A way to work out how many calories you personally are suppo

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midgetjoness
midgetjoness Posts: 27
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all!
Haven't done too many posts on here but i think that this one will be VERY beneficial to all of us.
I do a performing arts course and this semester they have integrated a nutrition course with the rest of our classes.
As homework we were given a formula called 'The Harris-Benedict Equation' to work out how many calories our body needs to have a day. This is one of the most accurate and easy ways of finding out how much energy your body needs. The 'average' that we are given, bmi etc can all be innacurate as they are rough guidelines for the population as a whole.

This equation will work out your BMR -This is the amount of calories your body needs JUST TO SURVIVE, and does not include exercise. However i'll also add in the other equation that you need to add to your BMR which will take into account your exercise and lifestyle and increase the calories accordingly.

Another thing to note is that by working out your BMR, 'Calculating Estimated Average Requirements' - 'EAR' (based on lifestyle) and 'Physical Activity Levels' - PAL (exercise levels) this gives you the amount of calories you body needs to MAINTAIN your weight that you are now.
HOWEVER as most of us are on a weight loss journey here to lose weight you will want to subtract UP TO 500 CALORIES from your final amount. This is the best way to lose weight as if you constantly drop over the 500 calorie deficit your body will want to keep as much of its energy to store as it will be in 'starvation mode'. By subtracting up to 500 calories from your intake you will lose UP TO 2 pounds of weight per week, this is the largest HEALTHY amount you should lose per week.

Weight loss is not a race, its hard not to get impatient with ourselves and our bodies and want a quick fix solution. But by doing this we are setting our bodies up to be unhealthy.

I hope this all makes sense to you. It took me a while to get my head round but i really feel like its been an massive eye opener. I've realised that i eat far too few calories per day considering my exercise amounts and this may be a big reason why i haven't been 'losing weight' or even developing much muscle tone. Have a go and see what you all think!

BEE (Harris- Benedict Equation)
For determining energy cost of basal metabolic rate (BMR)

Women - 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.7 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

Men - 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age)


Calculating Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) using Physical Activity Levels (PAL)

Multiply BMR by the following for differing levels of PAL

If your NON OCCUPATIONAL activity is NON ACTIVE
and your OCCUPATIONAL activity is
Light - (Men) x 1.4 . (Women) x 1.4
Moderate - (Men) x 1.6. (Women) x 1.5
Moderate/Heavy - (Men) x 1.7 . (Women) x1.5

If your NON OCCUPATIONAL activity is MODERATELY ACTIVE
and your OCCUPATIONAL activity is
Light - (Men) x 1.5 . (Women) 1.5
Moderate - (Men) x 1.7 . (Women) x 1.6
Moderate/Heavy - (Men) x 1.8 . (Women) x 1.6

If your NON OCCUPATIONAL activity is VERY ACTIVE
and your OCCUPATIONAL activity is
Light - (Men) x 1.6 . (Women) x 1.6
Moderate - (Men) x 1.8 . (Women) x1.7
Moderate/Heavy - (Men) x 1.9 x (Women) x 1.7

Big love to you all x

Replies

  • skinnyb450
    skinnyb450 Posts: 288
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    Thanks! Great information :smile:
  • Sandyslosenit
    Sandyslosenit Posts: 322 Member
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    :)
  • virginiagomes
    virginiagomes Posts: 110 Member
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    This is very helpful information.
    I am still sleepy but this is my way of bookmarking it and I will check it out later.
    TFS
  • KerryWelly
    KerryWelly Posts: 8
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    This information is very useful and readily available on the internet. I'm doing a degree in Human Biolgoy in the hope of becoming a dietician (fingers crossed!!!!) and am amazed by the amount of people who go 'oooh I want to lose weight, I'll stop eating altogether', just doesn't work, your body is clever little thing and it's the only one you've got, fill it with good clean foods and exercise to keep it healthy and you'll see a difference whether or not you count calories.

    Peace xxxxxxxx
  • chiliflea
    chiliflea Posts: 695 Member
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    I tried it and it came out that my BMR is over 4000! Eating that many calories is what's got me into this situation!!
  • tassles
    tassles Posts: 172
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    This seems to very useful information, thanks for posting BUT....

    I worked out that using this calculation I should be eating 179.36 calories MORE than what I've been following on M.F.P.

    Now I'm really confused ...should I follow this new figure and risk losing at a slower rate (or not at all) or should I use M.F.P figure and risk going into "starvation mode" ?

    When starting up with M.F.P. all the figures for age, weight, height and activity were factored in too .....so how does this formula give a more personalised figure?

    HELP I'M SO CONFUSED!!!!
  • midgetjoness
    midgetjoness Posts: 27
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    Is your 179 figure your BMR or have you included in your exercise amounts too? with final figure you get after add your exercise amounts/lifestyle factor you can minus up to 500cals from that and that will get you to lose as much as 2lbs of weight per week (the healthy amount to lose per week), obviously though some weeks you will lose more and some you will lose less thats just the way the body works. I'd say that if you are happy with the results you are getting then stick with it! Do what makes you happy :) you could always try working with this equation and see what happens and if you aren't happy revert back to myfitnesspal. I've found that myfitnesspal told me to eat 1200 cals per day which for me seemed completely innacurate. I also didn't lose much at all but i think its because i have been eating too little. Now i've upped it i've seen more results and even lost a bit! Its all about finding out what works for your body and finding the right balance. i hope that helps?
  • midgetjoness
    midgetjoness Posts: 27
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    I tried it and it came out that my BMR is over 4000! Eating that many calories is what's got me into this situation!!

    are you sure you did it right? when i first did it i didn't minus my 4.7 x age inyears and it came out as quite high?
    However its also important to note that the more weight you have the more calories your body does actually need a day because you are using much more energy just to survive. e.g a 6ft 5 person will have way more blood vessels etc and the body will have to work a LOT harder to pump all the blood around etc than someone who is 5ft.
    Also from your final result you want to subtract 500cals from it to lose weight. Any more than that and you may reach the plateau of not losing anything at all because your body will hold onto what it can.
  • mistawalka
    mistawalka Posts: 108 Member
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    using this formula my BMR+activity level comes out to be 3,184
  • tassles
    tassles Posts: 172
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    Is your 179 figure your BMR or have you included in your exercise amounts too? with final figure you get after add your exercise amounts/lifestyle factor you can minus up to 500cals from that and that will get you to lose as much as 2lbs of weight per week (the healthy amount to lose per week), obviously though some weeks you will lose more and some you will lose less thats just the way the body works. I'd say that if you are happy with the results you are getting then stick with it! Do what makes you happy :) you could always try working with this equation and see what happens and if you aren't happy revert back to myfitnesspal. I've found that myfitnesspal told me to eat 1200 cals per day which for me seemed completely innacurate. I also didn't lose much at all but i think its because i have been eating too little. Now i've upped it i've seen more results and even lost a bit! Its all about finding out what works for your body and finding the right balance. i hope that helps?

    the figure of 179.36 is with the EAR figure ( BMR x 1.4 ) less the 500 to lose weight.....
    .....I assume any extra calories burned off during exercise would need to be eaten back?
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Thanks Midge!!! It confirmed what I thought I knew, and makes perfect sense. MFP does generally the same thing, but we do not see what goes into the calculations.

    I have found MFP to be too low for me. I lose weight slowly, but live a better life at 1/2 lb a week. I add another 100 calories just because I know my body............and this number is just that! :tongue:

    NOW here is what I learned today oh mighty teacher........

    If I park my *kitten* in my seat at work all day, park my car right near the entrance, walk the shortest distance between a and b, take the elevator and avoid exertion at all cost I can eat 1861 calories a day and remain the same. I can eat 1350 to lose 1/2 pound.

    If at work I get my own faxes, walk to the person instead of sending an email or IM, TAKE my 2 10 minute breaks and walk around the building, offer to walk to the deli for the daily coffee, come home and use a broom, mow the lawn, and park far from teh front door of store, take the stairs, I can eat 1995 to maintain and 1495 to lose 1/2 a week.

    If I do all that at work (cant do much more in an office without getting fired:laugh: ) take my 2 10 minute breaks and 1/2 my lunch hour to walk around the building, park faaaaaaaaaar from the front door, or better yet on the other side of the mall from the store I need, take the stairs, ride my bike to the store, exercise with weights and/or cardio of my choice. Walk the dog instead of opening the back door and letter her loose. wash the dishes by hand, mop the floor, scrub the tub..........generally be more active and get off my AZZ I can then have 2128 to maintain and 1628 to lose 1/2 pound a week.

    Putting it all in perspective. Thank you, you have no idea how much you helped me:flowerforyou:
  • midgetjoness
    midgetjoness Posts: 27
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    Thanks Midge!!! It confirmed what I thought I knew, and makes perfect sense. MFP does generally the same thing, but we do not see what goes into the calculations.

    I have found MFP to be too low for me. I lose weight slowly, but live a better life at 1/2 lb a week. I add another 100 calories just because I know my body............and this number is just that! :tongue:

    NOW here is what I learned today oh mighty teacher........

    If I park my *kitten* in my seat at work all day, park my car right near the entrance, walk the shortest distance between a and b, take the elevator and avoid exertion at all cost I can eat 1861 calories a day and remain the same. I can eat 1350 to lose 1/2 pound.

    If at work I get my own faxes, walk to the person instead of sending an email or IM, TAKE my 2 10 minute breaks and walk around the building, offer to walk to the deli for the daily coffee, come home and use a broom, mow the lawn, and park far from teh front door of store, take the stairs, I can eat 1995 to maintain and 1495 to lose 1/2 a week.

    If I do all that at work (cant do much more in an office without getting fired:laugh: ) take my 2 10 minute breaks and 1/2 my lunch hour to walk around the building, park faaaaaaaaaar from the front door, or better yet on the other side of the mall from the store I need, take the stairs, ride my bike to the store, exercise with weights and/or cardio of my choice. Walk the dog instead of opening the back door and letter her loose. wash the dishes by hand, mop the floor, scrub the tub..........generally be more active and get off my AZZ I can then have 2128 to maintain and 1628 to lose 1/2 pound a week.

    Putting it all in perspective. Thank you, you have no idea how much you helped me:flowerforyou:

    haha love this post :)
  • slimjudi
    slimjudi Posts: 5
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    If you click on the Tools tab in MFP, then click on Calculate your BMR, you just need to plug in some information it requests, then it will calculate your BMR for you.

    It uses the Mifflin-St. Jeor equations to estimate your BMR which is believed to be more accurate than the more commonly used Harris-Benedict equation.

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