Calculate your calorie requirement. What is the daily calorie intake for weight loss? How calories are calculated for weight loss

A person needs a source of energy to feel good and maintain their vital functions. You can get it from various foods that contain useful material- fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The indicators of these components affect the calorie content of food. To calculate how many calories a person needs per day, you need to know the level of activity, that is, the cost of energy.

Fundamentals of Dietetics

Dietetics is the science of proper nutrition... The essence of energy balance is as follows:

1. The intake of food products into the body should be equal to their consumption.
2. Food should contain carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the prescribed proportion.
3. The presence of vitamins and microelements in the daily food ration is obligatory.

If a person receives less natural active substances, various diseases begin to form in him (hypertension, obesity, diabetes and others), which leads to a decrease in average life expectancy.

Balanced diet

To find out how many calories you can eat per day, you need to know your energy expenditure (metabolic rate). The general metabolism in a person depends on the main and additional.

Basal metabolism is the number of calories that the body spends on all important functions. How many calories per day a person needs normally depends on the main metabolism and on the following factors:

• height;
• body constitution;
• the level of hormone production.

Accordingly, the rate of calories per day depends on the listed criteria. For example, in men chemical processes occur faster in the body than in women. Young people spend more energy than older people. The average daily metabolism in the adult population is 25 kcal per kilogram of weight.

How much protein does a person need per day for health? Athletes and active young people should consume 1.5-2.5 grams per 1 kg of body weight per day. A person weighing 80 kg can eat 200 grams of protein daily. People with moderate activity can consume up to 1.5 grams per 1 kg of body weight. If sedentary image life, it is enough to eat up to 1 gram per 1 kg per day.

Where do calories come from?

As mentioned above, food contains carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, trace elements and water. The last three components do not give energy to the body. The calorie content of food is expressed in the energy value necessary to maintain life in the human body.

The human body consumes food for a variety of functions, such as the formation of heat, respiration, transport of blood through the cells, for rest and work, and sports. If a person consumes more than he spends, then part of the calories is stored as fat, and the person gets fat.

What are they spent on

Calories are expended in the following actions:

1. Warming the body. To warm up, a person spends fat reserves.
2. The process of movement. When a person moves, his muscles contract, so when playing sports or when cleaning the apartment, the body wastes energy.

To find out how many calories a person spends per day, you need to know his vigorous activity: studies, works, professional athlete, housewife, etc.

What happens when you are low on calories

When calculating daily allowance you need to take into account any little thing: put butter in porridge or mayonnaise in a salad. An excess of calorie intake, as well as a deficiency, is fraught with consequences for the body. If there are few nutrients from food, the body begins to use energy from muscle tissue, and not from excess fat.

Lack of fat and carbohydrates in the diet can reduce the basal metabolism. The body, maintaining a constant supply of sugar to the brain, consumes its own store of glycogen, which is stored in the liver. Glycogen is gradually eliminated from muscle tissue, in connection with this, a person begins to lose weight. If stores are depleted, the person stops losing weight.

Adipose tissue is not used to nourish the brain. During the period of weight loss, the body uses fat deposits as energy, but the decrease in these reserves is much less than the loss of muscle and bone tissue... If a person deprives himself of fatty foods during the time, then weight loss occurs due to bone and muscle tissue. This is fraught with the body, as it threatens with exhaustion.

The formula for calculating the daily rate

How many calories does a person need? The rate is determined based on the following data:

• basic metabolism is the expense for vital functions of the body: breathing, digestion of food, supplying organs with blood, and so on;
• daily expenditure on physical labor.

• OM for women = 6.26 * (height in cm) + 10 * (weight in kg) - 5 * (age in years) - 161;
• OM for men = 6.26 * (height in cm) + 10 * (weight in kg) - 5 * (age in years) + 5, where (OM) is the total metabolism.

Norm for women

Young women aged 18-30 consume an average of 2000 kcal. If a woman is actively involved in sports or works a lot, daily rate increases.

The norm of kilocalories per day for a woman depends on the same parameters as for men:

1. A sedentary lifestyle or physical activity absent - 1300-1500 kcal per day.
2. Low physical activity - 1500-1700 kcal.
3. Moderate activity - 1800-2000 kcal.
4. Strong loads - 2000-2400 kcal.

These are approximate values. How many calories a woman needs to consume per day can be calculated using a formula that takes into account weight, height and index (value of physical activity).

Harris-Benedict formula:

447.6 + 9.2 * weight in kg + 3.1 * height in cm - 4.3 * age.

The result obtained must be multiplied by the activity index.

For example: a 26-year-old girl with a height of 163 cm and a weight of 64 kg. Attends fitness two to three times a week.

447.6 + 9.2 * 64 + 3.1 * 163 - 4.3 * 26 = 1430 kcal.

Multiply by the activity index (1.375) and get the daily rate of 1966 kcal.

Women over 50 require slightly fewer calories as their basal metabolic rate decreases.

A woman during pregnancy and lactation needs more calories. But this does not mean that pregnant women should eat for two, with edema or excessive weight gain, they can prescribe a diet. With a normal initial weight before pregnancy, women in the position should consume from 2500 to 3500 kcal per day.

Norm for men

A man's diet should be high in calories to maintain all functions in the body. The daily calorie intake for moderately active men is 2500-2800 calories. If there is no physical activity, energy is spent in different ways.

There is another formula for calculating: (13.4 * weight in kg + 88.37 + 4.8 * height in cm - 5.7 * age) * activity index.

The daily calorie intake for a man depends on his activity. The result must be multiplied by an index that corresponds to the level of physical activity:

• sedentary work or no activity - 1.2;
• small physical labor - 1.4;
• moderate physical activity - 1.55;
• hard physical work - 1.7;
• hard physical labor + active sports training - 1.9.

Here is an example of calculating the norm of kcal per day for men:

The 181 man weighs 88 kg and is moderately active. Substituting the values ​​in the formula, it is easy to calculate how many calories a man needs per day: 6.25 * (height in cm) + 10 * (weight in kg) - 5 * (age in years) + 5 = 1781 kcal.

When asked how many calories a man needs to consume per day, if he wants to lose weight, the answer is that he must cut his diet by 20%.

Weight correction

The systematic consumption of calories less than the daily value contributes to weight loss and weight correction, especially if you combine a diet with exercise. The daily intake of the number of calories for a woman while losing weight is 80% of the usual figure per day.

The same indicator is used when you need to calculate the daily calorie intake for men. For harmless weight loss, nutritionists advise to reduce the calorie content of food gradually. If the daily rate of kilocalories is 2000, then using 1600 kcal per day, you can achieve a gradual weight loss.

The calorie intake per day for men to maintain weight is 1800 kcal. Lowering this value below is not recommended to avoid health problems. The daily calorie intake for weight loss depends on the individual intake of a particular person.

Necessary nutrients must be contained in an exact ratio:

• proteins - 30%;
• carbohydrates - 50%;
• fats - 20%.

With classic weight loss, all these components should be present in the diet of any person. The lack of one of these components will negate all efforts. You need to plan your daily diet taking into account physical activity, and then your body will delight you with beauty and grace for a long time!

Video

You will learn a lot more about nutrition and calories from the video.

Every self-respecting person watches his own figure. In the case of excess weight, many immediately go on a diet or start playing sports. This is the right decision, but first you need to understand how to correctly calculate calories for weight loss. There is an opinion that up to 2500 kcal per day is enough for a person. Is this really so, because each organism is individual in its own way? It is not necessary to consult a dietitian to determine your daily calorie intake. It is enough just to use the generally accepted formulas for calculating excess weight and the amount of required energy value.

Is it worth losing weight?

For many women, due to some circumstances, over time, there is an obsession with being overweight, even if it really is not. Therefore, before calculating the number of calories for weight loss, it is imperative to determine whether at least the beginnings of obesity are really present. If the weight is within the normal range, then any diets are extremely contraindicated. Otherwise, such restrictions will lead to a lack of body weight. The end result will be the development of such a terrible disease as anorexia.

The calculation of the weight norm is based on the body mass index. This coefficient was introduced into dietetics in the 19th century by the Belgian scientist A. Quetelet. He noticed that the weight of an adult depends on the size of his body. Subsequently, the scientist identified a logical pattern. Today this formula calculates the same mass index. In 1972, the pattern was proven and confirmed by the American biologist A. Keys. In turn, he found that the mass index can show how far a person's weight is from the normal range.

The calculation formula is not complicated. The index is equal to the division of body weight by a person's height squared. It is important to understand that the pattern is true only for adults, but not for children or pregnant women. In addition, the units of measurement should always be in kilograms and meters.

Example: weight - 90 kg with a height of 1.80 m.Thus, the BMI will be 90 / (1.80 * 1.80) = 27.8. The condition is preobesity (see below).

To determine the weight norm, refer to the special tabular data. If the index is less than 16.1, then the person has a predisposition to anorexia. If the indicator is from 16.1 to 18.4, then there is a weight deficit. The index 18.5-24.9 indicates the norm of body weight. The pre-obesity stage starts from 25 to 29.9. If the index is over 30, then the person has a recorded degree of obesity.

To determine the number of kilograms that you need to lose, you should use the reverse form, taking into account the above tabular data.

Slimming Formula Basics

The basic concept in dietetics is metabolism. The calculation formulas are based on this process occurring in the body at rest. The fact is that during physical exertion, calories are consumed many times more. In turn, in a state of rest, the body needs energy only to maintain body temperature and the work of all internal organs and cells.

That is why, in order to calculate the calorie intake for weight loss, physical activity should be taken into account, such as additional factor, expressed in a certain ratio. Age, gender, weight and height of a person play a decisive role in the formulas.

Mifflin-San Geora index for women

So, the formula of the same name for a woman looks like this:

10 * (weight, kg) + 6.25 * (height, cm) - 161 - 5 * (age, years).

It is important to respect all units of measurement.

The next step is to multiply the result obtained by the load factor. Its value ranges from 1.2 to 1.9. In the absence of load, the coefficient will be 1.2. When doing fitness every other day - 1.375, almost every day - 1.46. Intensive exercise regularly - 1.55. Running or fitness every day - 1.64. High intensive load every other day - 1.725. Hard physical work in conjunction with sports - 1.9.

As a result, a person will receive their daily calorie intake.

Harris-Benedict exponent for women

At the initial stage, the elements of the equation are determined. Everything (kg) is multiplied by a factor of 9.563, height (cm) - by 1.85. Then they add up. From the result obtained, the product of age (years) is subtracted by a factor of 4.676. The number 655.1 is added to the total value. In the final step, the result is multiplied by the load factor.

Mifflin-San Geora index for men

The function looks like this:

10 * (weight, kg) + 6.25 * (height, cm) + 5 - 5 * (age, years)

The activity rates are exactly the same as for women. The minimum load is 1.2. Average physical activity - from 1.375 to 1.55. Increased regular workload - from 1.64 to 1.9.

To calculate the daily energy value, you need to multiply the result of the formula by the activity coefficient.

Harris-Benedict exponent for men

Weight (kg) is multiplied by 13.75, and height (cm) by 5. The total values ​​are added up, then the number 66.5 is added to them. The result of the product of the number 6.775 by the age (years) is subtracted from the obtained value. The value is then multiplied by the load factor.

Calories for weight loss: normal

The daily amount of energy value obtained as a result of one of the above formulas does not give an exact figure for losing excess weight. To calculate the calorie intake for weight loss for the day, you need to subtract 20% from the total value of the function. To do this, divide the result of the formula by 100 and multiply by 80.

It is important to understand that the unit of measurement for the total value is kJ (calories). Based on this, you should plan your daily diet in the future.

Sample menu for the day

To calculate the daily calorie intake for weight loss correctly, you need to determine the energy value of foods. A balanced diet with excess weight plays a decisive role, along with an active lifestyle.

An example of a menu for a day (1 portion) looks like this: skimmed milk(250 g), yogurt (100 g), sugar-free tea, one large apple, boiled potatoes (150 g), steamed beef (60 g), mushrooms (110 g). In total, a person consumes about 500 calories. It is worth calculating the energy value for all elements of the diet. It is better to replace the most high-calorie ones with "light" ones in an increased volume.

It is recommended that you draw up a table of frequently prepared dishes. It is important to understand that the effectiveness of the diet is to gradually reduce the calorie intake. Extreme restriction will lead to metabolic disorders.

First of all, you should reduce your sugar intake to a minimum. This also applies to chocolate, cookies, and other sweets. It is also not recommended to eat fatty foods based on margarine, lard or butter.

At the next stage, it is important to protect yourself from starchy foods, such as potatoes, pasta, bread, and some cereals. From dairy products, fat-free cottage cheese, kefir and yogurt are best.

With reasonable weight loss, vegetables in any form will be useful: carrots, cucumbers, radishes, peppers, tomatoes, beets, lettuce, cabbage, etc. An irreplaceable source of vital microcomponents is lean boiled meat, fish, poultry (up to 200 g per day).

From liquid you can use teas, juices, compotes. It will not be superfluous to use high-quality multivitamins and calcium concentrate. These drugs are sold in pharmacies.

Before each meal, you should weigh the portion to determine its calorie content. The error should be no more than 2 g.

With the increase in physical activity, the calorie intake should be recalculated according to one of the above formulas.

You need to eat 4-5 times a day. At the same time, alcohol consumption is strictly contraindicated.

Starting to get rid of excess weight by counting BZHUK, you must initially correctly calculate the calories for weight loss. Rather, determine how many calories a day you need to eat in order to smoothly reduce weight. In the previous article, all indicators that affect the daily intake were considered, and a simple method for determining this value was given. Today we will look at complex, but also more reliable formulas for calculating calories.

How to count calories to lose weight

Harris-Benedict Formula

This formula for calculating the rate of calories was determined empirically and published in 1919 by famous anthropologists Francis Gano Benedict and James Arthur Harris.

1. BMR = 66 + + - - men
2. BMR = 655 + + - - women

The studies were carried out at the beginning of the last century on a group of active young people, therefore, this calculation method is not entirely correct to use to determine the daily energy requirement of an average metropolitan resident. The calculated value obtained using the Harris-Benedict formula exceeds the actual need modern man in calories. This should be taken into account when calculating the daily calorie intake for women, people with a BMI above normal and who want to lose a lot of weight.

Over time, this formula has been repeatedly refined and revised. As a result, today there are several other ways to determine the daily calorie intake.

The formula for calculating the calorie rate of Mifflin - San Geora

This formula will be younger than the previous one, since it was developed at the end of the last century (in the 90s).

1. Men - BMR = + - + 5
2. Women - BMR = + - -161

For determining required level calories, this method of calculating the most popular today. It is designed taking into account the specifics of nutrition and other realities of our time. However, this formula does not take into account the proportion of body fat. Based on this fact, and taking into account other nuances, it can be assumed that the result of the calculation using the Mifflin-San Geor formula is also slightly higher than the body's real calorie needs.

For ease of reference, explore illustrative example on how to correctly count calories using this formula.

Example

You are a woman. Weight -85 kg, age - 35 years, height - 170 cm.Calculate BMR for these conditions:

BMR = + - -161

Using the above formulas, the basic metabolism BMR (Basal metabolic rate) is calculated - the amount of energy required to carry out vital activities (lie, sit, breathe). but healthy person A person who is not bedridden needs a little more calories a day for a normal existence. In order to calculate the final rate of calorie intake, which should be adhered to when planning a daily diet, it is necessary to multiply the obtained BMR values ​​by the corresponding coefficient of physical activity.

Some people do not adequately assess their activity, so there is a chance that they will receive incorrect values ​​as a result of the calculation. When determining your level of activity, try to objectively look at your life.

• 1.2 - the minimum level of physical activity or its complete absence (sedentary work, lack of sports);
• 1.3-1.4 light level of activity (lungs physical exercises about 3 times a week, daily morning work-out, walking);
• 1.5-1.6 average activity (sports up to 5 times a week);
• 1.7-1.8 activity high level(active lifestyle coupled with daily intense workouts);
• 1.9-2.0 extremely high activity (sports lifestyle, hard physical labor, long hard training every day).

Continuation of the example: BMR * 1.2 = 1578.45 * 1.2 = 1894.14

By multiplying the calculated BMR value by the activity coefficient, you get the limits of the calorie corridor, which must be observed when planning your meals. By making an accurate calculation of how many calories you need to consume per day, you can control your weight for a long time and stay healthy without extra effort.

Why do we need to know the basic daily calorie intake?

You probably know your goal - to lose weight, maintain or gain weight. In order to adjust our diet to achieve the desired result, we need to know our daily calorie intake:

1. If you want to save weight - stick to the values ​​obtained when calculating
2. Your goal is to lose weight - reduce the resulting value by 10-20%
3. To gain pounds - add the same 10-20% of calories.

An example of calculating the daily calorie intake for weight loss:

1894.14-1894.14 * 20% ÷ 1894.14-1894.14 * 10% = 1515.31 ÷ 1704.72

It is recommended to regularly monitor the ongoing changes in weight and carry out a timely recalculation of the daily calorie content. If the weight changes by 5 kilograms or more, it is mandatory to revise the daily rate.

People who are faced with the problem of excess weight, sooner or later ask themselves the question: how many calories do you need to consume per day to lose weight? To do this, you need to learn how to count the arrival and consumption of energy units. The daily requirement depends on how mobile a person's lifestyle is. There are several formulas by which this rate can be calculated.

To maintain vital activity, even in a state of complete rest, a person needs a certain amount of energy. The more we move, the more food the body needs to function properly. The calorie intake per day for weight loss, weight gain or maintenance is calculated according to an individual formula for men and women. This is the first step in creating a personalized diet. Sex, weight, height, age, muscle mass and energy expenditure per day are important.

1. The easiest way: calculation per kilogram of body weight. When it comes to losing weight, the daily allowance is 26-29 kcal. 33-35 units of energy will help to keep in shape. You can get better if you consume 40 or more calories per 1 kg of your weight per day. But this method does not take into account the physical activity of a person, therefore it is imperfect.

2. The Harris-Benedict equation provides the ability to determine the basal metabolism based on weight, height and age.

• Formula for men: 66 + (13.7 x weight) + (5 x height) - (6.8 x age).
• Formula for women: 655 + (9.6 x weight) + (1.8 x height) - (4.7 x age).

The total must be multiplied by the physical activity index:

• 1.2 - lifestyle with extremely low physical activity;
• 1.3 - exercise or work out in the gym 1-3 times a week;
• 1.9 - extra load (professional sports, especially power types).

3. Methodology Mifflin-San Geor - one of the newest calculations (2005) of American nutritionists. There is a simplified and better version of this formula.

• For men: 10 x weight + 6.25 x height - 5 x age + 5.
• For women: 10 x weight + 6.25 x height - 5 x age - 161.

The above formulas are multiplied by the physical activity index given above.

4. The Ketch-McArdle method. Its difference from the previous formulas is that, in addition to the indicated parameters, it also takes into account the mass of the muscles of the body, which means that it is more accurate. Basal metabolism in men and women is calculated using the formula 370 + (21.6 x muscle mass). To find it out, subtract the amount of fat from total weight... It can be 10, 20, 30%.

The most important thing in losing weight is a negative calorie balance. Only their deficit can burn excess weight therefore food consumption should not exceed energy expenditure. Lose weight and not reduce muscle mass, not to disrupt the metabolism and work of the thyroid gland - this is the main task. Having calculated the required number of energy units, you need to reduce them by at least 500. And only you can decide whether to increase physical activity or reduce the amount of certain foods.

Calculation example

Many specialized sites are equipped with calculators. Let's summarize how many calories you need to consume per day for weight loss in each case.

1. If you are guided by the method of calculating per kilogram of body weight, then it is easy to calculate that a person weighing 70 kg, in order to lose weight, needs to receive 1820-2030 calories. To maintain weight, the consumption of energy units will be 2100-2450 kcal.
2. Using the Harris-Benedict method, you need to know your height and weight. For example, say you are a 40-year-old man who is 176 cm tall and weighs 82 kg. You work mostly sitting, love to lie down. The individual formula for calculating the calorie norm looks like this: 66 + (13.7 x 80) + (5 x 176) - (6.8 x 40) = 2341.4. Multiplying this number by the coefficient of physical activity 1.2, we get 2809.68 calories per day. You will be able to lose weight if you reduce by 500 kcal, total - 2309. This is your rate per day.
3. For the Mifflin-Saint Geor calculation, take, for example, a 41-year-old non-sports woman who is 156 cm tall and weighs 67 kg. 10 x 67 + 6.25 x 156 - 5 x 41 - 161. The resulting 1689 kcal is multiplied by the lowest activity index 1.2. To stay at this weight, a woman needs to eat food, the energy value of which is 2026.8 kcal. Subtract 500 from this figure. In order to lose weight, a curvy lady will have to cut her diet to 1526 kcal.
4. And finally, the most difficult, but most realistic Ketch-McArdle formula. It is only suitable for those who have tested their muscle mass. For example, you are a woman who weighs 64 kg, of which fat is 10% (6.4). This means that the muscle mass is 57.6 kg. Your basal metabolic rate is 370 + (21.6 x 57.6) = 1614.16 calories.

You can lose weight comfortably, without feeling hungry and stress for the body. Use some tips.

1. Reduce your calories gradually. Sudden jump slows down the metabolism. Stretch this process for 2-3 weeks, the body must adapt to the new diet. Experts recommend reducing your daily intake by 20%. Smoothly pursue their deficit.
2. The calorie content of the daily diet should not be lower than 1200 for women and 1800 for men, this is the so-called border. If you eat less than the threshold value, depletion of the body will soon begin, instead of fat, muscle mass will go away.
3. Get a kitchen scale if you haven't already. Train yourself to weigh the food, it is necessary to find out the calorie content of the dish. You will soon be determining the weight visually.
4. Eat often, but in small, low-calorie meals. Multiple meals for weight loss contribute to a better metabolism.
5. Don't exclude carbohydrates and fats from your diet. There should be less of them than proteins, but not getting them at all is wrong and unhealthy. In the morning, nutritionists advise eating simple carbohydrates in the form of cereals; vegetable fats are used.
6. Be active. If for some reason visiting the gym is impossible, include at least a light warm-up or cleaning the apartment in the daily routine. There are days when you happen to eat something high in calories. Punish yourself for weakness with a walk or other physical activity... Losing weight is impossible with low physical activity, otherwise, in order to lose weight, you must practically starve yourself.

The daily calorie intake is total number kilocalories, which is permissible to consume during the day in order not to gain weight. Losing weight according to this scheme at the time of the diet will be gradual and correct. With this approach, you can consume different foods without limiting yourself in your favorite dishes. Of course, every candy or white bread sandwich will need to be calculated in your menu.

Calorie Calculation for Weight Loss during the diet period, you can use formulas manually, or you can use our online calculator calories. To calculate, it is enough to indicate your age, weight and height. The formulas of famous nutritionists will be presented to your attention, so there is no need to doubt their accuracy. This article will help you choose the right way to lose weight, based on the accurate calculation of calories for each day. You will also learn the basic rules for compiling your menu. A balanced diet and accurate calorie counting are the two main levers that influence weight loss over time.

Calorie calculator online

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Calculator for calculating KBZHU

Calorie burn calculator

Why you need to count calories

Milk products

Bread and cereals

Vegetables and fruits

Dried fruits and beans

Meat

Sausages

Eggs

Fish and seafood

Sweets

It is necessary to use a calorie counter not only during the diet, but also in the process of normal nutrition. The main thing is to strictly monitor the minimum and maximum threshold for daily coloration. Accurate calculations in the process of losing weight are the key to a correct and balanced diet.