“How to calculate caloric requirements” or “How many calories should I take in order to stay trim” is the question, which many of us love to ask ourselves and others.  Answer to this simple question may vary from person to person; some people may lose weight by eating around 1,500 calories, while others may not. The difference lies in the body types.  Next comes how to access the caloric requirements for your body type, here is how you can go about it.

How to calculate your caloric requirements?

Step 1: Calculating BMR
Caloric requirements vary from person to person. It involves a bit of mathematics to calculate a person’s caloric requirements.  The caloric requirements are calculated using the Basal Metabolic Rates, which takes into account a person’s height, weight, age and sex.  Basal Metabolic Rates or BMR is the number of calories that a body needs to perform normal body functions. BMR varies from person to person depending on genetic factors.  The different formulas used to calculate BMR are:

• Harris-Benedict formula (BMR based on total body weight): The outcome of Harris Benedict formula depends on factors of height, weight, age, and sex. It does not takes into account the lean body mass, so this formula gives correct caloric requirements for fat and lean people.
Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) – (6.8 X age in years)
Women: BMR= 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) – (4.7 X age in years)

• Katch-McArdle formula: This formula takes into account the lean body mass. You can correctly figure out your BMR, if you know the lean body mass. There is a single formula which applies equally for men and women.
BMR (men and women) = 370 + (21.6 X lean mass in kg)

Step 2: Calculating the activity
The next step is including activities in the caloric needs. This can be calculated in the following ways:

• For persons indulging in sedentary activities: BMR X20 percent
• For persons who are slightly active: BMR x 30 percent
• For persons who are moderately active: BMR X40 percent
• For persons who are active: BMR X 50 percent
• For persons who are extra active: BMR X 60 percent
This number should be added to the BMR. The resultant number will give you the number of calories that you can consume every day to maintain the current weight, and to lose weight, you need to take calories much less than this calculated value.

Step 3: Adjust your calorific intake gradually
It is not advisable to alter your calorific intake drastically because that may lead to some danger consequences, instead go about reducing your calorific intake slowly. Like if your current calorific intake is 3000 calories per day and the calculated intake is only 1500 calories, then it is not advisable to limit yourself to consuming 1500 calories at one go. Instead try to limit the intake to 500 calories in a week and another 500 in another week.

Step 4: Measure the results
Every week, measure the results of the calorific changes that you made to your diet and try to adjust the new calorific requirements accordingly because the body requirements change once you try to follow the precise caloric needs.

Remember, that any diet achievement goal is incomplete without an active effort from your side. It’s easier to burn off the fat than cutting down on calorific needs.

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