Average is a difficult word to apply to the male body as there are so many variables involved. Fortunately, a formula exists that can be used to calculate the number of calories a guy should eat per day to maintain his weight.
A Helpful Equation
This formula is called the Harris-Benedict Equation. The first step is to calculate Basal Metabolic Rate, or the amount of energy your body requires while at rest to perform basic metabolic functions. For men, the equation is MR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in year). Therefore, a 29-year-old, 5 foot 11 inch, 185 pound male has a BMR of 1,923.
Factoring in Exercise
The final step in determining your daily caloric needs is to factor in exercise. Heavy exercise of 6 to 7 days per week: multiply BMR by 1.725. Moderate exercise of 4 to 5 days per week: multiply BMR by 1.55. Light exercise of 1 to 3 days per week: multiply BMR by 1.375. Sedentary individuals: multiply BMR by 1.2. If our above example works out four days per week, he would need to consume 2,980 to maintain his current weight.
Losing Weight
One pound of fat consists of approximately 3,500 calories. To lose two pounds per week, you should plan to cut 7,000 calories from your diet, or 1,000 calories per day.
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