How Many Calories Should I Eat Every Day?

Among the many questions that frequently recur among those who are concerned with weight loss, the question of how many calories should one eat in every day is a common one. Not only is this question brought up when one is on a diet but this should be a question than anyone should ask. Those who are maintaining a healthy weight should also come to terms with resolving how many calories one needs in a given day.

Quick Answer

The quick and easy answer to how much caloric needs would any individual requires is relative to each individual. There is no hard and fast rule for everyone as far as caloric needs are concerned. This should definitely be determined individually since one person’s circumstances are not the same as the next fellow. Those who are working on weight loss should also determine their own caloric needs themselves.

Determine Caloric Needs

When one is in a weight loss program, one tends to watch how much calories one takes in every day. It is interesting that most people can lose weight by only taking in 1,500 calories daily. However, this should never be a standard for anyone who wants to lose weight. It only takes a little math to determine the correct amount of calories in order to achieve weight loss.

This is also true for those who need to maintain their weight. Both the people who want to maintain their weight and those who want to achieve weight loss will benefit from using the Harris-Benedict Principle, which is a rather simple formula that can be used by both parties. This can be used to a person’s basal metabolic rate.

Using Your Basal Metabolic Rate

Your basal metabolic rate, simply put, is the total amount of energy that an individual body would need in order to function. 60% of the total amount of calories human beings take in every day is allocated for all basic bodily functions. A person’s sex, age, height, and weight are factors that affect the basal metabolic rate

Women would calculate their BMR by adding 655 to their weight in pounds multiplied by 4.3. They then add the product of their height in inches multiplied by 4.7. Their age in years multiplied by 4.7 is then deducted to the previous result.

Men would multiply 6.3 by their weight in pounds then add 66. Their height in inches is multiplied to 12.9 and is added to the previous result. Next, their age in years is multiplied by 6.8 and then this number is subtracted to the previous measurement.

Once you have determined your basal metabolic rate you can then make the decision regarding your caloric needs. If ever you would want to lose weight you either burn the calories you take in every day or you cut your calorie intake. Those who are aiming towards losing weight should make a goal to reach lower level results with what you currently get with this formula.

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