Energy Requirement
Calculator
Information in this article is from the American
Council on Exercise
except where it is highlighted in yellow.
For people
watching their weight, keeping track of calories is an important
practice. If a person eats more calories than he or she burns each
day, weight gain will occur. On the other hand, if more calories are
burned than are consumed on a daily basis, weight loss transpires.
Knowing how many calories your body needs each day is the first step
in managing your weight.
A person’s daily caloric requirement
is determined by three factors:
-
Resting metabolic rate (RMR)
-
Physical activity
-
Thermogenesis (calories required for heat production)
Resting
metabolic rate is the amount of energy (measured in calories)
expended by the body during quiet rest. RMR makes up between 60 and
80% of the total calories used daily.
Physical
activity is the second largest factor contributing to daily calorie
requirements. This is the most variable component of daily caloric
requirement, as this number changes based on the frequency,
intensity, and duration of a person’s workouts.
Thermogenesis,
also referred to as the thermic effect of food, is the smallest
component. This is the amount of calories needed to digest and
absorb the foods that are consumed. While certain diets claim to
enhance this component, such as those promoting food-combining
practices, no research exists to support that concept.
Since RMR and
physical activity are the largest components of a person’s daily
caloric requirement, estimating them based on a few personal
variables can help you determine how many calories you should eat
each day to manage your weight.
The “Energy Requirement
Calculator” will provide a general caloric goal that, if you
consistently achieve it, will help you prevent weight gain. To take
weight management a step further and promote weight loss, you must
increase your caloric expenditure through exercise. The bottom line
is that regular physical activity is the most effective way to
increase the body’s caloric expenditures.
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