How Much Food Should I Consume?
While we all may have a general idea how many calories we need on a daily basis, the best way to determine your daily nutritional needs is to use the BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Below is a simple method to calculate your BMR as well as protein, fat and carbohydrate requirements based on age, weight, height and activity.
Equation to Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR
BMR Calculation with Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat Requirements
Men (example): 6 ft.tall, 200 lbs., 60 yrs. old
Height in Inches 72
Height x 12.7 = A 914
Weight in Pounds 200
Weight x 6.2 = B 1240
Age in Years 61
Age x 6.8 = C 408
Base Metabolic Rate = A+B+66-C (Low Activity)
914+1240+66-408 = 1812 calories/day
Light Activity BMR x 1.3 = 2356 calories/day
Moderate Activity BMR X 1.4 = 2537 calories/day
Very Active BMR x 1.5 = 2719 calories/day
Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat Requirements
Protein BMR x 0.15/4 68 grams/day
Carbohydrates BMR x 0.55/4 249 grams/day
Fat BMR x 0.30/9 60 grams/day
Women (example): 30 yr. old, 130 lbs., 5.5 ft. tall
Height in Inches 66
Height x 4.3 = A 284
Weight in Pounds 130
Weight x 4.4 = B 572
Age in Years: 30
Age x 4.7 = C 141
BMR = A+B+655-C 1370
284+572+655-141 = 1370 calories/day
Light Activity BMR x 1.3 1781
Moderate Activity BMR X 1.4 1918
Very Active BMR x 1.5 2055
Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat Requirements (in grams)
Protein BMR x 0.15/4 51 grams/day
Carbohydrates BMR x 0.55/4 188 grams/day
Fat BMR x 0.30/9 46 grams/day