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Calculating Your Daily Maintenance Caloric Intake

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Written by Jim · Filed Under Tips  2,040 views

calculating caloric intake

Calculating Your Daily Maintenance Caloric Intake

The first thing people should do when they decide to either lose weight or gain muscle is determine their daily caloric needs. By having a reasonable estimate of what your body’s maintenance caloric intake is, you will be able to effectively plan your diet to reach your goals!

The first thing you need to calculate is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This sounds complicated, but all it entails is the amount of calories that your body needs to continue operating it’s bodily functions without dipping into fat or muscle stores. Technically speaking, if you did absolutely nothing all day and ingested this amount of calories, you would maintain your weight. The formula to calculate your BMR is as follows:

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) – ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) – ( 6.8 x age in year )

It is extremely important to understand that this is just an estimate. To get a more accurate number, you would have to go to the doctor and get some tests done, but this number should be close enough.

Next, you have to multiply your BMR by an activity multiplier. The most popular formula is called the Harris Benedict formula. Its purpose is to compensate for activities you do every day. You take your BMR number from above and multiply it by one of the following figures.

If you are…

Sedate – BMR x 1.2

Lightly Active – BMR x 1.375

Moderately Active – BMR x 1.55

Very Active –  BMR x 1.725

Extra active – BMR x 1.9

Once again, note that these are just estimates.

Once you have completed all the calculations and have your daily caloric requirements, you can subtract 500 per day to lose weight, or you could add a surplus to start packing on some extra muscle!

What’s your daily caloric intake? Please leave a comment below…

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Comments

  • Ian

    I do cardio at the gym for 2hrs a day 4 days a week but I sit on my butt the rest of the day so I picked moderately active and got 2834.26.

  • Ian

    I do cardio at the gym for 2hrs a day 4 days a week but I sit on my butt the rest of the day so I picked moderately active and got 2834.26.

  • Daniel

    well im planing to do this starting next month, everyday after school i will do the followings:
    @school
    15min warm up
    35-50min lifting(about im not sure i have to see next month)
    30min cardio
    @gym 7:00pm
    15min warm up
    15-20min core workouts
    1hr+ cardio (alternating treadmill, bicycle, elliptical)

    weekends:
    @gym 5:00pm
    15min warm up
    30min light lifting w/ cores
    1hr+ cardio (alternating treadmill, bicycle, elliptical)

    should this be extra activity? is this plan sounds impossible?… my goal is to increase metabolism, cut down fat, get toned muscles on body do you think this plan would help?

    • http://weightlossandtraining.com/ Sam

      Hi Daniel, this looks really good. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

  • Daniel

    well im planing to do this starting next month, everyday after school i will do the followings:
    @school
    15min warm up
    35-50min lifting(about im not sure i have to see next month)
    30min cardio
    @gym 7:00pm
    15min warm up
    15-20min core workouts
    1hr+ cardio (alternating treadmill, bicycle, elliptical)

    weekends:
    @gym 5:00pm
    15min warm up
    30min light lifting w/ cores
    1hr+ cardio (alternating treadmill, bicycle, elliptical)

    should this be extra activity? is this plan sounds impossible?… my goal is to increase metabolism, cut down fat, get toned muscles on body do you think this plan would help?

    • http://weightlossandtraining.com Sam

      Hi Daniel, this looks really good. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

  • Cheryl

    Was that a typo on the calculation? BMR = 655 +…for women but for men BMR=66… which is correct? Thanks.

    • http://weightlossandtraining.com/ Sam

      Hi Cheryl, no that is the right calculation because the rest of the formula is quite different for men vs women.

  • Cheryl

    Was that a typo on the calculation? BMR = 655 +…for women but for men BMR=66… which is correct? Thanks.

    • http://weightlossandtraining.com Sam

      Hi Cheryl, no that is the right calculation because the rest of the formula is quite different for men vs women.

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