Setting realistic weight loss goals and developing a realistic exercise program starts with knowing how many calories your body needs to function at its current weight. The food that you eat is turned into energy by a process called respiration. During respiration, chemical bonds are transformed into adenosine triphosphate, ATP, which is easier for your body to utilize for circulating blood, breathing and cell functioning. Throughout the process, heat is generated. This heat is measured in calories. To calculate the calories needed for a healthy individual, a series of mathematical formulas are available.
Step 1
Determine your body weight in kilograms by dividing your current weight in pounds by 2.2.
Step 2
Use your weight in kilograms in the following formula. For healthy adult males between the age of 30 and 60 years, multiply your weight by 11.6. Take this amount and add 879. For healthy females between the age of 30 and 60 years, multiply your weight by 8.7 and add 829 to the amount. This is your resting metabolic rate, or RMR.
Step 3
Determine your energy level by one of the following factors. Sedentary --- factor .3 for men and women --- participates in low-energy physical activities such as playing cards, reading and watching TV. Lightly active --- factor .6 for men and .5 for women --- includes most people that sleep eight hours and stand or sit for 16 hours with about three hours of light activity. Moderately active --- factor .7 for men and .6 for women --- as with lightly active but also have 1.5 or 2 hours of daily exercise such as jogging. Very active --- factor 1.1 for men and .9 for women --- includes athletes. Extremely active --- factor 1.4 for men and 1.2 for women --- includes heavy manual labor comparable to running 13 miles daily.
Step 4
Calculate your TEE, or thermic effect of exercise, by multiplying your RMR by your energy factor. This gives you your calories per day.
Step 5
Add your RMR and TEE. Multiply this sum by .1 to determine your TEF, or thermic effect of food. Add RMR + TEE + TEF to arrive at your total daily caloric expenditure. This is the amount of calories you need to maintain your current weight. To determine the calories needed for a different weight, substitute your ideal healthy weight and rework the calculations.
Tips and Warnings
- If your activity factor falls between two levels, use a number halfway between the two levels in the calculation. Each pound contains 3,500 calories. To lose 1 lb. per week, decrease your needed daily caloric intake by 500 calories.
- Always seek the advice of your doctor prior to beginning a weight loss or weight gain plan. A safe weekly weight loss is between 1 and 2 lbs. per week.
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