Calories for Men and Women

Calorie Needs for Women

How many calories you need depends on various factors, including height, total body weight, ratio of fat to muscle, age, gender, genes and physical exercise. (Plus illness, pregnancy etc.) But usually, a woman's calorie needs can be reasonably accurately assessed by focusing on two calorie components. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and physical exercise.

Calorie Needs for Women and Basal Metabolic Rate

Basal Metabolic Rate is a short way of saying: "the amount of energy (calories) you need to keep your body functioning while at rest." A body needs a minimum number of calories to maintain the millions of chemical reactions which keep eyes, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys etc. in healthy working order. This is your Basal Metabolic Rate. Over half the calories needed by most women fuel these basic bodily functions.

Calorie Needs for Women and Exercise

The second major calorie-needs component is physical activity. The more exercise you take, the more calories you need.

Calorie Needs for Women - Weight Maintenance and Weight Gain

When you have determined your total daily calorie needs, this will be the number of calories required to maintain your weight. If you want to lose weight, (e.g. one pound per week), you should consume 3,500 calories less, per week. (Or, consume 2,000 fewer calories and burn an extra 1,500 calories by taking extra exercise.) This is because one pound of weight is equal to 3,500 calories. To gain one pound of weight, increase your calorie intake by 3,500 calories.

Harris-Benedict Formula To Determine Calorie Needs for Women

The Harris Benedict equation determines calorie needs for women in two steps:

·It calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calorie requirements, based on your height, weight, age and gender.
·It increases your BMR calorie needs by taking into account the number of calories you burn by taking exercise. This gives you your total calorie requirement.

Drawback of Harris-Benedict Calorie Needs Formula

The only calorie variable which the Harris-Benedict formula does not take into consideration is lean body mass. Therefore, this equation will be accurate for most women except the extremely muscular (these women need more calories) and the extremely fat (these women need fewer calories).

The Harris Benedict Calorie Needs Formula for Women

·First, calculate your BMR according to this formula:
655 + (9.6 x weight in kilos) + (1.8 x height in centimetres) - (4.7 x age in yrs)
·To Calculate your total calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity multiplier:

Activity Multiplier

·If you are sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) multiply BMR by 1.2
·If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days per week) multiply your BMR by 1.375
·If you are mod. active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days per week) multiply your BMR by 1.55
·If you take heavy exercise (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days per week) multiply your BMR by 1.725

Calorie Needs for Men

Your calorie requirements vary according to height, total body weight, ratio of fat to muscle, age, gender, genes, health and physical exercise. But in essence, a man's calorie needs can be reasonably accurately assessed by focusing on two calorie components. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and physical exercise.

Calorie Needs for Men and Basal Metabolic Rate

Your Basal Metabolic Rate is the minimum number of calories needed to power your body while resting. Put another way, your BMR is the energy expended by your body to maintain normal functions, like heart beat, respiration and normal body temperature. Your BMR usually accounts for about 60-70% of your calories requirements. Typically, your BMR will peak at the age of 20 and gradually decrease by approximately 2 percent per decade, due in part to inactivity and subsequent loss of muscle tissue.

Calorie Needs for Men and Exercise

The second major calorie component is physical exercise or activity. The more exercise you take, the more calories you burn.

Calorie Needs for Men - Weight Maintenance, Weight Loss, Weight Gain

Your total daily calorie needs are the calories required to MAINTAIN your weight. In order to LOSE weight, you need to reduce your calorie intake. In order to GAIN weight you need to increase your calorie intake. One pound of weight is equal to 3,500 calories.
Thus, in order to lose one pound of weight, per week, you should either consume 3,500 fewer calories, or consume 1,500 fewer calories while burning an extra 2,000 calories in extra exercise. To gain one pound of weight, increase your calorie intake by 3,500 calories etc.

The Harris Benedict equation determines calorie needs for men, as follows:

·It calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calorie requirements, based on your height, weight, age and gender.
·It increases your BMR calorie needs by taking into account the number of calories you burn by taking exercise. This gives you your total calorie requirement.

Drawback of Harris-Benedict Calorie Needs Formula

The only calorie variable which the Harris-Benedict formula omits is lean body mass. Therefore, this equation will be accurate for most men except the extremely muscular (these men need more calories) and the extremely obese (these men need fewer calories).

The Harris Benedict Calorie Needs Formula for Men

·First, calculate your BMI according to this formula:
66 + (13.7 x weight in kilos) + (5 x height in centimetres) - (6.8 x age in years)
·To calculate your total calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity multiplier:

Activity Multiplier

·If you are sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) multiply BMR by 1.2
·If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days per week) multiply your BMR by 1.375
·If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days per week) multiply your BMR by 1.55
·If you take heavy exercise (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days per week) multiply your BMR by 1.725
[Note: 1 inch = 2.54 centimetres. 1 kilo = 2.2 pounds]