HI everyone....I'm confused. I hear all the time about eating enough calories to support your workouts and basic bodily needs but don't know how to figure out what that amout is! I want to lose weight but can't figure out how many calories per day I need to do this and not UNDER eat. Also, I understand the "clean" eating concept but should we also be balancing our proteins and carbs, cutting back on carbs (besides the somewhat obvious simple carbs) or does it just not matter what you eat as long as its healthy and clean, just how many calories you've ingested?
confused about figuring caloric intake
- Thread starter Cbelle
- Start date
Well, it involves math, but I use these formulas from Business Plan for the Body:
Female Basal Metabolic Rate (how many calories you burn just being alive):
661 +(4.38 x your-weight-in-pounds)+ (4.38 x your-height-in-inches)- (4.7 x your-age-in-years)= BMR
Male BMR
67 + (6.24 x your-weight-in-pounds) + 12.7 x your-height-in-inches) - (6.9 x your-age-in-years)
Once you get that number, you multiply it by another number based on how active you are (calories you burn in addition to those you burn just being alive).
Sendentary multiply by 1.15
Light Activity (normal stuff/no working out) 1.3
Moderate Activity (work out 3 or 4 times a week) 1.4
Very Active (workout 5 times a week) 1.6
Extremely Active (workout 6 or 7 times a week 1.8
Business Plan for the Body is an interesting book (by Jim Karas). According to it, what matters IS the calories. That 3000 calories a day will make most people fat...whether it is carbs, fats, proteins, low-fat cookies...whatever.
Other than that, I know pretty much zero about clean-eating.
Maybe someone else has an easier, or more accurate, formula for determining your caloric needs. But, that's the formula I know of.
Good luck figuring it all out.
Laura
Female Basal Metabolic Rate (how many calories you burn just being alive):
661 +(4.38 x your-weight-in-pounds)+ (4.38 x your-height-in-inches)- (4.7 x your-age-in-years)= BMR
Male BMR
67 + (6.24 x your-weight-in-pounds) + 12.7 x your-height-in-inches) - (6.9 x your-age-in-years)
Once you get that number, you multiply it by another number based on how active you are (calories you burn in addition to those you burn just being alive).
Sendentary multiply by 1.15
Light Activity (normal stuff/no working out) 1.3
Moderate Activity (work out 3 or 4 times a week) 1.4
Very Active (workout 5 times a week) 1.6
Extremely Active (workout 6 or 7 times a week 1.8
Business Plan for the Body is an interesting book (by Jim Karas). According to it, what matters IS the calories. That 3000 calories a day will make most people fat...whether it is carbs, fats, proteins, low-fat cookies...whatever.
Other than that, I know pretty much zero about clean-eating.
Maybe someone else has an easier, or more accurate, formula for determining your caloric needs. But, that's the formula I know of.
Good luck figuring it all out.
Laura
H
honeybunch
Guest
Calories absolutely matter! And, just because you keep track of what you eat, doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself!!!! Just be reasonable, and eat smart. We all have gotten good recommendations about books and such, and there's good old Prevention Magazine which is loaded with good articles about nutrition and vitamins. It's not rocket science, just common sense. Read, read, read!
Well, according to that formula I would need 2574 calories each day. To me that sounds way too high. I don't even know how to get that many calories into a day healthfully. I've read tons of different books and sites. Each one seems to have a different formula! Drives me nuts! I've heard as low as 1200 for me and as high now as 2500. That's a huge difference. I've been hovering at 1500 the last few years.
D
Debra
Guest
Here's a simpler formula used in nutrition classes:
Basal metabolism (bmr) (involuntary activity):
females: 10*weight in #'s
males: 11*weight in #'s
The tough part is figuring calories burned during voluntary activities. If you are moderately active, use 50-70% of your bmr. If you are very physically active use 80-100%. These are female factors. Add this result to your bmr for total calories.
Obviously that's quite a range & you have to experiment. I use a factor of 70% for non-endurance days. The 2200 cal/day figure seems pretty close.
I've looked at some websites & often get too high of a figure - more than 2200. Some diet websites give me a figure of 1500 cal/day (way too low).
While it doesn't matter whether you eat all carrots or all steak for weight managment, it does matter for long term health. A diet of nutrient dense foods, with a minimal amount of processing & saturated fat will promote long term health. There's plenty of research that supports the theory that a diet rich in fruits, vegies & whole grains (with an adequate amount of protein) will reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, & cancer. A healthy (clean) diet promotes long term health. The food pyramid is a simplistic picture of a clean diet.
Basal metabolism (bmr) (involuntary activity):
females: 10*weight in #'s
males: 11*weight in #'s
The tough part is figuring calories burned during voluntary activities. If you are moderately active, use 50-70% of your bmr. If you are very physically active use 80-100%. These are female factors. Add this result to your bmr for total calories.
Obviously that's quite a range & you have to experiment. I use a factor of 70% for non-endurance days. The 2200 cal/day figure seems pretty close.
I've looked at some websites & often get too high of a figure - more than 2200. Some diet websites give me a figure of 1500 cal/day (way too low).
While it doesn't matter whether you eat all carrots or all steak for weight managment, it does matter for long term health. A diet of nutrient dense foods, with a minimal amount of processing & saturated fat will promote long term health. There's plenty of research that supports the theory that a diet rich in fruits, vegies & whole grains (with an adequate amount of protein) will reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, & cancer. A healthy (clean) diet promotes long term health. The food pyramid is a simplistic picture of a clean diet.
Bobbi
Cathlete
I like the calculators at http://www.cyberdiet.com
Maybe the website can help. I figured my BMR at 2200 which is high. That might be my total intake when I take into account my daily activities but I'd gain weight if I used it as a base. We all have different body types. I think very muscular people might be abe to eat like that. I have to fight really hard to put on muscle so my BMR is something like 1300-1400.
I agree with Debra's dietary advice. If you follow her guidelines you can't go wrong!
Maybe the website can help. I figured my BMR at 2200 which is high. That might be my total intake when I take into account my daily activities but I'd gain weight if I used it as a base. We all have different body types. I think very muscular people might be abe to eat like that. I have to fight really hard to put on muscle so my BMR is something like 1300-1400.
I agree with Debra's dietary advice. If you follow her guidelines you can't go wrong!
Hi Cbelle:
I follow my physican's advice. She's told me to hit between 1,500 and 1,800. If you workout 3 days - do 1,500. If you workout 4 days - do 1,600. If you workout 5 days - do 1,700. If you workout 6 days - do 1,800 calories. The higher the frequency of workouts, the higher ability for the body to burn fat.
Now, of course, fat intake and fiber intake are very important to a healthy diet as well, not just the calories. But, that's what I follow and I've lost a considerable amount of weight and gained a significant amount of muscle.
Oh, one more thing . . . you never want to got hungry. Make sure that you listen to your body and eat when you are hungry. If your body works on 3 squares, then do it. If it works best on 6 minis then do that. Mine works best on 2 meals with breakfast at 3:00 AM. I don't know why, but that's just the way the thing works. It's ok to listen to your body and do what it says.
Just my two cents.
[link:mykbtforum.efree2net.com/forum/default.asp|KBT Forum]
I follow my physican's advice. She's told me to hit between 1,500 and 1,800. If you workout 3 days - do 1,500. If you workout 4 days - do 1,600. If you workout 5 days - do 1,700. If you workout 6 days - do 1,800 calories. The higher the frequency of workouts, the higher ability for the body to burn fat.
Now, of course, fat intake and fiber intake are very important to a healthy diet as well, not just the calories. But, that's what I follow and I've lost a considerable amount of weight and gained a significant amount of muscle.
Oh, one more thing . . . you never want to got hungry. Make sure that you listen to your body and eat when you are hungry. If your body works on 3 squares, then do it. If it works best on 6 minis then do that. Mine works best on 2 meals with breakfast at 3:00 AM. I don't know why, but that's just the way the thing works. It's ok to listen to your body and do what it says.
Just my two cents.
[link:mykbtforum.efree2net.com/forum/default.asp|KBT Forum]
D
Debra
Guest
sounds high
Backing into the BMR above, it's almost 2000 cal/day. Using 10 x weight, your BMR is 1550. The 1.6 factor looks a bit high too but then it depends on your workouts & lifestyle factors. A teacher or waitress who's moving all day would burn lots of calories outside of workouts. Different workouts & intensity will certainly affect your energy output too. People w/ lots of muscle will burn more calories too.
I used a food diary to check my energy needs. The formulas should hopefully get you in the right range.
Backing into the BMR above, it's almost 2000 cal/day. Using 10 x weight, your BMR is 1550. The 1.6 factor looks a bit high too but then it depends on your workouts & lifestyle factors. A teacher or waitress who's moving all day would burn lots of calories outside of workouts. Different workouts & intensity will certainly affect your energy output too. People w/ lots of muscle will burn more calories too.
I used a food diary to check my energy needs. The formulas should hopefully get you in the right range.
Dear Cbelle,
I have been trying to lose 10 pounds since January 2001. I honestly have not been that successful. However, through alot of reading, I have been following these guidelines for the last 6 weeks:
1. Your daily calories should be broken into 60% carbs, 20% protein, and 20% fat for weight loss.
2. Eat approximalely 20-30 grams of fiber per day.
3. I was trying to eat 1500-1800 calories/day. For the past 2 weeks I have been trying to eat approx 1300 calories/day during the week and eat 1600/day during the weekend. However, about once a week I blow it, especially during the weekends or during social situations. I thought I would still lose weight, but I have pretty much remained stable.
4. Use a nutrition journal. I purchased the "DietMinder" by Memory Minder Journals, Inc. from Amazon or try www.memoryminder.com. They are approximately $15.00 each. I track calories, fat, protein, carbs, fiber. It has been really helpful and an EDUCATION!
Good Luck, Lisa.
I have been trying to lose 10 pounds since January 2001. I honestly have not been that successful. However, through alot of reading, I have been following these guidelines for the last 6 weeks:
1. Your daily calories should be broken into 60% carbs, 20% protein, and 20% fat for weight loss.
2. Eat approximalely 20-30 grams of fiber per day.
3. I was trying to eat 1500-1800 calories/day. For the past 2 weeks I have been trying to eat approx 1300 calories/day during the week and eat 1600/day during the weekend. However, about once a week I blow it, especially during the weekends or during social situations. I thought I would still lose weight, but I have pretty much remained stable.
4. Use a nutrition journal. I purchased the "DietMinder" by Memory Minder Journals, Inc. from Amazon or try www.memoryminder.com. They are approximately $15.00 each. I track calories, fat, protein, carbs, fiber. It has been really helpful and an EDUCATION!
Good Luck, Lisa.
I think I have to re-evaluate how much I am eating/calorie count, and I'm finding it really difficult!
I've been losing weight, about 2 pounds a week average, and I've lost around 70 pounds eating 1750-2000 calories a day, working out 6 days a week and BONUS FREEBY CALORIES: I'm still nursing my daughter who is 17 months old.
However, I seem to have really hit a plateau both motivationally, emotionally, comittment level, etc., so I'm not sure if I'm no longer losing weight at this calorie level or if I'm not losing (not gaining either) weight because I'm really eating closer to 2200 or 2500 average calories a day! I STRONGLY suspect it's that I'm eating too much, and I simply need to focus on staying closer to my original calorie level 7 days a week!
As a side note: When I've lost weight before, it's always been on at least 1500-1800 calories a day. I gain weight solely due to binge eating, depression and lack of exercise -- not because I had a big dinner and had some dessert on Saturday night!
Another bad thing perhaps is that I live on prepackaged food, microwaveable stuff and restaurants (usually getting a salad w/grilled chicken breast). I don't cook, EVER. I like prepackaged food, because I don't have to control portions. A lot of what I eat is fortified.. power bars, balance bars, etc. I know exactly what I'm getting without having to resort to weighing and measuring food.
I'm also worried that I'm starting to need to adjust calories downward because my nursing days are going to probably end soon. My daughter still nurses at night and during the mornings, but I don't know how long she will continue doing this. I'm not sure how to account for that transition.
Just some thoughts!
I've been losing weight, about 2 pounds a week average, and I've lost around 70 pounds eating 1750-2000 calories a day, working out 6 days a week and BONUS FREEBY CALORIES: I'm still nursing my daughter who is 17 months old.
However, I seem to have really hit a plateau both motivationally, emotionally, comittment level, etc., so I'm not sure if I'm no longer losing weight at this calorie level or if I'm not losing (not gaining either) weight because I'm really eating closer to 2200 or 2500 average calories a day! I STRONGLY suspect it's that I'm eating too much, and I simply need to focus on staying closer to my original calorie level 7 days a week!
As a side note: When I've lost weight before, it's always been on at least 1500-1800 calories a day. I gain weight solely due to binge eating, depression and lack of exercise -- not because I had a big dinner and had some dessert on Saturday night!
Another bad thing perhaps is that I live on prepackaged food, microwaveable stuff and restaurants (usually getting a salad w/grilled chicken breast). I don't cook, EVER. I like prepackaged food, because I don't have to control portions. A lot of what I eat is fortified.. power bars, balance bars, etc. I know exactly what I'm getting without having to resort to weighing and measuring food.
I'm also worried that I'm starting to need to adjust calories downward because my nursing days are going to probably end soon. My daughter still nurses at night and during the mornings, but I don't know how long she will continue doing this. I'm not sure how to account for that transition.
Just some thoughts!
RE: Holy Cow!
Jennifer, I think the math went wrong somewhere.
661 + 4.38*155 + 4.38*66 - 4.7*your age X 1.6
661 + 679 + 289 - (? I'll guess you are 25) 118 = 1511
take that * 1.6 and you get 2418.
I'm not sure I believe in the multiplier. For instance, I know that my number comes up somewhere around 2400 calories, but that is too much to lose any weight. I do pretty good at 1800 when I'm working out. I get tired and grumpy at too much under that.
Jennifer, I think the math went wrong somewhere.
661 + 4.38*155 + 4.38*66 - 4.7*your age X 1.6
661 + 679 + 289 - (? I'll guess you are 25) 118 = 1511
take that * 1.6 and you get 2418.
I'm not sure I believe in the multiplier. For instance, I know that my number comes up somewhere around 2400 calories, but that is too much to lose any weight. I do pretty good at 1800 when I'm working out. I get tired and grumpy at too much under that.
Another thing to note. Once you establish your calorie level, and find yourself longing for sweets or fats etc. The World Health Organization has a established a guideline that it is okay to eat about 10% of your calories from pleasure foods such as sugar and fatty carbs. This is a good guideline because it allows you the flexibility to have some treat foods and keep to a reasonably healthy diet. Good luck.
Thanks for all the responses! I'm really trying to keep the calories around 1500-1800. To be honest I have a hard time doing that...its so much food! I've also tried to ease up on being so anal about the protein/carb ratio. If a girl can't have cereal in the morning, there's not much left to live for. I like eggs but not day in and day out. Anyway, we'll see what happens I guess. Got my body fat done today and I'm at 21%....I'd like to be somewhere around 17%. So its doable. If I could just get the right formula for me.