biking can help you burn additional calories and thereby create the caloric deficit needed to drop those excess pounds. If you're able to burn 500 more calories than you consume each day, you can expect to lose 1 lb. a week.
Warning
The National Institutes of Health cautions against dropping your caloric intake below 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 calories for men. To increase weight loss, it's best to use a combination of diet and exercise.
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