Thursday, October 14, 2010

How Many Calories Does Your Body Need in a Day?


What is harder losing weight or maintaining your weight??

Whatever your struggle is, it is important to know how many calories your body needs in a day and how many calories you are putting in each day.

Journaling your food intake and exercise, although time consuming, is the best tool to help you on your journey.

BMR Formula:
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 )

By doing this simple equation you are able to determine your BMR Basal Metabolic Rate (the calories that you need to maintain your weight sitting doing nothing)

Multiply your BMR number by an activity factor to determine your TEE Total Energy Expenditure (calories you need to maintain your weight including lifestyle and exercise)
Sedentary (little to no activity)  BMR x 1.2

Lightly active (light exercise or sport 1-3x/wk) BMR x 1.375
Moderately active( moderate exercise or sport 3-5x/wk) BMR x 1.55
Very active (hard exercise or sport 6-7x/wk) BMR x 1.725

Extra active (very hard exercise up to 2x/day) BMR x 1.9

Your TEE represents the calories you need to maintain your weight. From here you are able to determine how many calories you should be eating to help reach your goal.

There are 3500 calories in a pound
If you are at a 500 calorie deficit each day you have the potential to lose 1 lb. per week.
If you are eating 500 calories over your TEE you have the potential to gain 1 lb. per week.

Calories can add up quick that is why it is so important to bring awareness to what you are eating and how many calories you are consuming. If you know you have over consumed, exercise! Exercising is a great way to burn off those unwanted calories/pounds. What is your TEE?

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