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ESTIMATING YOUR CALORIE NEEDS


Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D., 

Basal energy expenditure (BEE) or basal metabolic rate (BMR) as it is sometimes called, is the energy required to maintain life. It is measured at rest, but not asleep, in a thermo-neutral environment in the post-absorptive state. It can be measured directly or indirectly, or it can be estimated as I have done in this article.  I am using the equations of Harris & Benedict (1919).

The Harris-Benedict Equation for estimating one’s BEE accounts for gender, age, height and weight.  As the research abstract appended below indicates, the BEE derived using this equation for obese people are somewhat overestimated.  That is, the equation appears to be reasonably accurate for normal people with normal body fat.  Given that there were far fewer obese people around back in the early 1900s than there are today, you should be aware of this minor weakness.   Here are the equations:

For men, the B.E.E. = 66.5 + (13.75 x W) + (5.003 x H) - (6.775 x A)

For women, the B.E.E. = 655.1 + (9.563 x W) + (1.850 x H) - (4.676 x A)

Where:

W = actual weight in kilograms (1 kg = 2.2046 pounds)

H = height in centimeters (2.54 cm per inch)
A = age in years

There’s another factor that you should be aware of.  For any given body weight, the person with the lowest percentage of body fat is going to burn more calories.  Bigger muscles burn more calories than do little ones.  Thus, when using the tables below, which are based on an average person with an average percentage of body fat, bear in mind to add or subtract from the tabled figures accordingly.  Since the Harris-Benedict equation uses total body weight, we are assuming that (for example) the average woman back in the year 1919, with 100 pounds of lean body weight, and 20% body fat, actually weighed 125 pounds.  And a man with 170 pounds of lean body weight, and 15% body fat, actually weighed 200 pounds.

Determining Your Average Daily Caloric Needs

Obviously, there is more to life than just resting in that temperature-neutral environment. You must also have energy from your diet to support your activities above your basal level.  Once you have determined your BMR, you must estimate your actual metabolic rate.  You do this by estimating how much your daily activities “cost” you each day, and adding the total caloric cost of these activities to your BMR.

 

To simplify this task, we have divided several activities into five levels from “very light” to “very heavy” (see Table One).  The results you derive are only an estimate, but should nonetheless give you an idea of your daily caloric needs.

 

Table One:  Average Daily Physical Activity And Its Caloric Cost

Average Couch Potato

Average Fitness Buff

Average Hard Training Athlete

Very Light

Light

Moderate

Heavy

Very Heavy

1.2 – 1.3 X BEE

1.4-1.5 X BEE

1.6-1.7 X BEE

1.8-1.9 X BEE

2.0+ X BEE

 

Your daily activity schedule includes an hour or more of these types of activities

 

Reading
Sitting
Driving
Eating

Walking
Sweeping
Playing Piano
Bicycling (easy)

 

Fast walk
Dancing
Ping-Pong
Skating

Light weight training

Swimming
Running
Bicycle Race
Basketball

Boxing
Rowing
Mountain climbing

Intense weight training

             

 

The higher your body fat percentage, the fewer calories you'll burn (lower activity level, and less muscle to burn calories).   The lower your body fat percentage, the more calories you'll burn (bigger muscles burn more calories than little ones).  Thus, it becomes much easier to get rid of fat permanently by increasing your metabolic rate.  You do this by increasing both your muscle mass and your activity level.  You can (and SHOULD) gain muscle mass and lose fat at the same time.  Never sacrifice muscle tissue during the fat loss process.   Instead, build more muscle to burn more calories.  You'll lose more fat faster, and you'll be more likely to keep it off.  The KEY is to control your calories!

 

The “Quick Check” Method

The caloric expenditures listed in Table Two are for people with about a 20% body fat level.  The smaller your muscles are, the fewer calories you'll burn; the bigger your muscles are, the more calories you'll burn. That means that the higher your proportion of fat is to your total body weight, the fewer calories you’ll burn.  On the flip side of the coin, the greater your proportion of muscle to your total body weight, the more calories you’ll burn.  Remember that strenuous exercise with weights (including dumbbells and barbells, Nautilus-type machines, your own body weight, and other forms of resistance exercises) is the best way to increase your muscle size, thereby increasing your metabolic rate.  This will result in far more calories being burned all day long, even at night while you're sleeping.  This, in turn, makes it easier to keep your body fat level in check.

Table Two:  Activities And Their Approximate Hourly Caloric Cost For Different Body Weights

If You Weigh...

100

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300


Light Aerobics

Walking  2.5 Mph

Gardening

Golf

Lawn Mowing

Light Calisthenics

 

Light Weight Training

 

House Cleaning

Walking 3.75 Mph

Swimming 2.5 Mph

Medium Aerobics

Badminton

Wood Chopping

 

Med. Weight Training

 

Slow Jogging

Heavy Calisthenics

Heavy Aerobics

 

Heavy Weight Training

 

Medium Jogging

Cycling 13 Mph

Fast Jogging

 

 

104

104

118

145

145

172

 

172

 

172

199

199

240

247

294

 

342

 

376

444

444

 

512

 

512

560

580

 

154

154

168

195

195

222

 

222

 

222

249

249

290

297

344

 

392

 

426

494

494

 

562

 

562

610

630

 

204

204

218

245

245

272

 

272

 

272

299

299

340

347

394

 

442

 

476

544

544

 

612

 

612

660

680

 

254

254

268

295

295

322

 

322

 

322

349

349

390

397

444

 

492

 

526

594

594

 

662

 

662

710

730

 

304

304

318

345

345

372

 

372

 

372

399

399

440

447

494

 

542

 

576

644

644

 

712

 

712

760

780

 

354

354

368

395

395

422

 

422

 

422

449

449

490

497

544

 

592

 

626

694

694

 

762

 

762

810

830

 

404

404

418

445

445

472

 

472

 

472

499

499

540

547

594

 

642

 

676

744

744

 

812

 

812

860

880

 

454

454

468

505

505

522

 

522

 

522

549

549

590

597

644

 

692

 

726

794

794

 

862

 

862

910

910

 

504

504

518

545

545

572

 

572

 

572

599

599

640

647

694

 

742

 

776

844

844

 

912

 

912

960

960


Determining Your Hourly Calorie Need

A more precise method for determining your caloric need is to compute it hour-by-hour. 

For each of the 24 hours in your "average" day, determine your energy expenditure by reading the descriptions in Table Three.  Then, multiply your hourly BMR  (BMR divided by 24) times your energy expenditure.  For example, if Bob Jones’ hourly BMR equals 85 calories, and his average activity level during that hour was 300 percent above BMR, you simply multiply 85 times 3.00.  His hourly caloric expenditure equals 255 calories.  Remember, most people intersperse each hour of heavy activity with brief quiescent periods (e.g., resting 5 minutes between sets or chatting with your training partner during a workout).  Therefore, it is important to get an AVERAGE for that hour!  You may have to break each hour of activity down into briefer periods for the sake of accuracy.  Do this for each hour of the day, add all of them together, and that is your daily caloric requirement. 

Be SURE to apportion your daily calories over at least five meals, with the size of each meal reflective of your UPCOMING caloric needs.  For example, if you expect to train, eat more; if you expect to take a nap, eat less.

Table Three:  Energy Expenditure Guide

Women

Men

Activity Description

78%

80%

Sleeping

90%

100%

Lying down totally relaxed but not sleeping (this is your "basal metabolic rate")

180%

200%

Very Light: Sitting, studying, talking, little walking or other activities.

270%

300%

Light: Typing, teaching, lab/shop work, some walking.

360%

400%

Moderate: Walking, jogging, gardening type job.

450%

500%

Heavy: Heavy manual labor such as digging, tree felling, climbing.

540%

600%

Exceptionally Heavy: Fitness-oriented weight training, aerobic dance, cycling or similar  vigorous activities.

630%

700%

Sports: Vigorous sports competition such as football, racquetball, tennis or other extended-play sports activities.

720%

800%

All-Out Training: Extremely high intensity weight training with little rest between sets or exercises.

810%

900%

Extended Maximum Effort: Extremely high intensity and high duration sports competition such as triathlon, cross country skiing or marathon.

For example, Bob Jones weighs 161, and his lean body weight is 159 (fat weight is 9) with 5.7% body fat.  His BMR is 1750.  Let’s look at his day (Table Four).

 

Table Four:  Zigzag Eating For Daily Activities

 

Daily Activities

Cost in Calories

Calories per Meal*

(Upzig / Downzag)

12 midnight – 1:00 am

1750 / 24 X .8 = 58.3

 

1-2 (Sleep)

58.3

 

2-3 (Sleep)

58.3

 

3-4 (Sleep)

58.3

 

4-5 (Sleep)

58.3

 

5-6 (Sleep)

58.3

 

6-7 (Sleep)

58.3

 

7-8 (Sleep)

58.3

 

Total Calories Burned While Asleep = 466
Bob Jones’ energy needs during sleeping hours

will be derived from fat stores mobilized by hGH.

8-9 (Meal)

1750 / 24 x 200 = 146

510 + or - 80

(430 / 590)

9-10 (Office Work)

1750 / 24 x 2.5 = 182

 

10-11 (Office Work)

182

 

11-12 Noon (Meal)

146

656 + or - 80

(576 / 736)

12 Noon – 1 (Labor)

1750 / 24 x 4.5 = 328

 

1-2 (Office Work)

182

 

2-3 (Meal)

182

947 + or - 80

(867 / 1027)

3-4 (Workout)

1750 / 24 x 8 = 583

 

4-5 (Office Work)

182

 

5-6 (Meal)

182

546 + or - 80

(466 / 626)

6-7 (Shopping)

182

 

7-8 (Shopping)

182

 

8-9 (Meal)

182

684 + or - 80

(604 / 764)

9-10 (Computer Work)

182

 

10-11 (TV)

160

 

11-12 Midnight (TV)

160

 

 

TOTAL

 

3343

3343 (2943 / 3743)

* The caloric value of each meal is predicated on the caloric cost of upcoming activities.  Then, approximately 400 calories are added to workout days and subtracted from days in which there is either no workout or workouts for smaller muscle groups.  In this example, that would equal 80 calories added to or subtracted from each of 5 meals.  This “zigzag” pattern ensures both muscle gain and fat loss.