Men can determine their daily caloric needs in a couple of steps using the Harris-Benedict equation. The formula uses age, height, weight, gender and activity level to determine how much energy your body burns every day.
Basal Metabolic Rate
You must calculate your basal metabolic rate, which is the scale by which your body burns calories at rest for basic internal functions. 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
Multiply your BMR by the number that best represents your weekly exercise. For heavy exercisers, multiply by 1.725; moderate exercisers, multiply by 1.55; light exercisers, multiply by 1.375; and sedentary individuals, multiply by 1.2.
Doing the Math
For example, a man age 39 who is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 265 pounds has a BMR of 2,417. If he lifts weights six times per week, multiply his BMR by 1.725 to find he needs 4,169 calories per day to maintain his muscular frame. If he wants to lose weight, he should cut 500 to 1,000 calories per day from his diet to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.
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