Calculating the calories is the base for a weight loss program. Without knowing how much calories you have to take daily, and just guessing will not make any program successful. Our main goal here is weight loss. So we have to calculate our daily calorie maintenance, ie how much calories is required to maintain your current weight and you have to eat 500-1000 calories less from your current maintenance levels.
Our body recieves calories by consuming the three major macro nutrients : Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats.
1 gram of protein = 4 calories
1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
So the general rule is, in order to lose weight you have to eat fewer calories than you burn.
Methods Used To Calculate Calories
There are several methods used to calculate calories. But here we will discuss the most popular and accurate methods used to calculate calories for you weight loss goals.
1. Harris - Benedict Formula
2. Katch - McArdle Formula
Harris - Benedict Formula
Harris - Benedict formula is used to estimate the total calorie requirements using the Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR. BMR is the total number of calories that your body requires to perform its natural daily functions or the energy expanded by the body at rest to maintain normal functions.
Calculating BMR
BMR calculation for Men = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.76 x age in years)
BMR calculation for women = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Take the number and multiply it by the Activity Multiplier.
Little or no exercise = BMR x 1.2
Light exercise (1-3 days per week) = BMR x 1.375
Moderate exercise (3-5 days per week) = BMR x 1.55
Heavy exercise (6-7 days per week) = BMR x 1.725
Very heavy exercise (very intense exercises twice per day) = BMR x 1.9
Take that number and subtract 500-1000 to it in order to determine your daily caloric intake for weight loss.
Got confused, its simple...just take an example :
If you are a man who weighs 250 pounds, 6'0" (72 inches) and 25 year old.Then your BMR is :
66 + (6.23 x 250) + (12.7 x 72) - (6.76 x 25)
= 2368.9 calories
Now multiply it by Activity Multiplier
2368.9 x 1.3 (Sedentary or light exercises)
= 3079.57 cals
So to lose weight he have to take between 2079 - 2579 calories daily.
If you don't like to do all this calculations you can download this free calorie calculator and get all this done in seconds. Click here to download the calorie calculator.
Katch McArdle Formula
Katch McArdle formula is the most accurate because it takes lean body mass into account. Harris - Benedict formula is accurate in almost every case but it will not be much accurate for those with very high body fat percentage. So Katch McArdle formula works very well for them.
To apply Katch - McArdle formula you have to first test your lean body mass. Click here to test it. After getting your LBM you can apply the formula.
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x lean mass in kg)
After getting the BMR multiply it with the Activity Multiplier (as shown in Harris - Benedict Equation) to get you calorie maintenance level. Then consume 500 - 1000 calories less than the maintenance level to lose weight.
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