Whether you're looking to add a few pounds, lose weight or maintain, you can use the Harris-Benedict equation. The formula helps you calculate the number of calories needed to maintain your current weight, based on age, height, weight, gender and activity level.
Basal Metabolic Rate
Your body is constantly burning calories at rest as it performs basic internal functions. This is called basal metabolic rate and finding yours is the first step in determining your daily caloric needs. For men, the formula is: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.76 x age in years).
Activity Level
Determine the numbers that best describe your weekly activity level and multiply by your BMR. Heavy exercise, 1.725; moderate exercise, multiply by 1.55; light exercise, multiply by 1.375; and sedentary, multiply by 1.2.
Doing the Math
For a man age 41 who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 212 pounds, the BMR would be 2,023. If he rarely works out, he would multiply his BMR by 1.2. He would need 2,428 calories a day.
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