How to Evaluate Your Calorific Need

Most people don't know how many calories their body's need in an average day. As a consequence, many people consume far more calories than they need each day without even realising it. Weight management depends upon an energy balance equation; the amount of energy you put into your body (food calories) versus the amount of energy you expend (activity).

How to Accurately Calculate Your Body's Needs

Understanding your body's energy requirements can help you make healthy nutritional choices.

There are three main components that make up your body's energy expenditure- basal metabolic rate, energy expended during physical activity, and the thermic effect of food. Adding these three components together is the most accurate way of determining how many calories your body requires each day.

• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):
  Most of the body's energy (about 60-70%), goes to supporting the ongoing metabolic function of all of your body's cells. This includes such activities as heart beat, respiration and maintaining body temperature.

  To determine your BMR (using Kilograms):
  

  • Multiply your body weight by 20, and then add 5 times your body weight to the result.
  • i.e., for a 70 kg male, 1,400 + (5 x 70) = 1,750 calories per day BMR
  • i.e., for a 55 kg female, 1,100 + (5 x 55) = 1,375 calories per day BMR

  To determine your BMR (using Pounds):
  

  • Multiply your body weight by 10, and then add double your body weight to the result.
  • i.e., for a 150 lb male, 1,500 + (2 x 150) =1,800 calories per day BMR
  • i.e., for a 120 lb female, 1,200 + 120=1,320 calories per day BMR

• Energy Expended during Physical Activity:
  The second component of the equation depends upon your level of physical activity. Physical activity has a profound effect on human energy expenditure and contributes 20-30% to the body's total energy output. One of the most reliable methods in calculating calories burned during physical activity is the Metabolic Energy (MET) Method (see table below).

• Thermic Effect of Food:
  The last component to calculate has to do with your body's management of food. The increase in energy required to digest food is referred to as the thermic effect of food (TEF) and it's simple to determine:

  TEF = total kcals consumed x 10%
  [i.e., 2,000 kcals consumed/day x 0.10 = 200 kcals expended for TEF]
  

At the Gym

If you fancy a trip to the gym then the chart below shows how many calories you burn during 30 minutes of some common activities:

Activity	Calories Burnt	Activity	Calories Burnt
Aerobics: low impact	240	Aerobics: high impact	336
Aerobics, Step: 6" - 8" step	408	Aerobics, Step: 10" - 12" step	480
Aerobics: water	192	Bicycling, Stationery: moderate, 150 watts	336
Rowing, Stationery: moderate, 100 watts	336	Rowing, Stationery: vigorous, 150 watts	408
Ski Machine: general	336	Stair Step Machine: General, without supporting any bodyweight on hand rails	432
Weight Lifting: Light, free weight, nautilus or universal-type	144	Weight Lifting: Vigorous, free weight, nautilus or universal-type	288

Sports and Activities

If sport is your think then the chart below shows how many calories you burn during 30 minutes of some common activities:

Below are the caloric values of energy expended during 30 minutes of various sports:

Activity	Calories Burnt	Activity	Calories Burnt
Basketball: playing a game	384	Basketball	216
Bowling	144	Bicycling: BMX or mountain	408
Boxing: punching bag	288	Boxing: in the ring	576
Dancing: disco, ballroom, square, line, Irish step, polka	216	Dancing: slow, waltz, foxtrot, tango, fox trot	144
Fencing	288	Football: competitive	432
Golf: driving range, miniature	144	Golf: walking and pulling clubs	206
Gymnastics: general	192	Hacky sack	192
Handball: general	576	Handball: team	384
Hang Gliding	168	Hiking: cross-country	288
Hockey: field & ice	384	Horseback Riding: general	192
Ice Skating: general	336	Kayaking	240
Martial Arts: judo, karate, kick boxing, tae kwan do	480	Motor-Cross	192
Orienteering	432	Polo	480
Race Walking	312	Racquetball: competitive	480
Racquetball: casual, general	336	Rock Climbing: ascending	528
Rock Climbing: rappelling	384	Rollerblade / In-Line Skating	600
Rope Jumping: general, moderate	480	Running: 5 mph (12 min/mile)	384
Running: 5.2 mph (11.5 min/mile)	432	Running: 6 mph (10 min/mile)	480
Running: 6.7 mph (9 min/mile)	528	Running: 7 mph (8.5 min/mile)	552
Running: 8.6 mph (7 min/mile)	672	Running: 10 mph (6 min/mile)	768
Running: training, pushing wheelchair, marathon wheeling	384	Running: cross-country	432
Running: stairs, up	720	Running: on track, team practice	480
Scuba or skin diving	336	Skateboarding	240
Skiing: cross-country, light effort, general, 2.5 mph	336	Skiing: cross-country, vigorous, 5.0 - 7.9 mph	432
Skiing: downhill, moderate effort	288	Skiing: downhill, vigorous effort, racing	384
Soccer: general	336	Soccer: competitive play	480
Softball: pitching	288	Squash	576
Surfing: body or board	144	Swimming: general, leisurely, no laps	288
Swimming: laps, vigorous	480	Tai Chi	192
Table Tennis / Ping Pong	192	Tennis: general play	336
Tennis: singles, competitive	384	Tennis: doubles, competitive	240
Track & Field: high jump, long jump, triple jump, javelin, pole vault	288	Track & Field: steeplechase, hurdles	480
Volleyball: non-competitive, general play, 6 - 9 member team	144	Volleyball: competitive, gymnasium play	384
Volleyball: beach	384	Walk: 2 mph (30 min/mi)	120
Walk: 3 mph (20 min/mi)	158	Walk: 3.5 mph (17 min/mi)	182
Walk: 4 mph (15 min/mi)	240	Walk: 4.5 mph (13 min/mi)	302
Walk: 5 mph (12 min/mi)	384	Water Skiing	288

Home Maintenance and DIY

Finally if you're into DIY then you might be pleasantly surprised how many calories you can burn in 30 minutes. The chart below tells you exactly how many for some common (and not so common) jobs:

Below are the caloric values of energy expended during 30 minutes of various sports:

Activity	Calories Burnt	Activity	Calories Burnt
Carpentry, installing rain gutters, building fence	288	Carrying & stacking wood	240
Chopping & splitting wood	288	Cleaning rain gutters	240
Digging, spading dirt, composting	240	Gardening: general	192
Gardening: weeding	216	Laying sod / crushed rock	240
Mowing Lawn: push, hand	288	Mowing Lawn: push, power	264
Operate Snow Blower: walking	216	Paint outside of home	240
Planting seedlings, shrubs	216	Plant trees	216
Raking Lawn	206	Roofing	288
Sacking grass or leaves	192	Shovelling Snow: by hand	288
Storm Windows: hanging	240	Sweeping: garage, sidewalks, outside of house	192
Trimming shrubs/trees: manual cutter	216	Trimming: using edger, power cutter, etc.	168
Watering plants, by hand	120	Workshop: general carpentry	144
Yard: applying seed or fertilizer, walking	120	Yard: watering by hand, standing/walking	72