Have you ever wondered how many calories should I eat?
Well, when it comes to calorie intake, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The number of calories you should consume in a day depends on various factors such as your age, gender, height, weight and activity level. In general, men require more calories than women due to their higher muscle mass and metabolism.
The American Heart Association recommends that the average adult woman should consume around 1,600-2,400 calories per day while the average adult man requires 2,000-3,000 calories daily. However, these are just guidelines and not everyone falls into the “average” category. It’s important to calculate your own personal caloric needs based on your individual factors.
Factors such as genetics also play a role in determining how many calories you need to consume. People with faster metabolisms may require more food intake to maintain their weight while those with slower metabolisms may need less.
Calculate Your Own Personal Caloric Needs:
Calculating your daily calorie needs can be a daunting task for many people. However, there’s no need to worry because we’ve got you covered with an easy method that will help you determine your daily calorie needs.
Firstly, it’s important to understand what calories are and how they work. Simply put, calories are units of energy that our body uses to function properly. When we eat food, our body converts the nutrients into energy which is measured in calories. The amount of calories we burn on a day-to-day basis depends on various factors such as age, gender, weight and activity level.
So now that you have understood what are calories, then let us directly talk about how you can calculate your daily caloric needs.
Calculate Maintenance Calories:
To begin, let us learn more about maintenance calories and what they mean.
“Maintenance calories refer to the number of calories required by an individual in order to maintain their current weight.”
It is important to remember that regardless of whether your aim is to maintain your weight, lose fat or gain weight, you must calculate your maintenance calorie intake. So here is how you can calculate your maintenance calories:
Use The Katch-McArdle Formula:
Here are the steps to estimate maintenance calories with this formula:
Step #1: Calculate your Lean Body Mass (LBM):
In order to estimate lean body mass, we will use the Boer formula. Which is as follows:
- If you are men, LBM = (0.407 × weight [kg]) + (0.267 × height [cm]) – 19.2
- And if you are women, LBM = (0.252 × weight [kg]) + (0.473 × height [cm]) – 48.3
For example, let’s say you are a male who weighs 80 kg and is 165 cm tall. Then, according to the Boer formula, your lean body mass would be calculated as follows.
LBM = (0.407 × 80) + (0.267 × 165) – 19.2
LBM = 57.415 kg
Step #2: Calculate your BMR:
In order to estimate BMR, we will use the Katch-McArdle formula. Which is as follows:
BMR = 370 + (21.6 × Lean Body Mass [kg])
For example, if you are a male who weighs 80 kg and is 165 cm tall, your lean body mass would be 57.415 kg. Then, according to the Katch-McArdle formula, your BMR would be calculated as follows.
BMR = 370 + (21.6 × 57.415)
BMR = 1610.164 Kcal ≈ 1600 Kcal
Step #3: Calculate your Maintenance Calories (TDEE):
In order to estimate Maintenance Calories (TDEE), we will use the Katch-McArdle multipliers. These are as follows:
Activity Levels | Multiplier |
---|---|
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) | 1.2 |
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) | 1.375 |
If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) | 1.55 |
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) | 1.725 |
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) | 1.9 |
You will need to select a multiplier according to your activity levels. Once you have done so, you can use the following formula to calculate your TDEE.
Maintenance Calories (TDEE) = BMR × Multiplier
For example, if you are moderately active, that is, you do gym or any other sports 3 to 5 times a week. Then, according to the Katch-McArdle formula, your TDEE would be calculated as follows.
TDEE = 1600 × 1.55
Maintenance Calories (TDEE) = 2480 Kcal ≈ 2400 Kcal
“People often overestimate their activity levels. They think they’re more active than they actually are. Therefore, by estimating the maintenance calories, we changed it to 2400 Kcal and BMR to 1600 Kcal.”
Answer to “How Many Calories Should I Eat?”
Now that you’ve estimated your maintenance calories through this method, it’s time to “How Many Calories Should I Eat?” To answer this question.
There are three distinct objectives that someone can have when aiming for a certain fitness level. The first is fat loss, the second maintaining the current weight, and the third is weight gain. So we will answer this question according to these three goals.
For Fat Loss How Many Calories Should I Eat?
To achieve fat loss, it is essential that you create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your body needs in order to maintain the same weight. This means eating below your maintenance calories and forming new dietary habits.
“So if you want to lose fat, then you should consume 200 to 300 calories less than your current maintenance calories.”
For instance, if you estimated your maintenance calories to be 2400 Kcal, then it is recommended that you consume between 2100 and 2200 Kcal in order to achieve a successful fat loss.
For Maintaining the Same Physique How Many Calories Should I Eat?
If your goal is to maintain the same physique, then you do not have to do anything, you have to consume the same number of calories as your maintenance calories.
“The key to maintaining the same physique is- consuming the same number of calories as your maintenance calories.”
For instance, if you estimated your maintenance calories to be 2400 Kcal, then it is recommended that you consume the same 2400 Kcal in order to maintain the same weight.
For Weight Gain How Many Calories Should I Eat?
To achieve weight gain, it is essential that you create a calorie surplus by consuming more calories than your body needs in order to maintain the same weight. This means eating above your maintenance calories and forming new dietary habits.
“So if you want to gain weight, then you should consume 200 to 300 calories more than your current maintenance calories.”
For instance, if you estimated your maintenance calories to be 2400 Kcal, then it is recommended that you consume between 2600 and 2700 Kcal in order to achieve a successful weight gain.
Conclusion to “How Many Calories Should I Eat?”
Every individual will have a unique answer to the question of how many calories they should consume. Fortunately, by understanding your maintenance calorie level, it becomes simpler to determine the daily caloric intake that works for you—whether it’s for fat loss, weight management or even weight gain.
Additionally, make sure to consult a doctor or nutritionist if you need additional help planning your meals.
Hope that helps!
Published on April 10, 2023 and Last Updated on April 14, 2023 by: Priyank Pandey