Determining the amount of calories you should eat everyday to maintain your weight isn't nearly as complicated as you would think. The Harris-Benedict Equation offers a simple means of determining daily caloric need based on gender, age, height, weight and weekly exercise.
Basal Metabolic Rate
The first step in this two-step process is to determine your Basal Metabolic Rate, which is simply the amount of energy your body needs to continue functioning properly at rest. The numbers are a bit complicated, but don't fret. There are plenty of online calculators designed to help you find your BMR.
Activity Level
Once you know your Basal Metabolic Rate, you can calculate your daily caloric needs by determining your weekly activity level and multiplying your BMR by the corresponding number. If you get little to no exercise every week, multiply by 1.2. For light exercise, one to three days per week, multiply by 1.375. For moderate exercise, four to five days per week, multiply by 1.55. And for heavy exercise six to seven days per week, multiply your BMR by 1.725.
Doing the Math
Jenny is 24-year-old college student who makes it a point to swim four to five times per week. She is 5-ft.-7-in. tall and weighs 135 lbs. Using the Basal Metabolic Rate calculator below, we find that she has a Basal Metabolic Rate of 1,444. Her swimming regimen puts her in the moderate exercise category, which means we must multiply her BMR by 1.55, giving her a daily caloric intake of 2,238.
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