How Many Calories Should I be Eating

There is no defined amount of calories that one must consume in a given day in order to stay fit. Each person has a different tendency to gain or lose weight according to his/ her diet, exercise routine and other activities that he/she is involved in during the day. You may calculate the amount of calorie intake appropriate as per your body on your own. This can be done by applying the Harris-Benedict principle which helps in calculating your BMR that is Basal Metabolic Rate. BMR is the energy that our body requires in order to perform various functions. Around 60% calories that we have on a daily basis are used in our basic body functions like breathing.

BMR is influenced by various factors such as height, weight, gender, age and the kind of activities one is involved in. You may follow a few simple steps to calculate your BMR. The calculations differ in both men and women. Following is how you would calculate BMR:

In Women: 655 + (4.7 * height in inches) + (4.3 * weight in pounds) – (4.7 * age of the person in years)

In Men: 66 + (12.9 x height in inches) + (6.3 x weight in pounds) – (6.8 x age of the person in years)

Now move on to step two which is to make calculation as per the kind of activities you are involved in during the day which is done by multiplying the BMR with some fixed percentage based on the kind of activity you are involved in. For instance if you are sedentary then multiply BMR with 20 percent, if you are some what active then with 30%, if moderately active then with 40%, if very active then with 50% and if extra active then multiply it with 60 percent. Now add this number to your BMR and you will get the number of calories that you should consume in a day.