We all hear that a person should have 2,000 calories in a day. We also know that everyone's body is different and that is a general guideline. Honestly, most of us don't need 2,00 calories a day unless we are exercising regularly.
About.com has provided us with a the formula for calorie calculations. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. So we have to expend that much extra to lose a pound. Thankfully, we burn calories just by breathing! Especially since the typical work-out burns about 250 calories (that's about an hour of walking).
It relies on our BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is what our body needs to function. This is opposed to our BMI (Body Mass Index) which just tells us if we are falling into a healthy weight range.
Here's the formula for BMR. It differs for men and women since we have different metabolisms.
Step 1? Calculating our metabolism
Women:?655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men:?66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Step 2 ?Calculating our level of activity in
* If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent
* If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent
* If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 40 percent
* If you are very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods.):?BMR x 50 percent
* If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 60 percent
Add this number to your BMR.
The number you get is the amount of calories you should eat a day to maintain your weight. If you want to lose weight, then take off a few hundred calories. Losing weight is a gradual process unless you go on some sort of crash diet (which means you WILL gain the weight back). Try aiming for a pound or two a week.
About.com has provided us with a the formula for calorie calculations. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. So we have to expend that much extra to lose a pound. Thankfully, we burn calories just by breathing! Especially since the typical work-out burns about 250 calories (that's about an hour of walking).
It relies on our BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is what our body needs to function. This is opposed to our BMI (Body Mass Index) which just tells us if we are falling into a healthy weight range.
Here's the formula for BMR. It differs for men and women since we have different metabolisms.
Step 1? Calculating our metabolism
Women:?655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men:?66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Step 2 ?Calculating our level of activity in
* If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent
* If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent
* If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 40 percent
* If you are very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods.):?BMR x 50 percent
* If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 60 percent
Add this number to your BMR.
The number you get is the amount of calories you should eat a day to maintain your weight. If you want to lose weight, then take off a few hundred calories. Losing weight is a gradual process unless you go on some sort of crash diet (which means you WILL gain the weight back). Try aiming for a pound or two a week.
