Do you know your daily caloric requirements? Well, in this article I am going to show you a formula that calculates your daily caloric requirements. This formula varies as to whether you are a male or female, of course. It also varies according to body fat percentage and daily activity levels. On days you exercise vigorously you would need to consume more calories than on days you do not exercise at all. Get out your calculator and let’s get started. For example purposes I am going to use a male who weighs 200 pounds and has 15% body fat. If you do not know your body fat percentage please guess as there are only 4 categories from which to choose.

To figure the number of calories you need we will have to find your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR is the number of calories you’d burn over 24 hours while laying down, but not sleeping. Your actual metabolic rate is estimated by adding the caloric cost of all the activities you engage in throughout the day to your BMR. There are two steps to determining your BMR and 3 steps for the entire equation. First use equation in Step One. Second, find your “lean factor” in Step 2, and multiply the number you obtain in the equation below by the lean factor multiplier. This is the number of calories you burn at rest each day, or your BMR.

First you need to calculate your body weight in kilograms. To find weight in kilograms, divide the body weight in pounds by 2.2.

*For our 200 pound male that would be 2.2 / 200 = 90.9 kilograms

Step 1:
For Men: 1 x body weight in kilograms x 24 = ______________
For Women: .9 x body weight in kilograms x 24 =_______________

Step 2:
Lean Factor Percent Body Fat Multiplier:
1. Men 10-14%; Women 14-18% 1.0
2. Men 14-20%; Women 18-28% .95
3. Men 20-28%; Women 28-38% .90
4. Men over 28%; Women over 38% .85

*Example: Sex: Male Weight: 200 pounds (90.9 kilograms) Body fat: 15%

Step 1: 1 x 90.9 x 24 = 2182
Step 2: 2182 x .95 = 2073

BMR = 2073 calories per day

Note: To determine your average hourly BMR divide your BMR by 24.
*In our example: 2073 divided by 24 = 86.4 calories/hour.

Step 3:
Now that you know your BMR, the final step in determining your daily caloric expenditure is to factor in your daily activity. Obviously, activity means you are going to burn more calories. Find where you fall in the activity categories below and multiply your daily BMR by the number on the left of your range to find out your daily caloric expenditure.

*Example: Using the same 200 pound male with a daily BMR of 2073 calories per day, we determine that he is mostly sedentary during the day with the exception of some jogging and about 40 minutes of weight training. This would put him in the activity category of 1.65 or 165% of his BMR.

*Total daily caloric expenditure = 2073 calories x 1.65 = 3420 calories

The average couch potato range:
1.30 = Very light: sitting, studying, talking, little walking or other activities through out the day
1.55 = Light: Typing, teaching, lab/shop work, some walking throughout the day

The average fitness buff range:
1.55 =Light: Typing, teaching, lab/shop work, some walking throughout the day
1.65 =Moderate: Walking, jogging, gardening, type job with activities such as cycling, tennis, dancing, skiing, or weight training 1-2 hours per day

The average athlete or hard daily training range:
1.80 =Heavy: heavy manual labor such as digging, climbing, with activities such as football, soccer, or body building 2-4 hours/day.
2.00 =Very heavy: A combination of moderate and heavy activity 8 or more hours per day, plus 2-4 hours of intense training per day

When figuring your total daily caloric expenditure and you do not know your body fat percentage, guess your body fat percentage. The average person’s activity level who exercises at a gym regularly is 1.55 or 1.65.

*Our 200 pound male with 15% body fat should keep his caloric intake below 3420 calories on high level activity days like the days he hits the gym. And keep it below 3213 calories on low level activity days if he wants to lose weight.

The best way to keep track of calorie intake is to write it down. If you have time to eat it you have time to write it down. It has been proven time and time again that keeping a food journal will help you succeed in diet.

Have questions? You can find me and answers to your questions at www.anybodyfitnesstexas.com Watch for upcoming articles about how much protein, carbohydrates and fats you need in your diet. This is related to your caloric expenditure so refer to this article later. You will also need to change this number as you lose weight. This number is not just important for weight loss but also for what types of things you need in your diet daily for general good health.

Have a healthy day! Kathie

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