The Calorie Equation...

I'm going to make this short and simple. Below you'll find an equation that delivers exactly what you need to know in terms of determining how many calories a day you need to consume.

All of this and more can be found in my Basics of Nutrition E-Book on final sale for $9.99 in the shop. (Just saying)

In order to know how many calories we need a.k.a our Daily Caloric Need (DCN) we must know primarily two things. Firstly, our Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR (units required to calculate is your age, height in cm, and weight in kg) , and secondly, your activity level in days/week. Activity level equating to # of training sessions/week.

Daily Caloric Need: BMR X 1.# of training / week

Example: A 25 year old male who stands 5'9" (175cm) and weighs 185lbs (84kg) wants to know how many calories they need if they train 5 times per week.

(Use this equation to implement your own measurements)

BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5

BMR = (10 x 84) + (6.25 x 175) - (5 x 25) + 5 = 1815 calories

Daily need = 1815 x 1.5 = 2720 calories / day

From here to determine how many calories you need to lose, maintain, or gain you would do the following:

Lose 0.5lb / week Subtract 250 calories / day

Lose 1.0lb / week Subtract 500 calories / day

Maintain = keep daily caloric need as is

Gain 0.5lb / week Add 250 calories / day

Gain 1.0 lb / week Add 500 calories / day

For sustainability, it is recommended to remain within the range of 0.5-1.0lb per week, as anything above for the general population will either be unsustainable or lead to the majority of the weight gained being visceral fat mass.

Mathematically speaking, you'll be hard pressed to go wrong when you follow this method. However, everyone reacts differently to energy inputs and outputs, and therefore, some people may need to consume more or less to reach their required result. It is trial and error in some cases. Furthermore, quality of food will dictate to a large extent the outcome of you weight gain or loss. Failure to follow the simple principles of healthy eating will often times lead to loss of muscle mass, increase in fat mass, and the outward appearance of a less in shape body.

For all specifics on nutrition, grab my Basics of Nutrition E-Book on final sale in the shop.

"Progression is built through consistency and tested by passion"

JB