Maintain your current weight by ensuring that your calorie consumption rate is equal to your calorie expenditure rate. Calculate the number of calories you burn each day from your activity level, gender, age, height and weight. You will typically use your calorie requirements to maintain your weight after you achieve your weight loss goal.
Basal Metabolic Rate
Your basal metabolic rate, also known as your BMR, is the rate at which you burn calories while at complete rest. Once you calculate your BMR, you can modify it by your activity level to determine your daily calorie expenditure rate.
Activity
A sedentary person has an activity factor of about 1.2, according to Multivitamin.co.uk. A person who engages in light exercise up to three times per week has an activity factor of 1.375. A person who engages in moderate exercise up to five times per week has an activity factor 1.55, and a person who engages in heavy exercise up to six times per week has an activity factor of 1.725.
Harris-Benedict Equations
The Harris-Benedict equations estimate the BMR for both genders. The Harris-Benedict equation for women is BMR = (1.850 x height) + (9.563 x weight) - (4.676 x age) + 655.1. The corresponding equation for men is BMR = (5.003 x height) + (13.75 x weight) - (6.775 x age) + 66.5.
Conversion of Units
The Harris-Benedict equations require you to provide your height in centimeters and your weight in kilograms. Convert your height from inches to centimeters by multiplying your height in inches by 2.54. Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2.
Calculations
Assume for this example that you're a 37 year-old female with a height of 169 cm and a weight of 74 kg. You therefore have a BMR of (1.850 x 169) + (9.563 x 74) - (4.676 x 37) + 655.1 = 1,502 calories per day. Assume your activity factor is 1.375. Multiply your BMR by your activity factor to get a calorie expenditure rate of 1,502 x 1.375 = 2,066 calories per day.
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