You've got your weight just where you want it. You want a lifestyle that you can stick with without feeling deprived, but going back to your old habits will bring back the love handles. To keep your weight where it is, you need to find out how many calories your body burns each day. If you take in the same number of calories your body burns, you will maintain your weight.
Women: Calculating Your Basal Metabolic Rate
You burn the most calories just staying alive. Your body uses energy for basic functions like breathing, digesting food and maintaining body temperature --- even your brain burns quite a few calories. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) tells you how many calories you need each day for your body to function. Follow these steps to calculate your BMR.
1. Weigh yourself, and write down your weight.
2. Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.338. For example, if you weigh 140 lbs, 140 X 4.338 = 607.32.
3. Find your height in inches. For example, if you are 5 feet 5 inches, (5 feet) X (12 inches in a foot) = 60 inches, plus 5 equals 65 inches.
4. Multiply your height in inches by 4.699. For example, 65 X 4.699 = 305.435.
5. Add your result from step 2, your result from step 4 and 655.1. For example, 607.32 + 305.435 + 655.1 = 1567.855.
6. Multiply your age in years by 4.676. For example, if you are 33, 33 X 4.676 = 154.308.
7. Subtract your result from step 6 from your total from step 5. For example, 1567.855 - 154.308 = 1413.547. This is your BMR.
Men: Calculating Your Basal Metabolic Rate
If you're a man, you'll calculate your BMR a little differently. Follow these steps to calculate your BMR.
1. Weigh yourself, and write down your weight.
2. Multiply your weight in pounds by 6.237. For example, if you weigh 170 lbs, 170 X 6.237 = 1060.29.
3. Find your height in inches. For example, if you are 5 feet 11 inches, (5 feet) X (12 inches in a foot) = 60 inches, plus 11 equals 71 inches.
4. Multiply your height in inches by 12.708. For example, 71 X 12.708 = 902.268.
5. Add your result from step 2, your result from step 4 and 66.5. For example, 1060.29 + 902.268 + 66.5 = 2029.058.
6. Multiply your age in years by 6.775. For example, if you are 33, 33 X 6.775 = 223.575.
7. Subtract your result from step 6 from your total from step 5. For example, 2029.058 - 223.575 = 1805.483. This is your (BMR).
Including Exercise
Besides your BMR, you also burn calories by exercising. To include these calories in your daily caloric needs, multiply your BMR by one of the following numbers, depending on how much you exercise: little or no exercise = BMR X 1.2; light exercise one to three days a week = BMR X 1.375; moderate exercise three to five days a week = BMR X 1.55; hard exercise six to seven days a week = BMR X 1.725; very hard exercise six to seven days a week = BMR X 1.9. For example, 1805.483 X 1.375 = 2483. This is the total number of calories you need each day to maintain your weight.
Tips
It's all about calories in versus calories out, so step up your exercise a bit if you'd like to indulge yourself a little more at the dinner table.
If you are currently breastfeeding, add 500 calories to your BMR.
Warnings
Check with your doctor before you start any new diet or exercise regimen.
The information in this article is meant for adults. Children have different nutritional needs, so check with your child's pediatrician if you want to know more about helping your child maintain his weight.
Men should not eat fewer than 1,500 calories a day, and women should not eat fewer than 1,200 calories. Eating too few calories is "crash dieting." Crash dieting is unhealthy and can lead to muscle loss, bone problems, fatigue, anemia and irregular heartbeat.
Member Comments