When trying to lose or maintain your weight, the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis plays an important role in your success. Your weight depends on a balance of how many calories you obtain through food sources, as well as how many calories you burn through either basic body processes, also known as your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, and through exercise. To maintain this balance, it's important to figure out how many calories you should consume each day.
Step 1
Stand on a scale to measure your total body weight. Weigh yourself only in underwear or no clothes at all to get a more accurate number. Convert pounds into kilograms by taking into account that 2.2 lbs. is equal to 1kg. Write down your weight in both pounds and kilograms on a piece of paper.
Step 2
Take a tape measure and place the end under your foot. Stretch the tape measure to the top of your forehead and write down the number in inches on the piece of paper below your weight. Take your height in inches and convert into centimeters, keeping in mind that 1 inch equals 2.54cm. Write this number down as well.
Step 3
Calculate calories using the quick method if all you need is a basic number of calories to aim for. Take your body weight and multiply that number by 11 to calculate how many calories you would need to eat to lose weight. Take your weight and multiply it by 15 to get how many calories you would need to maintain your weight. Multiply your weight by 18 to get an estimate of how many calories you would need to gain weight. This method is not the most accurate because it does not take into account body fat percentage but will give you a place to start from.
Step 4
Calculate your basal metabolic rate using the Harris-Benedict formula for a more accurate calorie goal number. Use the following equations to calculate this number.
Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X weight in kg) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)
Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X weight in kg) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)
Step 5
Multiply your BMR by an activity multiplier. Choose the activity multiplier based on how active you are on a regular basis. For example, sedentary is chosen by those who get little or no exercise, while extremely active is for those who are doing more intense activities, such as training for a marathon. The number you obtain after multiplying by the activity multiplier is your daily calorie needs.
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375
Moderately active = BMR X 1.55
Very active = BMR X 1.725
Extremely active = BMR X 1.9
Step 6
Use a calorie goal calculator, such as the one provided by Livestrong's Daily Plate to do the math for you.
Things You'll Need
- Weight scale
- Tape measure
- Calculator
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