1. Set Goals
Understanding how calories affect your life and calculating your total daily calorie needs is a step toward a healthy lifestyle. Most people who begin calorie counting do so with the goal of weight loss in mind. This is not the only reason to count calories. Those wanting to gain weight like bodybuilders bulking up will need more calories. Some may want to only maintain weight, or even count calories for reasons other than those related to weight at all.
2. Start With a BMR
Calculate calories accurately based on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The BMR needs to be determined before deciding daily caloric intake. A woman should multiply her weight by 4.35, then multiply her height in inches by 4.7, and multiply her age in years by 4.7. Add all of these results together, and add 655. Men should multiply their weight in pounds by 6.23, and then multiply their height in inches by 12.7, and age in years by 6.8 Add all of these plus 66. These are the BMR formulas for men and women. The BMR tells you how many calories you would burn if you did nothing all day long.
3. Matter of Simple Math
Calorie calculators work on a very basic equation. This will give a general idea of where to start with daily caloric intake. Determine your normal level of activity. Rate it from sedentary with little or no exercise to very active with rigorous activity seven days a week. Depending on your level of activity, multiply your BMR by 1.2 for a sedentary lifestyle, or 1.9 for an active lifestyle. Multiply by 1.375, 1.55 or 1.725 for varying levels of activity. The resulting number will be an estimate of daily calories needed.
4. Other Things to Consider When Calorie Counting
When counting calories you must consider other factors. How much hydration a person gets per day may have an effect on metabolism. How a person gets the calories will have an impact on how many they can consume. For example, an apple may have the same number of calories as a candy bar but with less fat and more nutrition. The calories from the apple will be much more beneficial and easy to burn off. A pregnant woman or nursing mother needs at least 500 more calories a day than normal. The time of day that you consume the most calories will also affect the metabolism. Whether you consume the calories all at once or spread the intake evenly throughout the day will also have an impact.
5. Adjust Accordingly
Experienced calorie counters know that they need to make adjustments to get the amount of calories that is just right for their particular bodies. Once your calorie intake has been determined, try it for two weeks. If you do not see the results you expected, adjust and try for another two weeks. You may have an active day, expend much energy and require more calories; while a day spent on the couch watching movies may require less. With practice, you will learn to recognize the clues your body gives.
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